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Mark and Rick, THANK YOU!!!! I think those dimensions are almost identical. I think it could work! And I'm not going to worry about what that GE phone rep was saying about installer's reluctance to deal with a tile backsplash. I spoke to a neighbor today who had no difficulty replacing her microwave. Again, thank you so much. You can't imagine what your help has meant to me. The kindness of strangers is not something to be taken lightly...
As soon as I looked up your model I noticed it was a GE Spacesaver...so there was bound to be an exact replacement which is what I googled. They’ve sold a ton of those over the years. Don’t know if you want white vs. another color but I saw you have different options.
A picture might help. Many microwaves are over the stove style, with a vent that exhausts to the outside. What the manufacturers neglect to say is there is not a set location and size for the hole for that vent. Many are very close, but not close enough to install a new one without some modification to the cabinetry, or finessing of the install. BTDT.
Also... be sure to buy the extended warranty on any new microwave. I'm in process of getting the flux capacitor (magnetron) replaced under warranty on one I bought only 9 months ago. Let's just say that product reliability and quality control aren't what they used to be.
I had a GE microwave that crapped out at around 2 years. The GE repairman said it was the magnetron and that he had never seen one go bad so soon. It was an expensive repair and my one year warranty was up. I get GE on the phone, had my repairman talk to them and explain that the magnetron shouldn't have gone bad so soon and they agreed to split the repair with me. He also said putting the microwave above the range is probably the worst place to put one because of the heat & steam coming up from the range.
I had a GE microwave that crapped out at around 2 years. The GE repairman said it was the magnetron and that he had never seen one go bad so soon. It was an expensive repair and my one year warranty was up. I get GE on the phone, had my repairman talk to them and explain that the magnetron shouldn't have gone bad so soon and they agreed to split the repair with me. He also said putting the microwave above the range is probably the worst place to put one because of the heat & steam coming up from the range.
But yet the microwave is designed with and comes with a stove top exhaust fan?
Some exhaust fans don't siphon to the outside of the home. The one in my condo didn't, the one in my current home does. I just don't like the microwave above the stove because I'm only 5'1" tall but unfortunately I don't have room anywhere else for it.
We replaced an above stove microwave because the keypad stopped working (we could only use 3, 5 and 9 LOL) due to steam getting under the seals apparantly. Anyway the new one lasted about 4 years and went kaput. That was at the start of the pandemic, so no one would come out to replace it. We got a cheap countertop one. I like it better, because I am also not tall, and really wasn't fond of reaching over hot burners to get heavy stuff out of the micro. But I hate losing the counter space, so eventually we will get the above stove replaced. Home Depot did the original replacement for us no problem. ( Oh, and btw, we had an electrician take a look and he said it can't be fixed.)
Guess I should be thankful that mine has lasted 14 years! Wonder if they were better made years ago or I just don't use mine very much? I do use it daily, but I guess never for more than 10 minutes total and often less, just for quick reheating of stuff that is already cooked and isn't frozen (so why do I need a microwave? It's still convenient for that little bit).
Silibran, you have no idea how much I needed the reminder that I'm not the first clueless customer. I do feel like I am because every other home project and trip to the store was with my husband, who knew what he was doing. Its like I just arrived from a couple of centuries ago or from some deserted island and everyone else has skills and knowledge that I am sorely lacking. But you are right, there have got to be some other clueless customers and they are there to help. Mr. Rogers said his mother told him to "always look for the helpers." I'm not sure she was talking about retail sales people in a big box hardware or major brands local dealer, but at this point, I need a variety of helpers and am just grateful that they exist.
I'll have to check into a LG. I guess I don't have to be loyal to GE---it's just that it's lasted 14 years, but as someone said, the quality nowadays may be different.
I'm so sorry for your loss. You had said esophageal and stomach cancer in another thread. Was his HPV positive? If so you need to make sure your gyno tests you for HPV because the wives of HPV oral cancer have tested positive for it, including myself. HPV caused cancers are supposed to be the "better" of the cancers to get because they know more about them. My hub is 11 years out from diagnosis.
