We just replaced our over-the-stove microwave, and the instructions say
that the top of the mounting plate (about the level of the top of the
appliance when it's installed) must be at least 30 inches above the
cooking surface. Our microwave is approx. 16 inches high, thus the
minimum clearance for *this* microwave is approx. 14 inches.

Perce


On 03/24/05 11:23 am Mastermech tossed the following ingredients into
the ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

I was looking to get a little more counter space and am thinking of
installing a Microwave above the stove.
Is there a Minimum distance above the stove?
I do not want to remove or modify the cabinet above the stove, and am not
ready to remodel the kitchen just yet..

how high is the cabinet over your stove? If you don't have a cabinet over
your stove I doubt that you can install a MW over your stove because the
unit bolts both to the wall and to the underside of the cabinet over the
stove.


"Percival P. Cassidy" wrote in message
...
We just replaced our over-the-stove microwave, and the instructions say
that the top of the mounting plate (about the level of the top of the
appliance when it's installed) must be at least 30 inches above the
cooking surface. Our microwave is approx. 16 inches high, thus the
minimum clearance for *this* microwave is approx. 14 inches.

Perce


On 03/24/05 11:23 am Mastermech tossed the following ingredients into
the ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

I was looking to get a little more counter space and am thinking of
installing a Microwave above the stove.
Is there a Minimum distance above the stove?
I do not want to remove or modify the cabinet above the stove, and am
not
ready to remodel the kitchen just yet..

"Percival P. Cassidy" wrote in message
...
We just replaced our over-the-stove microwave, and the instructions say
that the top of the mounting plate (about the level of the top of the
appliance when it's installed) must be at least 30 inches above the
cooking surface. Our microwave is approx. 16 inches high, thus the minimum
clearance for *this* microwave is approx. 14 inches.
just yet..

You're right. All of the manufacturer's specs that I've seen require a
minimum of 30" from top of cooking surface to bottom of cabinet that m/w
hangs from. (I sell them for Sears). However, in the county that I live in
(N. Illinois), the powers setting the standards for construction have seen
fit to set the minimum as 32". Thus, you could install it yourself at the
30" minimum and not void the manufacturer's warranty but to get a licensed
contractor to install it, you have to have the 32" min. All of the m/w hood
combos that I've seen have a built in thermostat that kicks the fan in if
the heat from the stove begins to get hot enough to have an affect on the
m/w's controls.
Tom

I will measure.

Thanks a bunch!
JRE

"Tom" wrote in message
However, in the county that I live in (N. Illinois), the powers setting
the standards for construction have seen fit to set the minimum as 32".
Thus, you could install it yourself at the 30" minimum and not void the
manufacturer's warranty but to get a licensed contractor to install it,
you have to have the 32" min.

The extra 2" of lifting in a dish could be a deal breaker for many people,
like my wife for instance.
Ed

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
news:9xG0e.40662$db6.17429@trndny02...

"Tom" wrote in message
However, in the county that I live in (N. Illinois), the powers setting
the standards for construction have seen fit to set the minimum as 32".
Thus, you could install it yourself at the 30" minimum and not void the
manufacturer's warranty but to get a licensed contractor to install it,
you have to have the 32" min.

The extra 2" of lifting in a dish could be a deal breaker for many people,
like my wife for instance.
Ed
For years, I balked at getting one for my 5'2" wife as she tends to not pay
attention to what's she's doing and often spills or drops things in the
kitchen. I had a vision of her pulling a boiling hot dish out of the
microwave and tipping it down the front of her body. I finally gave in
and put one in this Christmas but only with her promise to be very, very
careful when using it. I had 31" of clearance.
Tom.

I don't recall how high the underside of the cabinet was, but over the
minimum 30". And, yes, the plate had to go on the wall with a couple of
"ears" touching the underside of the cabinet above so that the microwave
could be secured to that cabinet -- by two bolts on the new one, three
bolts on the one we took out.

I got the impression that the OP already had a cabinet over the stove.
If it doesn't allow for sufficient clearance, s/he can't just take it
out (which s/he said s/he didn't want to do anyway): there must be a
cabinet above to support the microwave -- at least on all the ones I've
seen.

Perce


On 03/24/05 12:34 pm Sam tossed the following ingredients into the
ever-growing pot of cybersoup:

how high is the cabinet over your stove? If you don't have a cabinet over
your stove I doubt that you can install a MW over your stove because the
unit bolts both to the wall and to the underside of the cabinet over the
stove.

We just replaced our over-the-stove microwave, and the instructions say
that the top of the mounting plate (about the level of the top of the
appliance when it's installed) must be at least 30 inches above the
cooking surface. Our microwave is approx. 16 inches high, thus the
minimum clearance for *this* microwave is approx. 14 inches.

I was looking to get a little more counter space and am thinking of
installing a Microwave above the stove.
Is there a Minimum distance above the stove?
I do not want to remove or modify the cabinet above the stove, and am

not

ready to remodel the kitchen just yet..

You probably knew this already, but the installation instructions tell you
the minimum distance.

You probably knew this already, but the installation instructions tell you
the minimum distance.