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Do any of you have one of these? What do you think about it?
We are about to do a kitchen remodel and we are considering doing one of these microwaves in our island. I'm also considering a microwave/convection oven because I would like the extra oven space. I've done a little bit of searching but I haven't found one of the drawer style microwaves with is also convection, so it looks like I have to do either one or the other. I was just wanting to see what others experiences/thoughts were on these.
Also, I am concerned with how hard it will be to clean the inside of one of these drawer types, especially top since you can't really see it.
I have a few friends with the drawer style microwaves. They make sense for certain kinds of uses, especially in an island where the access to/from the countertop can be optimized (little /danger of steam in the face or stuff from upper cabinets falling into / damaging unit. The are good for snacks and casserole type reheating.
When I looked at how I use my microwave I decided it was not for me -- I use it to heat beverages frequently and the tray means more wasted motions /spills. Also use microwave for melting chocolate and such quite often where I need to look at the stuff and stir a lot. Not good unless you like to bend / get on knees.
Nice built-units in SS are not cheap, but the convection units in 240V heat-up faster than conventional oven and probably get more use in my house than the main oven by a factor of 3 or more, so cost is justifiable...
I'm putting in a 36" professional style range also, which will have the large convection oven, but since its only a 36" it won't be a double oven, so that's whats got me thinking about the convection microwave as well. About the only thing we do with a microwave is heat up leftovers, cook oatmeal in the morning, and defrost stuff occasionally. I'm just really limited on space above to put a microwave, so that's why we're considering the drawer style in the island. but it might be nice to have the small size of a microwave convection. Why heat up the big oven just to warm bread or something, when it can be done in something much smaller.
We've had one for about 3 years, a SS model in our island, and love it. It's a microwave only. Heating liquids in it is not a problem as the door control opens and close the drawer very gently so there are no spills. We are average height and don't need to bend down (except when cleaning) to access the drawer or the food in it. I keep a plastic cover in it to cover food, so we don't get it very dirty but the occasional times I clean it, I just stick my hand in and swipe a damp sponge across the "ceiling" of the opening. One drawback is it has no turntable, so when cooking for longer periods I rotate the food (or stir) halfway through the cooking time. The other drawback is the price. But it's great for limited-counterspace kitchens and I like the clean look.
We don't have a drawer-style microwave, but we do have a combination microwave-convection oven. I love it. I do a lot of combination cooking in it, rather than just using it as a regular microwave or convection oven. Roast chickens come out wonderfully, (crispy and brown on the outside from the convection and fast cooking from the microwave), as do roast beefs, etc. Even though they generally cost a lot more than a "regular" microwave, I think they're well worth the price.
Thanks everyone for your input. I'm having a hard time making up my mind which I want. I've not been able to find the combo kind in the drawer style, so it's either the drawer style microwave or the combo style built in a cabinet. I'm leaning towards a combo style since so I could use it as an additional oven. It will be just my luck that they will come out with the combination style in a drawer about a week after I make a choice one way or the other.
I'm putting in a 36" professional style range also, which will have the large convection oven, but since its only a 36" it won't be a double oven, so that's whats got me thinking about the convection microwave as well. About the only thing we do with a microwave is heat up leftovers, cook oatmeal in the morning, and defrost stuff occasionally. I'm just really limited on space above to put a microwave, so that's why we're considering the drawer style in the island. but it might be nice to have the small size of a microwave convection. Why heat up the big oven just to warm bread or something, when it can be done in something much smaller.
the double oven is what made us stick with a 30 inch with a 5th burner instead of a 36 inch. i'd ask yourself why get the 36 inch range...if you really want it, go for it, but we stuck with 30, got the double oven, and also got roll-out spice cabinet with the 6 inches we had left over. :-)
the double oven is what made us stick with a 30 inch with a 5th burner instead of a 36 inch. i'd ask yourself why get the 36 inch range...if you really want it, go for it, but we stuck with 30, got the double oven, and also got roll-out spice cabinet with the 6 inches we had left over. :-)
I want the 6 burners the 36" has to offer. Also, what brand do you have? In my shopping I've not seen any commercial style 30" with double ovens. Everything we looked at you had to go to at least a 42" to get 2 ovens.
Also, what we have now is a 30" glass cooktop, which I just don't find big enough. Maybe it's the layout of the burners or something, but it just feels too crowded.
I suspect that either the 30" range that bradykp has is one of those like the "innovation" based on Maytag's "Gemini" which splitts a traditional range size oven cavity into two "spaces" or perhaps they went with just a cooktop and built in wall ovens, which is another way to skin the cat...
I agree with debzkidz that the utility in having a single large oven cavity (as one gets with a 36" commercial style range) offers a different level of functionality as well as a far different set of asthetics. I have seen a handful of other "solutions" that all have various trade-offs it is important that you consider ALL the equipment / techniques that you use both for your everyday cooking as well as the "edge case" when you entertain.
For me the 36" range with six burners was the right way to go, though in my "ultimate fantasy" of kitchen equipment I think I would probably want to have access to something that has a mix of ranges with burners / flat tops / char grill / French tops / salamanders AND some "stand up" ovens but short of running a catering company or becoming a cookbook author I doubt that will happen...
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