Wall Oven/Microwave v.s. Range with overhead Microwave

[steppinthrax]

Just some thoughts on this. My house has a older 1980s style wall over with microwave on top. It's one large unit that sits in a kitchen cabinet. I then I have built in cook top. I need the counter space and the cabinets I'm picking don't have the oven wall cabinet. So I'm thinking of using a freestanding range and buying an overhead microwave. Then putting a counter-top and wall cabinet in the place of the wall oven.

So is there any real advantage to the wall oven/microwave? V.S. a freestanding range?

 

[vi edit]

The one thing potentially missing with an above mount microwave is that they are no replacement for a quality hood. They just can not move as much air. A hood is almost going extinct in cheap homes anyway. It's one more thing to plumb out and account for. Most builders throw a microwave in there and then just vent back out into the room. That's not venting away smoke and fumes. It's just shooting it back above your head.

Outside of that, I like freestanding ranges quite a bit. You can get a nice gas unit with convenction for half the price of a decent gas cooktop. Cooktops are a criminal ripoff. All they do is cut a hole in a perfectly good piece of counter top.

 

[steppinthrax]

The one thing potentially missing with an above mount microwave is that they are no replacement for a quality hood. They just can not move as much air. A hood is almost going extinct in cheap homes anyway. It's one more thing to plumb out and account for. Most builders throw a microwave in there and then just vent back out into the room. That's not venting away smoke and fumes. It's just shooting it back above your head.

Outside of that, I like freestanding ranges quite a bit. You can get a nice gas unit with convenction for half the price of a decent gas cooktop. Cooktops are a criminal ripoff. All they do is cut a hole in a perfectly good piece of counter top.

I redid a kitchen in our previous townhouse, put in a overhead microwave and vented outside, it worked well. It wasn't very powerful, but it's closer to the range.

 

[Sluggo]

To me a standard 30" free standing range screams base model tract home. There are some nicer options in 40"+ sizes, but they are very pricey, and tend to be non standard sizes.

 

[Auric]

To me, a microwave screams "70's gadget" (i.e. when popularized according to traditional 25 year lag). They should be relegated to history along with home trash compactors, electric tin openers (unless suffering disability), and the like.

 

[steppinthrax]

To me, a microwave screams "70's gadget" (i.e. when popularized according to traditional 25 year lag). They should be relegated to history along with home trash compactors, electric tin openers (unless suffering disability), and the like.

How the hell do you heat your food? In the oven?