No idea of the space but generally over the range MWs are really quite useless as venting and a PITA to use when the stove is being used

Trust me you don't want an over the range MW unless you're over 6' tall and anyone using the MW is over 6' tall. Why? Because taking hot items out from an overhead motion is very dangerous. Now think of having to remove stuff while the stove is in use too.

I am confused. Your photo shows a hood already installed. Most people post on here how to remove the over-the-range microwave (an “OTR MW”) to replace it with a hood. It looks like your post is about doing the reverse. That’s unusual. Don’t do it; you’ll be unhappy with an OTR MW. They’re much more expensive than countertop MWs, and they have short lives from being exposed to heat from the cooktop. They exhaust poorly. They are extremely loud.

Over-the-range microwaves are great because the food is "right there" where you are cooking everything else. No, you don't have to be 6' tall to use one. Consumer Reports (join for a month for $8) has reviews but I'd also check owners' reviews on sites such as Home Depot. Don't have much vertical space? The Whirlpool WML75011HZis only 10" high. --amateur

Don't do it! We've had them in rentals and they are a pain in the you-know-what to use as well as very lousy hoods. Oh, and they're very, very loud if you use the hood.

Workflow-wise, if someone is trying to use the MW (e.g., cooking veggies) while someone else is cooking (stovetop or oven), there's a conflict.

Think about taking hot food or liquid out of the MW if it's shoulder height or above -- the potential is there to spill the food/liquid on your face or chest when you are trying to maneuver the dish out of the MW while lifting your arms up -- you will find you have a tendency to tilt the dish toward you, not take it straight out and carefully step backward.

Do not let a child use one! They'd have to get on a chair to reach the MW.

If you have gas, imagine a shirt or sweater hanging down over the flames while trying to reach into the MW. At least one poster has mentioned catching their sweater on fire.

The only time an OTR MW is an option is if you have a very, very tiny Kitchen...and even then I'd try very hard not to have one.

Do you do anything more than occasionally boiling water or steaming veggies? If so, you will regret an OTR MW as they are very ineffective hoods -- in part b/c they are not big enough and in part b/c the hood functionality just isn't very good.

My reasoning is we don’t have a ton of counter space and over the range is one way we can some on space. I grew up with an over the range and it was awesome, so I know what I’m getting into. But I do appreciate the advice!

Only if you don’t use your range top...they have awful ventilation systems...

These are just progress pics but they give you an idea of the size of my kitchen and lack of counter space.

Perhaps a better option would add a shelf for the microwave to the upper at the end of the run to the right of the window. Then you won't lose your hood (and the better ventilation it provides compared to a MW) and you won't lose any countertop either. And your microwave will be a little lower for the shorter people in the house.

Jennifer: The GE Profile PEM31SFSS is even available with an under-cabinet mounting kit and trim kits that can give the oven a built-in appearance. Not cheap, though, at $300.

I am 5’2”. I heat up water three times a day for tea without incident. I use oven mitts with rubber grips to remove hot food. I cook a lot and have glass front cabinets on either side of my stove that I clean routinely. When I sear meat, I have the exhaust on and never set off my smoke detector. I don’t have enough counter space to have it any other way and it works just fine for me. In fact, I find it more difficult to remove hot items from under counter microwaves. To each his/ her own.

My Whirlpool is 16x30, and the space for it is 17x31. It vents thru the back to outside.

The previous microwave only 15" tall, but same width.

Okay you have a hood and now you want to put a MW above the hood is that the question because if it is there is no way in hell that will work . Get a small MW sit it on the counter under the the cabinets in the space no one can work in anyway and be done.

Thank you Sue, my thoughts exactly. I was just seeking advice on how to make an over the range MW happen with my current situation. Would enlarging the space be better? Should I let it hang below the cabinets? Etc.

If you go with an OTR, you will more than likely need to run new wiring as they draw a lot more than a hood. The hood wiring will probably be on a circuit with other plugs & lights. Also, an OTR plugs in, it's not hard wired. The receptacle is placed in the cabinet above. Has this been looked into yet?

You will need to understand the height limit above the cooking surface for the OTR microwave you're considering. There is usually a minimum clearance required - part determined by the micro, part by the range. You will likely not be able to have the bottom any lower than the current hood you show in the photos.

To determine the requirements for the OTR microwave, just select the candidate appliances(s) and review installation guide on the product website(s). The guide will tell you how much space is required for the oven, how high the oven must be above the cook top, the venting options, and the electrical needs. No need for guesswork; the info. is available.