When the microwave appears, the kitchen begins to search for free space. Sometimes it’s difficult to understand where the device can or cannot be placed. The main thing is to arrange it so that it is convenient to use daily.
Where to put the microwave, how much space it needs, you will learn from our article.
How to install
Regardless of the place chosen, you must follow the rules that are strictly prescribed in almost every instruction:
- Keep a distance of 60-150 cm from the floor - this is the ideal height for comfortable use. Place below - you risk getting a burn, above - spill hot soup, etc.
- Use the rule of an outstretched hand: there must be so much between the microwave and the nearest countertop so that dishes can be placed.
- Make sure that nothing interferes with the free opening / closing of the door. Not sure? Choose an option with a door that can be hung on either side.
- Keep the equipment away from heaters — a stove, oven, fireplace, or battery. No exit? Think and organize quality insulation.
- Avoid touching the hull with other kitchen appliances.
- Do not cover the ventilation openings, do not place anything on top - neither dishes nor appliances. Doubt it? Read the review “Can I put a TV on the microwave”.
On the countertop
The location of the microwave oven in the working area is a traditional option. It is convenient and not difficult. The countertop is a solid support for a weighty microwave, and it is more comfortable to put and get food when it is at arm's length from the working space. Such an arrangement is not suitable for everyone: the stove will take from 50 to 80 centimeters of countertop, which will be exorbitant luxury for a small-sized kitchen.
Small work area? Continue to search for a good place to install - do not sacrifice half the table, there are many other ways.
If there is enough free space, follow the safety precautions during installation: do not place the microwave oven near a sink or heating appliances. Read more in the review “How to Install a Microwave Properly and Safely”.
A windowsill is not just for flowers.Wide windowsill? Fine! Put the stove directly on it. But keep in mind that in winter a double-glazed window can crack from a temperature difference. As for the flowers: rearrange them, otherwise the radiation will not keep itself waiting and they will wither.
Microwave + fridge
In theory, such an installation is possible, but the place is not the best. If the refrigerator is too high, using the stove will be inconvenient. The second point: with strong vibrations, the microwave oven can move off the surface. For the same reason, it is not recommended to install it on a washing machine.
You can find out the details of the proximity of a microwave with a refrigerator on the page “Can I put a microwave on a refrigerator”.
Important! A minimum of 20 cm of free space must be left between the ceiling and the appliances to allow ventilation. For installation on the "roof" of the refrigerator, the stove must have legs.
Hanging shelf or bracket
Not finding free space in a niche or kitchen unit, use the hanging method. A rack, bracket or hanging shelf is suitable. When choosing fittings and furniture, be sure to consider the carrying capacity of materials and the weight of the stove itself. Decided to hang a microwave? Then it is worth fixing the legs.
Countertop installation
Before embedding the microwave in the lower furniture level, it is necessary to prepare the cabinet. It is advisable to abandon the pile of heavy equipment on the countertop above the stove.
The decision to place the microwave cabinet at the bottom is not the best:
- dangerous for families with children;
- need to bend over;
- poor ventilation.
In order for the equipment to work without failures, it is necessary to provide 10 cm from the sides, and 15 cm of free space behind.
Wall cabinet.You can hide the equipment in a cabinet of a hinged type. This is not a troublesome thing, especially if you take it into account in advance when creating a kitchen design project. If you already have furniture, you can add a cabinet that is suitable in size.
Embed in a headset
The method repeats the previous one, but the cabinet does not have to be hanging - position the microwave at a convenient height. It is desirable that the built-in electrical appliance is not too far from the working area - it will not be comfortable to carry hot dishes through the entire kitchen.
Over stove or cooker hood.As in the case of a refrigerator, a rare and not the most desirable option - only to save space. The hood and stove will provoke heating of the stove, the height of the location is not very convenient.
Kitchen island
The option is rare, since only residents of suburban (private) houses and estates can place a stove in this way. There is nowhere to make an island in the small kitchen of an apartment building - its construction will require at least a few free square meters. The option is successful in that the working area is unloaded as much as possible, and the microwave looks perfect in the interior, without creating inconvenience.
Over the built-in oven
One of the most functional options, especially since the middle line of furniture (at the level of the belt) is the most comfortable for using such devices. To make everything look harmonious, choose stoves of the same brand or in a similar design and color scheme.
Another way out: the purchase of a multifunctional appliance. In this case, there is a microwave mode in the oven: practical, functional, but expensive. Read the review: “Oven with microwave in one.”
Separate room
This is not about a bedroom or living room. Owners of large multi-room houses can afford to place a microwave cabinet not just on a pedestal or bookcase somewhere in the corner, but in a whole separate room for household kitchen appliances. In addition to the microwave, it can also have a dishwasher, a blender, a meat grinder and other kitchen necessities and delights. The only inconvenience is that you will have to go to another room to use the equipment.
That's all there is to know about where and how to install a microwave. If you have difficulties, ask questions in the comments.