I let my hub deal with stuff like this too because I don't feel like having to research what products to buy even though google makes it easier. He tells me which he researched and liked, we go to the store then I make sure it meets my needs; especially things like a refrigerator or washer. He pretty much knows what I like and don't like, thankfully we have similar opinions but when we actually go to look, it may be different then he thought or I may notice something that he did not.
I have all GE appliances in my kitchen too but they're 12 years old. They're so cheaply made. I live in a "newer" development, from what I understand the models we have were specific to new construction. You couldn't buy them anywhere back then. I googled all of them when we moved in to see how much they cost brand new.
My hub said he'll never buy a GE product after this experience. Our micro blew out at about 3 years old. It still blows about every year due to the steam from pots. I like having the microwave over the stove because it's so darned convenient but stinks due to blowing that $50 part. Our is currently not working because my hub refuses to spend another $50. The way I see it, it's cheaper then buying new, especially since we'll be selling the house which leads me to wondering if you're going to stay in your house now that your hub isn't there to help care for it. I surely would move. Taxes alone are $13,000 a year. If you're going to stay, then start replacing with a decent product, starting with that microwave. Make a new thread to get input on what microwave people have that they recommend. Once you do that, you research those plus see what kind of fridges the company makes because you want to make sure that those are decent and fit your needs too.
For this house, the whole kitchen is GE and their finishes are the same. If I brought in another brand, it may stick out like a sore thumb. Will it bother me if I have a different face on my double ovens then on the rest of my newer, different brand appliances? I do hate the finish on the double oven too. Whatever they used for "stainless steal" is the worst stuff they could have used. It doesn't clean, even with stainless steal cleaners. We've even tried buffing them with a power tool.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jazzcat22
Thanks, Barking Spider. I don't think the tile extends behind the microwave, but I don't know (the microwave was there when I moved in).
And thank you, Harry. I was wondering about the extended warranty since my microwave has been okay for 14 years. But you are probably right that reliability and quality control aren't what they used to be. My husband was against extended warranties, but since he is no longer here, I will opt for peace of mind.
The GE rep was asking me about whether the vent exhausts to the outside. I have no idea! I had no idea that replacing a microwave would be so hard....
If yours is like mine, it vents on the top. Right over my door the microwave has a false plate that opens to let steam out.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SFBayBoomer
Before giving up on your current microwave oven, consider that it might just need a new door switch.
That's all we needed this past January. $6.95 for the door switch at the local parts distributor and my husband installed it. Good as new!
I'd also say go to google to replace the part but hers is still working, she feels it's on it's way out. I'm going to keep fixing ours until we move into our next place which will be our last home un til one of us passes away.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 3chidogs
We replaced an above stove microwave because the keypad stopped working (we could only use 3, 5 and 9 LOL) due to steam getting under the seals apparantly. Anyway the new one lasted about 4 years and went kaput. That was at the start of the pandemic, so no one would come out to replace it. We got a cheap countertop one. I like it better, because I am also not tall, and really wasn't fond of reaching over hot burners to get heavy stuff out of the micro. But I hate losing the counter space, so eventually we will get the above stove replaced. Home Depot did the original replacement for us no problem.
Go to google, put your model number and issue into it, see if you get results on how to easily fix it. May just be a blown $50 part. We have an issue with ours where it blows one part due to the steam from pots. You then go to you tube and find a video on how to fix it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jazzcat22
I can check. I'm in metro Atlanta, so it may be possible.
I asked a neighbor if she had difficulty getting a microwave to fit and had any damage with the tile backsplash and she acted like those were crazy questions---that she easily replaced her microwave and there was no problem with the backsplash. So maybe I won't worry about it. Will wait until the microwave no longer functions or I have a few weeks/months under my belt after losing my husband.
It may interfere or may not, depends on how the builder did the tile and microwave. Most would tile 1st, then do the microwave so that they can hide the excess tile behind it, verses having to cut the tile where the microwave is.
Thanks Mark. I have a similar microwave but mine is 36". Hub is looking to replace it. Mine is a GE spacesaver dated Oct 2007, JVM3670sk04 I'd love to know if there's a new one that would fit
Quote:
Originally Posted by jazzcat22
Mark, hi, a neighbor! (I'm in Gwinnett---Lawrenceville/Duluth) I was wondering about Best Buy---I bought a Total Tech policy with them to have help with computers and it covers installations for a good price, but maybe to avoid the hassle I will go with Home Depot/Lowes.
