I use mine to reheat coffee/tea, to occasionally heat up a can of soup, and even more occasionally to defrost something if I forgot to take it out of the freezer in time. Oh, and to melt butter for popcorn and heat leftovers but I usually don't have many of those or, if I do, I'm repurposing them (like making hot sandwiches from a roast) so that happens rarely. I could easily do all of these things without a microwave but it does make it a tad easier.

Some days I might not use it at all. Some days I might use it once or twice. So I don't even have it in my kitchen. I have a large combo laundry/pantry room next to the kitchen and it's in there. A short walk for when I need it but I don't waste space for it in my small kitchen. And I don't like how they look so this way I don't have to see it as much. Mine is a $60 or so cheapie from the discount store. It works fine. If I had to spend a lot more for one, I wouldn't bother.

I cook with the MW all the time. I have 2. I do quick steamed veggies, or even basic casserole type dishes. It uses less energy and adds less heat to the home during summer. I also use the inverter defrost fuction frequently as well. I buy in bulk and freeze in single meal quantities and the defrost fuction means that I can come in from the garden at 8 at night and still have something to eat in 30minutes, defrost time included.

I bet 90% of our meals are some sort of stir-fry. Kinda hard to do that in the microwave.

sweetsarahbeth, if you don't cook with one and don't need it, don't get one. But I really agree with benjesbride for selecting a location and wiring for one just in case you change your mind.

Many people can get by without one. We cannot easily get by without two. We are always heating up individual choice leftovers for lunch or dinner, melting butter for garlic bread, cooking vegetables, defrosting spaghetti sauce, etc., and both are often running at the same time. The range top is often being used for something requiring multiple cookware, and the design is such that only two burners are worth using, and only two cookware items fit at one time.

We even customized a piece of furniture so the two microwaves, and the toaster, could be stacked and not take up counter space.

Forget the microwave. I'm just blown away by the fact that gwlake has seasonal husbands. You go!

Oh, Marcos! LOLOLOL I miss all the good stuff cuz I skim.

gwlake, did your winter, spring, and summer husbands like it?

Like Sophie I use inverter defrost frequently. I also actually prefer a lot of vegetables steamed in the microwave. I felt like corn on the cob last night for a snack so I simply microwaved it on high for 4 minutes in the husk. Perfect crisp tender corn in four minutes!!! We love doing artichokes in the microwave also. I melt or soften butter for baking and I melt chocolate in it.

I do like some frozen Lean Cuisines and I cannot imagine having to heat up an oven for them. We do a lot of reheating of leftovers in the microwave. I do baked potatoes in the microwave and finish them in the toaster oven.

DH will reheat pizza in the microwave. I will only use the toaster oven for that.

I don't like meat in the microwave in general but I do use it for a small eye of round roast or turkey breast to be sliced up for sandwiches. Much better that slimy deli versions of those meats.

Our $100 cheap MW is in a 24" base cabinet. We just put an outlet down there, and it's hidden behind cabinet doors. We don't use it a lot, but when we need it, it's there.

Definitely use to reheat coffee and meals, defrost stuff and cook bacon and some veggies.

I echo the rest who said go without if you desire, but have the wiring in place should you change your mind.

Very important for me. Kids use it all the time. Amazing how cheap the counter top version are versus a microwave drawer. Ours sits on the counter now and has become a place to stack things on top of, such as paper work or magazines.

Centsational Girl just had a post about this. She didn't put a microwave in the vacation home she renovated and the day her aunt moved in to rent the home and live there full time, she had to drive to the store and buy a cheap one which she now keeps on a cart in the garage.

I NEED a microwave because I'm forgetful and am constantly interrupted by children, husbands, and ups deliveries. If your life is more organized and you have the luxury of time when reheating left overs, I'm sure you could survive without one!

Our microwave went to the basement laundry room during our almost year long reno. During that time we use it exactly 1 time. No way was I going to give up precious space for something so seldom used. A year after our reno and it is still in the basement and hasn't been used since that one time. The only thing it was used for with any regularity was DH's microwave popcorn and since we discovered exactly how horrible it is for you, we never buy it any more. I want to get rid of it completely but DH is not quite ready...I'll give it another 6 months!!

