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JennGM
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| Posted: July 31 2010 at 9:12am | IP Logged
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Can you share your opinions here, please?
This is for those that use a microwave. We have recently switched our cooktop, so now instead of an electric cooktop with a downdraft, I now have a gas cooktop. We need to add a range hood.
My dilemma is deciding do I want a microwave/range hood, which would clear off my counter space (which I would love) or just a range hood?
Has anyone else had to make this kind of decision? Recommendations? Advice?
Thanks!
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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cathhomeschool
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| Posted: July 31 2010 at 9:51am | IP Logged
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We had a microwave range hood in the house we just sold. It came with the house. It was so nice to have it out of the way, but it was lots smaller than a counter-top model. Also it didn't have a turntable so we had to stop and rotate food. If you don't mind the smaller size I would say it's a good choice. In our new house we're going to buy one that goes in the wall so that it's off the counter but is still larger than an above-stove model.
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: July 31 2010 at 10:02am | IP Logged
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Do your kids use the microwave? do you want them trying to get above the gas range to get to it? That would drive me nuts 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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JennGM
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| Posted: July 31 2010 at 10:05am | IP Logged
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Janette, I forgot to check the sizes. The one in our townhouse wasn't a bad size and did rotate. That's a big consideration.
Jodie, the boys don't use it now, but probably will at some point. That has been my biggest waffling point.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Mackfam
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| Posted: July 31 2010 at 10:15am | IP Logged
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I have a range/hood over my cooktop. I DO NOT LIKE IT! Workable - yes. But, would I choose it - NO!!!
Problems:
** Reaching for the microwave must always be done over cooktop
** Inconvenient reach for shorter arms...which could mean climbing...on cooktop
** Splatters from cooktop are a pain to clean, plus there's some grime that doesn't splatter really...but I know it comes from cooking. It ends up inside the door of the micro because you're often opening/closing/using micro while cooking..it's greasy and a pain to clean from the surface of the microwave. I have to clean this area weekly or it gets ahead of me.
** It is EXTREMELY inconvenient any time you're cooking - someone always needs to thaw something in the micro resulting in constant dancing in front of the cooktop.
** Landing space for items coming out of the micro is the cooktop - fine if its clear, a pain if you're trying to work in that area.
In short - I'd much rather find another creative location for a microwave than above my cooktop. I find it to be an excessively inconvenient location, and frankly, it's a safety concern now with 2 boys that don't know fear and have never seen an obstacle they can't climb.  I have to implement strict and clear RULES for microwave use in my kitchen!
Hope this helps!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
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Grace&Chaos
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| Posted: July 31 2010 at 10:21am | IP Logged
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We've been living in our new home for almost a year. It came equipped with a range top microwave (nice size too). I have really enjoyed it. I had a smaller microwave at our old house that kept getting shifted around because of space. I don't worry about it anymore and I can reach the exhaust button on the microwave without needing a step stool. (I'm not that short, but not as tall as my 6'2'' dh  )
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Jenny
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: July 31 2010 at 10:29am | IP Logged
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I have the microwave over the cooktop. I never really had a problem with it there, though, I can see Jenn's concern. I wouldn't really have space for it in my kitchen otherwise, though, and it is what I grew up with, so I don't know any different.
Ours is also a convection oven (it is also large, unlike Janette's). I can roast chickens, cook pies and casseroles, etc... in it, so its like having a second oven for things like Thanksgiving, but its also nice because I can roast and bake things in summer without heating up the kitchen. It doesn't work well for things like cookies, but I can live with that.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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Mimip
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| Posted: July 31 2010 at 2:56pm | IP Logged
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I'm with Jen. We had a over the range one in our old apartment and my husband and I were constantly running into each other during cooking.
We don't have much counter space here so I mounted my microwave under the top cabinets like this put with out those HUGE hands under the microwave. It's not too much space underneath but works for us without mounting over our range.
Good luck finding a solution that works for you guys
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Mimi
Wife of 16 years to Tom, Mom of DD'00, DD'02, '04(in heaven) DS'05, DS'08 and DS '12
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stacykay
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| Posted: July 31 2010 at 4:39pm | IP Logged
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We just had to replace our over-the-range micro after 12 years of use. I guess that is long for a micro, so I got another Whirlpool, hoping it will also last long.
Reasons for our over-the-range preference:
-Counter space is limited, in our kitchen and the micro is big. If it was on the counter, it would take up probably 1/4th of our space (yes, very limited countertops; and where would I put my very necessary coffee maker, then?!!  )
-We would need to purchase a vent hood if we didn't have the over-the-range micro, and we just can't afford to pay the extra.
-In almost 13 years of 6 very active boys, no one has been burned, yet (when we moved here, we had an 8yo, 6yo, and 1 1/2 yo...we've added three more and the youngest is now 6.) Sort of related to this....
-One ds, to remain nameless, did manage to reach, with a chair, the micro, and turned a hot dog to charcoal (I was obliviously chatting with a friend, 15 feet away, on the front porch.  ) So, the higher and tougher to reach, the better.
-It's very convenient if I am running an errand and 13yo and up wants to "make" something to eat (more of that Boy Scout popcorn!, hot dogs, frozen mac and cheese, you know, simple stuff.) (I am slightly paranoid about allowing them to cook on the stove while I am out.)
So that is our rationale for the above stove microwave. (Oh, and I have to say, I love gas cooktop, because when it is off, it's off, and electric flat cooktops stay hot seemingly forever!)
God Bless,
Stacy in MI
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JennGM
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| Posted: July 31 2010 at 7:32pm | IP Logged
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Mimi, I couldn't see a picture of a microwave under cabinets. Can you give another link?
In our previous house we had the microwave above the stove. It wasn't that bad, because it was BC (Before Children).
Stacy, I agree about the gas ranges. The electric range I'm always worried about being burned.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
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Michaela
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| Posted: Aug 02 2010 at 3:26pm | IP Logged
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We have our microwave over the stove. It's a HUGE microwave and I wouldn't like it on my counter.
The only negative we encountered was my son would almost hang on the door handle when opening the door. I honestly thought the microwave would be yanked out the wall.
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Michaela
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Carole N.
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| Posted: Aug 03 2010 at 3:38pm | IP Logged
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Jenn, we had a over the range microwave two homes ago. I really liked it, and in fact, we remodeled our kitchen so that we would have that setup. Now our children were younger (ds was 3 and dd an infant), so I did not really think about the children when we were doing the remodel.
Also, we had an electric range, not gas. That could be something you might want to consider. Ours did have a turntable and it was fairly good sized although not as large as some of the countertop models. Our microwave was a Whirlpool convection/microwave, so I really enjoyed getting to know how to use a convection oven. It was amazing at roasting chickens, but I don't think it was to great for baking processes (lol).
I really liked having it over the range, but I have not had that arrangement since then. It really does make for a nice compact kitchen.
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Carole ... in Wales
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Appliance Decisions....