The microwave is JVM 1630/1631/1640. It's a GE Spacemaker Microwave. They don't make them anymore. It's virtually 30 inches wide (29.875---supposedly typical microwaves are 30"). Depth is 15.0625, height 16.46875.
Thanks, Roselvr (I just "got" your name!). My father always called GED "dog" appliances (he loved dogs but didn't mean it as a complimentary). This did last 14 years. I'll have to do some research.
I do intend to stay here. It's only 1700 square feet, perfect for one person. I haven't given any thought to where else I would move to. Probably stay here until/unless I need assisted living or even more care.
Nope, my husband wasn't HPV positive. The doctors had no idea (nor did they care---their job was to treat him) why he got this cancer (as one doctor said it's kind of a miracle that more people don't get cancer with as many cells as there are in the body to go awry). 26 years earlier he had testicular cancer. Then he had a precancerous bladder issue. Then a melanoma on his skin (only stage 0). Obviously prone to getting cancer. The type of esophageal cancer he had is typically associated with acid reflux---that the reflux leads to it. His was the opposite---he had never had any reflux (at least that he was aware of) but the tumor caused the heartburn. The other type of esophageal cancer is more often caused by smoking or alcohol. He didn't have that type, nor did he smoke. However, I'm convinced that his drinking did cause the cancer. He never got drunk. Never had more than two drinks a day...but he had two drinks almost every day---beer or wine and then hard liquor. He even measured out the ounces so he didn't drink more than what a serving was supposed to be! The conventional wisdom was that men could drink up to 14 drinks a week, women 7. Finally his doctor asked him if he really thought 14 drinks a week were okay but 15 were dangerous. He saw her point and cut back and eventually stopped a year or so before getting diagnosed because alcohol seemed to give him atrial fibrillation (which did stop when he cut out the alcohol). Of course I know that many people drink more than 14 drinks a week and don't get cancer, but maybe it just was very toxic for him.
Thanks, Roselvr (I just "got" your name!). My father always called GED "dog" appliances (he loved dogs but didn't mean it as a complimentary). This did last 14 years. I'll have to do some research.
I do intend to stay here. It's only 1700 square feet, perfect for one person. I haven't given any thought to where else I would move to. Probably stay here until/unless I need assisted living or even more care.
Nope, my husband wasn't HPV positive. The doctors had no idea (nor did they care---their job was to treat him) why he got this cancer (as one doctor said it's kind of a miracle that more people don't get cancer with as many cells as there are in the body to go awry). 26 years earlier he had testicular cancer. Then he had a precancerous bladder issue. Then a melanoma on his skin (only stage 0). Obviously prone to getting cancer. The type of esophageal cancer he had is typically associated with acid reflux---that the reflux leads to it. His was the opposite---he had never had any reflux (at least that he was aware of) but the tumor caused the heartburn. The other type of esophageal cancer is more often caused by smoking or alcohol. He didn't have that type, nor did he smoke. However, I'm convinced that his drinking did cause the cancer. He never got drunk. Never had more than two drinks a day...but he had two drinks almost every day---beer or wine and then hard liquor. He even measured out the ounces so he didn't drink more than what a serving was supposed to be! The conventional wisdom was that men could drink up to 14 drinks a week, women 7. Finally his doctor asked him if he really thought 14 drinks a week were okay but 15 were dangerous. He saw her point and cut back and eventually stopped a year or so before getting diagnosed because alcohol seemed to give him atrial fibrillation (which did stop when he cut out the alcohol). Of course I know that many people drink more than 14 drinks a week and don't get cancer, but maybe it just was very toxic for him.
So back to microwaves....
I didn't realize there were 3 types of esophageal cancer.
Thankfully you don't have a really large house. I guess your biggest decision is what to do with the appliances, whether to keep going with GE or pick another brand. What type of finish is on the microwave? Is it stainless steal like mine?
Sorry, Roselvr, just saw this. All the appliances are shiny glossy black. Now the big thing seems to be stainless steel, either in silver or black.
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