Where To Put a Microwave in a Small Kitchen – 8 Clever Ideas
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Kristin Hitchcock
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Microwaves are often considered a necessary part of any modern kitchen. However, microwaves are quite large and may be challenging to squeeze into a smaller kitchen. Trying to fit all your gadgets into a smaller kitchen can be challenging, anyway, and when you add a large microwave to the mix, things can get complicated pretty fast.
Luckily, there are a few different places you may be able to put your microwave even if you have limited space. It’s essential to look for unused space in your kitchen where your microwave could possibly go. If you’re extremely strapped for space, you may have to make room.
Here are some space-saving places to incorporate a microwave into your kitchen.
The 8 Ideas of Where to Put a Microwave in a Small Kitchen
1. In a Cabinet
You can put your microwave in a cabinet if you have a large enough space. Your average cabinets do not work, as they are not wide enough. However, you can install a microwave cabinet instead to hide your microwave out of the way while still leaving it accessible.
Of course, it also works best to have an outlet in the cabinet that you can plug your microwave into. Otherwise, you may have to pull some weird cording methods to get the microwave to a power source.
There are many microwave-ready cabinets out there. However, because they aren’t very popular, you often have to ask for them specifically.
You can also place your microwave on an upper cabinet. If it is large enough, you can simply remove the door to keep your microwave constantly accessible. You may want to have a professional wire the microwave in, though, as there often aren’t outlets inside the cabinets.
2. In a Pantry
If you have a pantry, you could keep the microwave in there, instead. While this isn’t necessarily the most convenient option, it does prevent you from needing to store the microwave in your kitchen. If you simply don’t have room available, this may be your best option by far.
Of course, the pantry will need an outlet for your microwave. Preferably, you should place the microwave somewhere near this outlet. Not all pantries have outlets, however, and having a professional install one can be challenging.
3. Above the Range
Many people are now installing microwaves above their ovens. You can’t use just any microwave for this purpose. Most microwaves vent out the back. If you put the microwave above your stovetop, then it can’t vent from these usual locations. Instead, these microwaves must vent through the bottom. Plus, they must also have an oven vent installed to help with air ventilation.
These microwaves can be a bit expensive to install, though. Plus, you can’t typically just install a new one into an existing kitchen. Therefore, this method may not be the most practical unless you’re building your kitchen from scratch.
4. In an Island
Kitchen islands can provide an easy solution for your microwave. If you have power going to your island, you can put your microwave in it or on it. You can use some of the cabinetry options in your island for easy storage, as well. With the proper outlet, installing a microwave inside an island is pretty easy.
However, this does mean your microwave will be low, though. This may or may not be practical. Be aware if you have children and consider getting a cabinet lock to prevent unauthorized access to your microwave.
5. Combine with a Wall Oven
Wall ovens have become more and more popular over the years. Many people install two different wall ovens to maximize cooking space. However, you can also pair a wall oven with a microwave instead. This method allows you to keep both your oven and microwave in an accessible location. Plus, your microwave won’t be taking up any of your counter space.
6. On L-Shaped Counters
If your counters are L-shaped, then the corner of the counter is probably not used all that often. You can store your microwave in this area, as you probably won’t be using it for anything else. You can also turn your microwave slightly so that it’s sitting in the corner instead of flush with one of the walls. In this way, you can make use of your counter space efficiently.
You can also keep an eye out for other unused countertop space. For instance, some kitchens have relatively small countertops on the edges. Therefore, you may be able to fit a microwave here, though the counter may be too small for actual cooking.
Once you’ve been in your kitchen for a while, you’ll probably figure out where you tend to do much of your cooking prep. Once your figure this out, you can place your microwave somewhere efficient.
7. On Top of the Fridge
If you really don’t have the room, you can place a microwave on top of the fridge. Of course, there often aren’t any outlets up there. However, you can sometimes run a cord down the side of the fridge and to a nearby outlet. There is nothing wrong with putting a microwave on top of the fridge besides the fact that it may be more difficult to reach and use.
However, if you simply must have a microwave and none of these other options work, then you may be stuck putting it on your fridge.
8. Another Room
Sometimes, you may have another room close to the kitchen that can function as the microwave’s home. The pantry falls into this category, as we discussed above. However, other rooms may also work. If your washer and dryer are located just off of the kitchen, you may be able to set your microwave on top of one of them.
This option is very dependent on your house layout. Simply look at the places close to your kitchen and see if any of them could make room for your microwave.
Conclusion
Fitting a microwave into a small kitchen can be a challenge. After all, these appliances can be quite large. While using a smaller microwave sometimes fixes this problem for you, it isn’t always enough. You may have to get a bit creative.
We hope one of the options listed above works for you. It helps to pay attention to the spaces that are used in your kitchen and then look for a way to place your microwave in one of the little-used spaces. Sometimes, you may have to get creative by placing your microwave in an untraditional location, like in your pantry.
Featured Image Credit: Pixel-Shot, Shutterstock
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