I do not have this arrangement but have always felt the same way about a microwave down low. I for some reason want to be able to look and see my food in the microwave without having to get so low to the ground!

Mircowave drawers would be another option to consider so you don't have to bend down as much to access.

My sister has this scenario, I personally don't care for it. Too low and feels congested because normally there's not a lot of space around an island....

If you do it, get a microwave drawer.

Personally, this would make me crazy because I'm tall & use my micro virtually every day & I like to be able to keep an eye on it, when for example, I am melting butter & don't want an overflow.

We looked at a microwave drawer. Seems like they wouldn't be very easy to clean. And considering the amount of food my three teenagers explode in the microwave, we really need something that's easy to clean.

I used to sell high end appliances...Miele, Wolf, etc....of all our customers who purchased the drawer microwaves...although they looked really nice, every single customer later returned to say they didn't like it. The reason......TOO hard to clean. And yes they all had teenagers! Do you have space to do a built in? I also don't like the idea of a microwave in the island.

When I design a kitchen if at all possible I do try to put the micro at eye level, however sometimes some layouts just don't work out with that scenario. In any design you pick and choose what elements are important to you and what are not as important. If this ranks high on your list then no do put it low but if you are a person who does not use a micro that often than I think it is fine to put it below counter. Here are some examples.

Personally I like your second scenario much better. And I'd definitely go with a cook top over a slide in every time! Much cleaner look in an island setting. Good luck! Sounds like its going to be very nice!

oh oh :) a group of us were posting on this very subject recently! it was a very animated discussion :)
I think it depends on your personal use of a microwave. I have a drawer microwave and we all love it. It is not in the island, however. it is on the side of the kitchen. we use it constantly. I have plastic covers for different sized dishes that we use so that splattering is not an issue. they are in the large drawer beneath it.
one major reason I wanted the drawer was so I would not be dropping hot dishes on myself and I would not have the problem of opening a door with the "wrong" hand. You can't buy a microwave that works for a left handed person that won't hit you in the hand you need to use. I really don't see how anyone can use a microwave that the door hits you in hand anyway :) A drawer is much larger, it can fit a nice casserole dish and two dinner plates, there is no turntable!!!! it has many nice features and I rely on for many things that the over the range ones do not provide. it also locks so there is child safety.