Can I Buy a Table Microwave & Install It Over an Oven in a Wall?

Advantages

• Table microwave ovens tend to be less expensive than over-the-range or built-in microwaves. Mounting a table microwave above a kitchen oven will also free up limited kitchen counter space. You may have more styles from which to choose in table microwave ovens. There may also be a specific appliance style or color that you prefer that's only designed for table microwave ovens.

Disadvantages

• Table microwave ovens are designed to plug directly into an electrical outlet. You may need an electrician to install a dedicated electrical circuit to operate your microwave oven safely. You may also need a special cabinet built above the oven to contain the microwave. Placing the microwave oven above the kitchen oven may also make it difficult to put food into the microwave, to monitor it while cooking, and then remove it.

Exhaust

• The table microwave oven must be joined to existing ductwork in the wall or have new ductwork created to exhaust hot air, moisture and odors out of the house. The microwave oven should have exhaust dampers and a blower fan motor that can be adjusted to hook up to the wall ductwork. Some microwave ovens will recirculate the heated air instead of exhausting it. However, hot air and moisture can cause damage to the surrounding cabinets, warping them and promoting the growth of mold. The microwave oven can be either exhausted directly out through an outside wall or through the roof. Ductwork that's 140 feet in length or less provides better ventilation that will not trap grease, debris or grow mold.

Front Vents

• Some microwave ovens exhaust hot air, moisture and cooking odors through vents in the front of the appliance. This means that the hot air and moisture are exhausted directly into the kitchen, raising the room's temperature and humidity. Cooking odors will also tend to linger longer in the house. Front vents also may not provide enough ventilation if you do a large amount of prolonged cooking in your microwave oven throughout the day.