Visually, I like the first picture.

I have a $150 countertop micro from Walmart, which sits in its own cabinet located just above my wall oven. I had an electrical outlet placed in the rear corner of the cabinet. The "built-in" MWs require the vents because overheating the unit will cause the magnetron to fail. My cabinet is deep enough, and wide enough, to allow for plenty of airflow around the unit. All the MW manufacturers have the airspace requirements listed in their manuals...heed them. At some point ALL micros die, far fewer tears are shed over replacing a cheap one.

We had a 6 year old microwave which DH determined we HAD to have our custom cabinets built to suit. We had a nook built for it to sit in. It was roughly 2/3 the depth of the frig it was beside. We had it built just 16 inches off the counter. We had the cabinets above it built the same depth from the back wall, as the cabinets above the new refrigerator, the same depth. Than, we dropped the upper cabinets back to normal depth and almost 18 inches off the counter height to accomodate the mixer, with the canisters neatly under the microwave.

8 months into the new kitchen, the old microwave bit the dust. Of course it was 1.5 or 2 cu ft...and it was not framed in with a vent kit or anything of the sort, thank goodness. Microwaves were more compact and more powerful by that time, so we purchased a smaller unit and have that nice air gap around the area of the built in 'nook'....ever since. Eventually it too, konked out, and we got the next size bigger, so the width is almost full and the height it open by 4 inches I suppose.... It's okay. It doesn't bother me...having it off the counter gives a nice place for canisters. My kitchenaid mixer sits well under the upper cabinets next to the microwave and all the spice cabinet/baking ingredients are there, handy to the range, the next item in line..

Looking back, the reason we did not get a countertop stovetop(they go out, dimensions change, while free standing ranges seem to be pretty consistent) to avoid having to replace the countertops..........I would not mind the microwave on the counter, I did gain the space for the canisters and to sit the dishes that come out of the microwave tho, so just don't spend too much money on installing a piece of electrical equipment in the kitchen ... It will konk out, and the cabinets will have to be modified, or plan for that and make the space flexible. When this one goes out, I plan to put the cookbooks in the nook, I just don't need a microwave anymore, and not so sure they are a good thing either...but I still love my cookbooks!! :)

We hid our GE MW behind an Aventos lift-up door in a 16" deep upper cabinet. No trim kit, it is easily replaceable, plenty of room for the splatter shield and pot holders inside of the cabinet, and there is a perfect spot above for a TV.

I like the look of the built in way more than the shelf... I literally just bought my trim kit about an hour ago. I think it looks more high end.

Also, I think that the built in space can be even more flexible if you design it right. Our microwave cabinet is specced to hold most microwaves with a 30" trim kit or most speed ovens. Eventually we plan to upgrade to a 30" Miele speed oven... we even already put in the 220v outlet. However something had to give in this project, so we are getting a $450 Panasonic trim kit + microwave for now.

You'd get a better answer with more detail of the entire kitchen and layout. That said...no shelf. I like them as part of a built in wall. No matter what, Id us a 30 inch cabinet and trim kit. Unlike ovens, they don't last "forever". And yes, in a week you won't notice the vents in the trim kit. You can see the one far right here. Opens like a regular oven........a bonus. Far from hideous..........and basically counter height.

Interior Design Work · More Info

We hid our MW behind cabinet doors making a coffee and MW nook for breakfast.

Here are some ideas that we loved and created our own.

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Transitional Kitchen · More Info

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