Why consider a Built in Microwave Oven?

Built in Microwaves have become remarkably better value recently, but, for most people there may be very little opportunity to decide between built in and stand alone models when buying a new microwave oven

Once a kitchen has been fitted out it is very difficult to incorporate a built in microwave unless it was planned for at the time, which leaves a stand alone microwave as the only option. If you are lucky enough to be having your kitchen designed for the first time, or refitted at a later stage, then you may be one of the few who is considering one as an option.

They are generally higher in price than standard stand alone models, and you are probably asking yourself whether it is worth investing the extra money and choosing a built in model. There are without a doubt three benefits to having a built in microwave:

Space-saving Devices

Having a built in microwave is without a doubt great for saving space on your kitchen worktops. In most kitchens the microwave oven is the largest appliance which sits on the worktop and they are not usually particularly small. While this may not be such an issue in a large farmhouse kitchen, it can cause a lot more problems in a small inner-city flat where board space may be at a premium. By designing the kitchen for a built in one you eliminate the problem of having to find space around your microwave to cook.

Safety

Most countertops are at a level which it is comfortable to work at for doing things such as chopping vegetables. Although easy to do things out in the open at this level it may be quite a lot harder to reach down into a cavity and do things without stooping over. This means that when you are removing hot food from the microwave it is not at a comfortable level from which to do so when the microwave is placed on same countertop. With a built in microwave it is possible to design the microwave to be at a height which is more comfortable for your own stature. By removing the need to stoop down to work with the microwave it makes it much safer for handling hot items from the microwave.

The only way to combat this problem without a builtin microwave is to mount your stand alone microwave on brackets on the wall. This in itself may be dangerous, particularly if not done by a professional, as microwaves are very heavy and need strong support if they are to be mounted in this way. Also, it is quite hard to mount a microwave and it not get in the way, as wall space in a kitchen is often already heavily used with cupboards and such like.

Microwave Quality

Although they are generally more expensive it is also worth bearing in mind that the actual quality of the microwave is also usually higher than for the stand alone microwaves of a lower price. Overall however, as with any decision, it is up to you to weigh up and decide whether the benefits of having a built in microwave oven are worth the additional investment.