I had a shelf just below a shortened upper cabinet in my last house for my microwave and really loved it. I designed the kitchen with that in mind basically for the same reasons you state. The shelf was flexible allowing for different microwaves or other items in the future. I would have done the same again in this kitchen but instead did the MW drawer in the island. I'm just beginning to use my new kitchen so can't attest to which I like better.

I'm planning a MW shelf, as well, and have been collecting photos from the FKB. Here's a few:

It seems to be an acceptable design option. I don't understand why your KD is trying to dissuade you.

I had one made in my old old (ie two kitchens ago) kitchen, and loved it.

I think the last one shown above, where essentially you are using the bottom half of a cupboard with an adjustable shelf above is a really intelligent option and will cover you when you replace your MW and it's a different size.

I agree that a MW 'shelf' may not be stable, but a MW cupboard should be just like any other upper.

FWIW, Sharp and GE have OTC microwaves that come in stainless.

sharp:
http://www.sharpusa.com/products/ModelLanding/0,1058,741,00.html

GE spacemaker (they have other models; this is the smallest):

http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SPECPAGE&SKU=PEM31SMSS&SITEID=GEA

I had the same battle with my KD and lost; not sure why, since I am paying the bills. Think it was just a detail that got lost in the avalanche of so many decisions. The MW looks great, and looks built in, but I still wanted a shelf for the reasons you mentioned. We got a GE spacesaver, stainless, to the tune of $315. It's smaller and has less power than a $129 Panasonic I saw at Costco. It attaches to the cabinet by its top and is framed in. I can already see when it breaks, how I will have the space modified to a shelf. Since we've done our kitchen, I've seen this same installation many times in other newly done kitchens. My KD didn't sell me the micro, either, and I don't see why I didn't get what I originally asked for.

Thanks everyone! I think we'll insist on the shelf when we finalize our design. The shelf available on our cabinet style sticks out further than the other upper cabinets, which is why the salesperson thinks it looks awkward. But it will be positioned right beside the fridge gable, which sticks out even further, so I think that will help support the shelf, as well as balance the visual asymetry of that cabinet run.

Hmmm, I wonder how long it will take me to re-fill the counter spaces with clutter, now that I'm spending all this $$$ to put the present clutter somewhere else???

Could you order deeper upper cabinets so the shelf & cabs would be the same depth? Or, is the shelf too deep? Or, will it look "wrong" b/c of the rest of the upper cabinets?

In my old kitchen I had a regularsize microwave that was built in. SOmething that I hated about it was that it was so deep and seemed "in my face" everytime I used the counter underneath it.

In the new layout, my KD suggested using a cabinet depth microwave. While it is smaller, I love that it is not deep and that the micro cabinet is the same depth as the other wall cabinets.

My cabinet contractor ordered a microwave cabinet with a shelf. I didn't like the shelf part sticking out, so he removed it. He used piece of the light rail to cover the front. When I didn't like seeing the "legs" of the MW, he cut a piece of my rope molding to fit just under it, hiding the bottom of the MW. He created the cubby hole over the MW just to make it interesting. I love the way it turned out, as it gives me a place for the creamer and sugar bowl. (The coffee pot is on the counter just below it.)

BTW, the MW is the GE Profile Spacemaker one. It cost me around $200.

Here's ours:

So far, no issues whatsoever. I just like the way it looks, and it provides ease of use without losing any overhead countertop space.

I have the IKEA version of upper cabinet w/microwave shelf below. LOVE it! When DH and his buddy first installed it, the microwave was able to slide around a bit b/c the microwave is smaller than the shelf. Maybe that's why your KD suggested it could be unstable.

The solution was to attach a strip of wood in front of the microwave feet. It's perfectly stable.

I'm pretty sure that for my chosen cabs, the micro shelf sticks out further than any available upper. I guess that is a trade-off you have to live with when you choose a cheaper cab line that features fine construction, but fewer design options. Anyway, I know DH has enough coffee stuff to fill the space under the shelf, even if it isn't primo-useful counter space. At least the coffee maker+grinder+electric kettle will be moved away from the counters beside the range, allowing me lots of clear prep space.

Thanks again, all.