Why can't you just pull it out while you use it and then slide it back when you're done?

It's not the standard countertop depth. It's only 13 inches, basically the same depth as the upper cabinet.

If you have a light valance you may want to consider installing stainless steel sheet metal to the bottom of the upper cabinets. the thickness is minimal so you should not be able to see it

ohhh...I see...there literally isn't any room to pull it out much. What about laying a paper towel or light weight hand towel...those kind that look like cheese cloth...on top of the coffee make to catch the steam??

hang on, let me find my thread about that

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5531558/risk-of-steam-damage-to-uppers

My solution: stop steaming my milk! Lol. I actually stopped because the steamer wasn't working well anyway. I just microwave my milk and then pour my coffee in. The espresso maker doesn't generate enough steam to worry about. The electric tea kettle produces some steam, but we can direct that out. Anyway, I don't personally have a solution for you, but there are lots of suggestions in that thread above.

Even though you can't pull it out much, and it will still be under the cabs, the extra few inches might give it enough room to vent out so the steam doesn't accumulate under the cab.

Rather than adding stainless steel (which might actually create a tiny air pocket for moisture to accumulate) you could instead create a plastic or lightweight cardboard baffle to set up at the back of the machine that will direct steam out from under the cab.

Wiping the underside of the uppers with a towel after you use the coffee maker would help too.

If you have to end up using cardboard, perhaps is best you leave it alone.

LOL @Anthony Perez, I should have clarified that the baffle would be in position ONLY when the coffee maker is in use! To be hidden carefully out of sight at all other times :-D

LOL. is all good!

I'd move the coffee maker to a new location. Who wants water dripping from the cabinet?

move the coffee pot.. i keep mine near the sink and coffee cups :-)

can you see the bottom of the cabinets from anywhere -- like if you're sitting down somewhere near that area? If so, line the bottom of the cabinet with metallic contact paper (they even sell it in rose gold), or vinyl peel-and-stick wallpaper as a barrier. it could be a pretty little detail. not sure if the steam would cause it to eventually fall down though, but it would be an inexpensive experiment / temporary fix.

if steam also rolls up the front of the cabinets -- hopefully by the time it reaches that height, it has cooled off enough to not do damage. I feel like any decent cabinet should have been painted with something that can handle light water exposure (esp if it was painted with some kind of enamel). so you might only need to really worry about the underside of the cabinets, where the steam is still hot.

I would find another area for your coffee station. I'm sure that's not what you want to hear, but you also probably don't want to hear that bottom kitchen cabinets are supposed to have more depth than the upper cabinets. The only other thing I could offer is .... certain small appliances have rubber fittings for this exact issue, to redirect steam away from cabinets (The Instant Pot has such). So maybe your coffee maker brand offers something like that or maybe you could create one of your own.

Steam comes out of my coffee maker but it is at the front of the machine so it just sort of rolls out from underneath. I now issues with my cabinets, but they are Hickory - not painted... Where does the steam come out? and have you really watched how it hits or misses the cabinet to know that it really will be a problem?

Ugh - its those little things...

The previous owners did the same thing to a cabinet door in the house we purchased, destroyed the finish of the upper cab door with the coffeemaker used below it.

This is making me feel better about spending a chunk of money to install a built in Miele coffee machine! It was the only thing my DH asked for in the kitchen remodel!

No issues with venting steam or damage to cabinets surrounding the machine. Might just turn out to be worth the additional cost!

Well even thought it's not your forever home, you have a lovely kitchen! Like others I'd say move the coffee pot somewhere else when in use.

Swap it with the bananas! Should work well over there!

Kitchen looks very nice!

Wow. That transformation is stunning. You should be proud!

I'm a real estate agent & have dealt with several home inspections. Many inspectors recommend using polyurethane on the underside of the countertop above the dishwasher to protect the wood from steam. That would probably work for underneath the cabinet above the coffeemaker as well.

Another thought would be to use a semi-gloss or satin paint that matches your cabinet color. 🤔

Thanks so much for the tip!

Hi Michelle, Did the clear adhesive liner protect the cabinets? Or did you end up moving the coffee maker?

It is normal for steam to travel upwards and if it is often contacting a wood surface it will eventually cause damage.

A good solution for protecting the underskin of the upper cabinet wood is an adhesive liner that can be adhered to that surface.

For the doors on the upper cabinet, a door edge protector could be simply clipped on to shield against steam damage. https://cabinethero.com/

Don’t move your coffee pot to a location with under cabinet lights. They will be toast as well!