I am working on a new kitchen. It’s been a while since I shopped for a microwave. I used to have a shallow microwave that was installed with the upper cabinets, about 12" deep. It looks like these day most microwave is a combo of microwave and convection oven and much deeper, 17-18" deep. The old shallow one worked just fine for me. Any reason I should go for the combo?
What options do you have for your main oven? If you don’t have any other small oven options, I would say yes. I have a 36 inch range oven and would kill for another smaller option (we have a really crappy under mount microwave). I now understand why the other homes we looked at had all three (wall oven double including convection micro and wall convection only and separate 36 inch range).
We had a convection microwave in our last house because I insisted I wanted a second smaller oven. I used it once in 12 years. I have a regular microwave built into my island in the new house.
If you go for the smaller option, get one with a turntable off option so that you can microwave larger dishes.
The overhead microwaves are out of date. I do not see any in new construction.
I have a convection microwave but have never used it. I have a baking drawer in my range. I have used that for small items.
@momofsenior1 That’s what I was afraid of. I can’t imagine microwave convection cooks satisfactorily l. Know it’s what everyone gets and I don’t have many options for shallow MW to buy. But I was happy for over 30 years with shallow type MW.
@Sybylla I only have 30" oven. I know I will miss it briefly once a year or so. It doesn’t seem enough reason.
We have a Whirlpool combo and I use it quite a bit for smaller baking jobs. I think it’s as good as the regular oven and doesn’t heat the kitchen so much in summer. The only problem we have is that the plastic on the front is poor quality and is already cracking from the range heat.
I love having the combo microwave/convection oven. I have a single oven and for big holidays like Thanksgiving when I have a lot of things to cook I find the convection oven in the microwave invaluable. I also sometimes also use the oven setting of the microwave if I’m baking one small item – it seems more efficient. Really it all comes down to if you think you will use it.
How does it cook?
I have had 2 standalone microwave/convection ovens, one by Amana and the other by Sharp. They both have a combination cook feature. The Sharp oven did a beautiful job roasting chickens in less time than a conventional oven without throwing off as much heat. The Amana just doesn’t get hot and I stopped using it. If I desperately needed a second oven for entertaining, I guess I would use it.
Well I’m hoping that the convection/micro combinations work well as its the only oven I’ll have in my new in-law apartment. When deciding on kitchen appliances I decided against a dishwasher and a full oven, both of which I obviously have now in my family home, because both are used so rarely.
With just one person, I’m lucky to fill the d/w every ten days and I don’t like the dirty dishes sitting that long so no new d/w. I use my oven to store my pans (they are easier to access than from the lower cabinets) and spent some time figuring out just how often and for what reason I use it. Turns out that I might use the oven a dozen times a year…meatloaf, browning stuffed peppers, baked mac n cheese, rolls on occasion, frozen pizza on occasion, not nearly enough to warrant another one in a small space.
I do use my counter top oven often though to broil salmon, reheat foods, etc. I use my crockpot alot in the winter and my gas grill almost every day from May-September. I just bought the insta pot as well. So, with that many cooking options I hope I won’t miss my oven and I really hope the combo works well for the things I need it for!
I can’t imagine it cooks well without hot heat. It couldn’t brown or crisp, I would think.
I’m on my 2nd microwave/convection combo - 1st was a GE and now I have a KitchenAid. Love both. I think it’s a great way to reheat bread or muffins that would turn to stone in the microwave. The convection takes less time to heat and doesn’t make the house as hot in warmer weather.
As an aside, I also recently replaced a regular toaster with a small Breville Toaster Oven with convection. It also works very well for baking smaller items.
Brought our old Sharp countertop microwave/convection oven with us when we moved 6 years ago. Great for pizza and pies. It died last year. Current house came with convection oven in stove and overhead GE microwave/convection oven with the #$%^& dial instead of keypad. We also have a convection toaster oven- Oster (I’m frugal/cheap) with an all important timer.
Had excellent GE microwave ovens decades ago. Recommend that brand. Tried a Cuisinart countertop microwave/convection oven and it died within a couple of months- do not recommend that brand, sigh. Finally decided we had enough convection options large and small so got a plain GE countertop microwave oven.
You need to figure out your other convection options. It is nice in Florida to have a small oven choice. Our over the range GE also has an outside venting range hood. Check on your venting options. Do not worry that the oven is deeper than upper cabinets.
With two of us having two microwaves is great. We do a lot of individual cooking (H gets to do his own often- no reason I need to do the work all of the time…). Around here I see over the range microwaves in new construction- never had it up north.
Regarding dishwashers- we rinse items so they don’t smell and run it around every four days.
Sharp and GE are good brands for microwaves and convection. You have seen various options for types of ovens here. Consider usage, functions and don’t worry about appearances.