Sorry, I don't have any recommendations.
I don't know why you want to avoid Sharp. When I found out that Sharp makes the MW for Viking (and a whole lot of others), I decided to save many $$ and go with the Sharp MW drawer.

Sharp also makes the Dacor MW drawer, and the Sharp MW drawer can fit in either a 24" or 27" cab. Have heard only good things about the MW drawer.

We decided to go with the Sharp 24". I really liked the looks of the GE Spacemaker and the size would have been fine for me as I only do minor re-heating in the microwave. My concern with the GE was how to vent it... I couldn't get a straight answer from anyone. I was led to believe that it might have required a trim kit to go around it for venting purposes, but as mentioned, never got a complete answer and thus went with the Sharp because the installation seemed more straightforward.

Thanks for the replies. My understanding is that Sharp has far more reliability problems compared to other MW's, according to Consumer Reports. It's good to know Viking chose them but CR says Viking products also have reliability problems! Go figure. I'll have to check them out.

First, I'm a little confused. Are you looking for an under-counter or under-cabinet microwave? Your subject line says under-counter, but the reference from the salesman about MWs designed to "hang" under the cabinet made me think you were talking about an under-cabinet MW.

If you are talking about an under-counter MW, please realize that you aren't limited to the MW drawers. I (and several others here) have a regular old MW sitting on a shelf under the counter. I had the cabinet maker make the shelf to the specs of the Sharp 24" drawer, just in case I ever decide to get one, but it's just a shelf with an outlet in the back. I absolutely love having the MW off the counter without being so visible as the under-cabinet styles. I was a little concerned with accessibility, given that the MW wasn't designed to be so low, but it has worked out wonderfully.

If you meant "under-cabinet", I can't help you.

Oh, and by the way, I'd take whatever Consumer Reports says with a very large grain of salt. They used to be THE place to go for product information, but they have gone seriously downhill. My experiences with appliances, in particular, have been the exact opposite as their recommendations too many times to count. I prefer sites like epinions.com, where actual users are giving the reviews. I just don't think CR's testing procedures are keeping up with the times, and they certainly don't reflect usage over time.

holligator, you have every reason to be confused. I meant under the cabinet.

I'd rather not go with a MW sitting on a shelf but that seems to give the most flexibility.

Craig....unfortunately, I have to agree with CR about Sharp....at least the countertop models. I had their top-of-the-line model that I loved b/c of functions it had that none other had/has (except the Dacor 2420...but that's also made by Sharp). But, it started having problems within a two years. We nursed it along for another couple of years (w/the risk of fire always present) but finally had to replace it. My parents also had a Sharp, albeit a lower model, that also went bad after only a year or two (they told me not to buy a Sharp, but I didn't listen!)

If you look at reviews on Amazon and elsewhere, you will find a lot of negatives.

All that being said, on this Forum (and Appliances) I have heard only good things about the Sharp MW >drawer...so I'm taking a chance that the drawers are made differently and will stand up to rather heavy daily use. BUT, it costs a lot more than $300 and it's not a countertop model.

Good luck!

Under cabinet makes a world of difference. I have had two GE OTR MWs (seems like these ought to be under cabinet mountable, too) that I just loved. Great features, no worries about the function AT ALL. Loved the sensor cooking buttons. Never had a problem with mushy vegetables, over-cooked defrost, or burnt popcorn.