I rarely use it and voted to get rid of it during this renovation but my husband insisted. We had cabinet maker build a shelf on island so it isn't taking up counter space.

Yes, all my husbands get along fabulously. I am a very lucky girl. If you can recall. (From the new house new furniture thread). I rotate my husbands frequently.

lol^^

I'm with sushipup1. When we redid our kitchen, the KD planned a built-in on the wall oven stack, because "that's what everyone wants." That or a micro drawer which, if I'd had space, I might have gone for. Instead we got the $85 version at the wholesale club and stuck it behind a garage style door. What do you do if you have nice cabinetry custom cut for a built in micro? Those things die like mayflies. We use it maybe once a day, mostly to heat chicken stock for our elderly cats. LOL. But it would be a little inconvenient to not have one at all.

I don't use mine very often. Once or twice a week at most when I haven't taken meat out of the freezer early enough for it to completely defrost, or if I am doing frozen veggies. I am making an effort to not use it at all because I don't want it in the new kitchen. If there are times when I absolutely must use it, I will have it in the basement (at least for awhile).

We rarely use our MW, except on leftover night. I did without one for six months during the reno, and didn't miss it much. But I'm glad we put one in the new kitchen, because when I do need one, it's just so handy. I just wish I'd tucked it away somewhere like sushipup did.

I like the idea of a microwave at counter-height level (for those of us who use the microwave 10x a day). I don't like lifting piping hot stuff up from a drawer or down from eye-level.

I use mine to steam bags of veggies bc those are the veggies my kids eat and I don't want to rock that boat. I got a drawer MW since I am definitely a card carrying member of the clean counter club (lol Texas Gem- love that).

I've looked at those microwave drawers in stores and always wondered how you clean them. The drawer itself wouldn't be an issue but what about the inside top of the unit? I don't care how careful you are eventually spatters happen and build up. Even the steam deposits "soil" that builds up.

Use mine all the time. I've always had electric heat stoves, so it is a quicker way to warm water for tea or hot chocolate. I reheat frozen items -- some packaged stuff as well as leftover servings of chili/chicken and rice/soup/etc. Defrosting meat. Couldn't do without one. Fit in an appliance cabinet just have one at counter height.

Our MW is used to cook steamed veggies, popcorn, heat up leftovers (constantly as everyone seems to eat at different times), warm coffee, etc. Often we cook meals ahead of time and just heat them up at meal time. I know many say they heat up things on the range but for us that takes time we don't often have.

We use ours a lot. We have a little one that fits inside of a cupboard with enough room to ventilate. Hubby makes oatmeal every morning, I reheat coffee/tea, soup, other leftovers, etc. We could go without but it's so convenient that I don't know why we would.

I recently installed a combi-steam oven in part to replace my microwave. I still use it for a few things (heating up maple syrup seems to be most popular at the moment, and that's maybe once a week), but I really don't use it much anymore. We are putting in new pantry cabinets this month, and I have a shelf reserved for it; it just doesn't need to be out in my house.

Texas pretty much said exactly how I feel. Even with my small kitchen, I have room for a MW on the counter. It's a $99 Sharp from Costco and I'm not the least bothered by its looks. It's without peer for softening butter perfectly without melting. I mostly use my MW for reheating, although it's how I cook bacon. It comes out great and I don't miss the spitting.

Watchmelol- there is easy access to the sides and top for clean up in a MW drawer, hasn't been an issue for me.

@gwlake thank you! It's been quite an experience. I saw your thread on the homebuilding forum about wanting to sell your house and get away from it all and I was going to share something there, so I'm glad you found the blog :)

I think the idea of having a place in mind for the microwave that I don't necessarily have to use s smart. I'll put a plug in behind one of the pantry cupboards just in case.

People talking about melting butter and reheating coffee reminded me of the few occasions that I have missed a microwave!

