Over the Range Microwaves Buying Guide
Over the range microwaves attach to the bottom of your cabinets, thus saving valuable space on your countertop. An attached fan on the bottom of the unit acts as a range hood, getting rid of steam and smoke from the range below.
Over-the-range microwaves: space-saving genius
As condo culture continues to explode across Canada, units are
getting smaller but smarter at saving space. The best way condo
developers do it is with over-the-range microwaves that attach to
the cabinets above the stove and have a range fan underneath it.
It’s one less piece to worry about when putting a beautiful,
functional kitchen together. And it’s an appliance that saves you
counter or shelf space in the kitchen, which is why this is a popular
microwave for small kitchens (so say most of the over-the-range
What can you expect from an over-the-range microwave?
The first thing you should expect when you shop for an over-the-
range microwave is the same thing you should expect from a
traditional stand-alone microwave: the ability to evenly and
efficiently warm up food or liquid. It should have all the functionally
of any other microwave, including a range of power settings, a
defrost function and a timer.
Given its positioning, you should also expect your over-the-range
microwave’s fan to be powerful and able to keep your kitchen from
smoking up and your smoke alarms from going off.
Finally, you should expect your over-the-range microwave to fit
perfectly in the space you have for it. When you come into
Canadian Appliance Source looking for over-the-range microwaves,
if you bring your dimensions with you, our appliance experts will
show you options from every brand we have on sale.
Are there challenges to over-the range microwaves?
The biggest challenge to an over-the-range microwave is replacing
it if it breaks, which is why you want to make sure that both the
microwave AND the fan will last — and that the price to replace it is
worth it.
About the exhaust fan, you have to be okay with it never being as
good as a singular-purpose fan. The reason for this is simple: doing
one thing really well is always preferable to doing two things.
Finally, if you’re not as tall as other people, an over-the-range might
be tough to get to. It usually sits 18 to 24 inches above the range,
but you can always get a chair or stool for the kitchen. You’ll
probably use it more than you think you will.
What brands makes the best over-the range microwaves?
Frigidaire makes among the best over-the-range microwaves for
heat speed, relative noise and venting. It’s easy to use (you
probably won’t need the instruction manual), but its downside is its
inability to warm up food evenly, which is why it’s not the best for
large plates of food.
GE is another good over-the-range buy for heat speed and
evenness — even the less expensive SKUs, which don’t tend to
have extras like a sensor or a rack. GE’s also known for the
attention they pay to the vents on their over-the-range microwaves:
they’re generally equal in quality to stand-alone vents, with makes it
a good choice for you if you cook a lot.
For people who live by themselves and microwave more than they
cook, KitchenAid is a brand to look at. They defrost like champions,
they heat evenly and they’re fairly quiet. Some KitchenAid models
have cooking sensors, while others come with a rack for warming
up two things at the same time.
If reliability is something you value, we’d suggest starting your
search with Whirlpool: they make most reliable over-the-range
microwave brands according to Consumer Reports. Very few
members reported any issues within the first five years of owning a
Whirlpool over-the-range microwave.
Over-the-range microwave info for contractors and builders
If you’re designing small-space condos, an over-the-range
microwave is probably your best bet, especially. The extra counter
space will absolutely be noticed and appreciated by anyone who
actually cooks in the kitchen — they know you can never have too
much counter space.
A stand-alone microwave sitting on the counter doesn’t show well.
Even if the stand-alone microwave you choose is beautifully
designed with cobalt and warms food like a boss, it’ll always feel out
of place and take up valuable counterspace. So when potential
buyers come to the house, where the microwave is could be a deal-
breaker because the kitchen counter space will appear a lot smaller
than it actually is. Sure, some people might be able to see past that,
but do you really want to take that chance?
Over-the-range microwaves under your budget
At Canadian Appliance Source, you can pick up one of 12 decent
over-the-range microwaves from GE, Samsung, Whirlpool and LG
for under $350 Canadian. These would make sense for you if you’re
either renovating your kitchen on the cheap, or replacing a broken
over-the-range microwave in a house, condo or apartment you’re
not planning on staying in for the long term.
Canadian Appliance Source has all the over-the-range microwaves
We help homeowners make their kitchens more functional and
beautiful. We help homebuilders create sellable looks for
reasonable prices. We help kitchen contractors present better ideas
and better results. And we can help everybody save money. Come
by your closest Canadian Appliance Source coalition and talk to
one of our sales reps. They know appliances. They know over-the-
range microwaves. They’ll get to know you, and they’ll help you
make the right match.
And for your interest and reading pleasure:
The microwave was invented by accident in 1946 by US Military
scientist Percy Spencer who was actually trying to figure out how to
efficiently and effectively mass-produce radar magnetrons to
improve the performance of radar technology. One day, while
carrying a prototype in his pocket, he noticed that the chocolate bar
he also had in his pocket melted just being next to the device he
built. He quickly established causation and shifted his focus from
improving radar to preparing hot meals quickly with no work.
Incidentally, Spencer never saw a dime in royalties, Instead,
Raytheon (the company he worked for at the time) gave him a one-
time $2.00 gratuity for changing the way we eat. That’s $26.40 in
2020, or eight packages of Blue Menu Macaroni and Cheese from
Loblaws as of this writing.