Love my microwave. It's on an open shelf above the counter, angled in the corner. DH and DS are good with the height. Which is good because it's a little lower for my 5'2" height. They're 5'10" and 6' respectively. I have to cook everything from scratch so I cook and freeze lots of food for use later. I never worry about forgetting meals in the freezer as the microwave defrosts and heats things up so quickly. And also enjoy the fact that it increases the folate in my spinach, (which I eat a ton of), so for some veggies it's a good way to cook.

Lol. I'll have to remind DH that he needs to take his SAD meds or I'll get a winter DH. ;)

Forget the microwave. I'm just blown away by the fact that gwlake has seasonal husbands. You go!

Thanks for the laugh! OMG the dog thinks I just lost it, I'm laughing so hard.

So GW, what's the difference between your fall, summer, winter and spring husbands?

I use the microwave all the time for defrosting, reheating, warming up cold coffee, etc. Couldn't be without it. However in my new build, I am going with a counter model and I'll either put it inside DH's coffee station or above the oven on a shelf with a lift up door. Haven't decided yet. Either way, I won't have to look at it.

CPartist--isn't it obvious--they change with the seasons.

I use my microwave daily, both for reheating and for cooking things like broccoli and a few other fresh and/or frozen veggies.

I reheat coffee and leftovers and make oatmeal and hot chocolate in mine. I also sometimes steam vegetables or nuke frozen food. It's a big countertop model and now lives on an open shelf in a tall cabinet because with a small kitchen I desperately wanted it off the counter.

You have young children, right? If you are going to be keeping this kitchen long term I would plan out a good future spot for a small countertop model at least, because teenagers... ;)

I use my MW to heat tea water when I'm drinking it alone. When I have those of my friends over who like tea, I pull out the whistling tea kettle.

I used to re-heat coffee in it, but since I've weaned myself off of adding milk to my coffee, I'm fine with my coffee cold.

I'll cook those packages of instant miso soup in it.

Since I no longer eat popcorn, the only food I'll actually cook in it (I doubt the instant packs of miso really count as "cooking"), is asparagus. A little oil, a little parm cheese, a little ground pepper, maybe a little thyme... yum!

The one at work I use to nuke hot lunches I've made at home, but I seldom nuke my leftovers in the MW here at home -- since the oven or toaster oven for warming the stuff up is usually handy. Unless I'm really having to rush out the door.

My unit probably cost me $80 at Home Depot. It's on the counter, and in my new build it will remain on the counter, along with the toaster oven, the coffee maker and the rice maker.

Because I'm drinking a lot of tea now, I probably use it nearly every day, but for other uses -- maybe once every other week. I don't really want it taking up upper cabinet space, or be something I have to lean deeply down to use in an under cabinet slot (or to pull it out for use from said under cabinet spot).

But if I didn't have it, I'd adapt. (Might be harder at work, though!)

I use the microwave to melt cheese on chips. Maybe soften butter or chocolate. That's about it. But I don't think I'd get rid of it, because my husband and mom both like it.

Just one of each....no rotating spouses or parents :)

We have been without one since moving to this house..just over a year. I did the reheat coffee and warmed milk or melted butter. My kids reheated left overs and "boy snacks" all the time. They are teens. It was a huge adjustment for my middle one who was always was heating up something. We just bought him a mini micro for his dorm room. They wanted to use it now when they saw it. (They were told no.)

However they have learned to use the toaster oven and stove top to warm and heat things...

I have added the microwave lower cabinet from Ikea into my plans. But it will house a convection micro at some point so I can bake in it without always heating up the big oven when it's just the husband and I in 3 more years.

I really love the microwave. Hasn't anyone tried Trader Joe's frozen rice? I gave up the rice steamer b/c we love this rice so much--3 minutes in the MW. Also, I "nuke" frozen blueberries every morning for a yogurt parfait. We melt butter, defrost, cook bacon, etc. I do think MWs are hard to work into a plan, but I made sure I found a place b/c we like this appliance. Also--popcorn. When we found MW bag popcorn is bad for you, my daughter found a video on how to make it in a brown bag in the MW.

How important is a microwave? Only as important as the importance you give it. If you have lived 18 months without one and you're okay with it, then what's the point of us telling you how we use it and can't live without it? It's not like you can't buy one if you ever decide now you can't live without one.

Tell me more about why microwave popcorn in the bag is so bad for you!

Forgot about MW popcorn, I use the microwave for that too! But I put kernels in a brown paper bag. Evidently the store bought stuff is full of chemicals with long term harmful effects- a Google search will probably give detailed info.

I never use the microwave for cooking, but we are very into making big casseroles and eating leftovers the next day ... and the next ... and the next. Really, we're missing the "I'm sick of this" gene.

Right now we have a mid-size microwave sitting on the countertop, but since we have about 4Xs as much countertop as anyone actually needs, it doesn't matter. When we move, my intention is to have a small, microwave-sized shelf in an out-of-the-way spot ... and when they're on sale, I intend to buy two extra identical microwaves so that if the one I buy for the new house breaks ... I'll have a back-up that'll definitely fit on the shelf. Since I intend to buy the $68 variety, this won't be a hardship.

@linelle totally! I was mostly just wondering if I should have a spot in mind for adding one later should the need or desire arise and if it was important to consider its placement as much as one would the stove or something. Simply looking for different perspectives since mine is a bit different right now but might change once we're in a normal space.

@johnsoro we have been making our popcorn on the stove with coconut oil and fresh rosemary and garlic salt. It's pretty much amazing. I'm sure it would be just as good n a paper bag though!

We use a hot air popper. No oils needed. And I prefer the cost of bulk-buy popcorn to the microwave kind. We can eat it healthy or add yummy stuff (and calories). It's all good. :)

sweetsarahbeth, for future microwave placement, be aware that you will want a landing spot by the microwave. And most people like their microwave near their fridge and freezer as many things are simply unwrapped from there and popped into the micro. I think to the right of your fridge on that pantry wall would be a good location. This way kids can fix a snack if you're cooking without entering the work zone. Or inside your pantry, especially if you decided on the framed-in pantry style.

I had no idea about microwave popcorn being bad for you but it honestly doesn't surprise me.

I grew up with my dad making a giant bowl of popcorn with the hot air popper on movie night and when I think popcorn, I still think of that.

Movie theater popcorn tastes good but leaves me feeling sick to my stomach if I eat to much and microwave popcorn leaves a greasy nasty feel on my tongue when I eat it.

One of the first purchases I made when I moved out of my parents house was a hot air popper. :)

A spin-off on FunkyCamper's landing spot comment: you should note that all microwave doors are hinged on the left (and cannot be switched like a refrigerator); thus, they're opened with the right hand and the door swings from right to left.

I said above that mine sits on a counter and is fine. What ISN'T so fine is that it sits in a corner so that the door opens "the wrong way". In my new kitchen, I'm making sure that the microwave is oriented so that it opens "towards the room" instead of "towards the wall". I'm also placing it on a low shelf so that the landing spot is the cabinet below.

A big deal? No, just a small irritation, but something easily fixed.

Our microwave broke a few months ago and I barely missed it. I really didn't want to incorporate one into the new kitchen. So I settled on a microwave/convection oven. I feel like I'm not losing valuable real estate for just the microwave. I can also use it as an oven. It will be in a tall cabinet.

I love my MW.. I can reheat coffee.. cook small dishes, pick up aliens that are in our atmosphere, trip the noisy neighbors pacemaker.

And if I flick the defrost quickly, it opens the guy's garage across the street and drives him batty. Helps when there is nothing on cable.

I find it useful for lots of things.

R

Rarely use it, but would rather have one than not have one if there is room. We put it on the bottom shelf in an upper cab, somewhat out of the way. The shelf is adjustable in case sizes change, and the shelf above it stores a few cookbooks. If we ditched the MW, we could just fill that space with more cookbooks. (All my husbands and I like cookbooks, but we still can't think of what to have for dinner on weeknights...)

Hate the look of a microwave. We hid ours on the top of a bottom cab with a door that lifts up and slides back on top of it if that makes sense. It's a little more work to use, but we use it rarely and am very happy never to have took at the hideous thing. Sadly we would not want to live completely without one so this is the compromise.