Microwave - Reliable built-in with vent?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Post Reply
Topic Author
linenfort
Posts: 2241
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 9:22 am
Location: #96151D

Microwave - Reliable built-in with vent?

Post by linenfort »

Our microwave likes to turn itself on lately. Not at 3AM when we're asleep (as far as I know), but when we close the door, before we press any buttons. It also doesn't respond to the stop button when it's not in the mood.

Now, it may not even fit our space, but has anyone had a good 2-year or longer experience with a microwave?

I did contact the company about repairs, and they told me it would be $90 for diagnostics, another $165 for repair labor, plus parts. Yeah.

Anything new since this 2015 thread? - viewtopic.php?t=175614
Yes, I'm looking at alternatives to a new oven, since the vent still works - viewtopic.php?t=203651
livesoft
Posts: 85971
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:00 pm

Re: Microwave - Reliable built-in with vent?

Post by livesoft »

We have to buy a new microwave as ours is 24 years old. It is still working though it has rusted on the inside. I was pricing these things recently and they are all about the same. Any old cheap countertop unit will work probably forever. I need to get one to fit the cabinet that the old one is built into and that's a big problem. I can find one, but the mounting kit is more than the oven itself.

As for "vent", the mounting kits just have them vent forward into the kitchen with vents above and below the oven itself. So any microwave will work if it has a mounting kit and fits in the hole.

So you have use your google fu to find something that fits.

I will say that features I want are
turntable (old one doesn't have it)
turn off the beeps (people don't like to hear the beeps in the morning)
add 30 seconds
1 min starts instead of having to press 1 min, then start.
touch panel, so wiping clean is easy with no protruding buttons
color: white (our kitchen is white, not stainless, not black, and not avocado)
It's a microwave oven, so other features are pretty much useless fluff.
Wiki This signature message sponsored by sscritic: Learn to fish.
123
Posts: 10387
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 3:55 pm

Re: Microwave - Reliable built-in with vent?

Post by 123 »

livesoft wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 9:25 am ...I need to get one to fit the cabinet that the old one is built into and that's a big problem. I can find one, but the mounting kit is more than the oven itself...
When we remodeled a kitchen having a built-in microwave seemed to be the biggest problem area. The mounting kids were indeed very expensive for what they were and if you ever had to replace the microwave some years down the line it seemed that getting a compatible fit at some future date might be an issue. We ended up just using a counter-top microwave and having more cabinet space.

We have an elderly relative who's been using the same microwave for over 20 years. Ours is over 8 years old and works fine.
The closest helping hand is at the end of your own arm.
pshonore
Posts: 8205
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 2:21 pm

Re: Microwave - Reliable built-in with vent?

Post by pshonore »

We had a built-in LG which bit the dust the dust after two years - think water vapor from boiling water on the stove got into the key panel and shorted out 1/2 the keys. Would never buy another LG appliance. Replaced it with a built-in Whirlpool which is still ok after three years. Both were vented outside. As I recall the mounting kits come with it.
Topic Author
linenfort
Posts: 2241
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 9:22 am
Location: #96151D

Re: Microwave - Reliable built-in with vent?

Post by linenfort »

Thanks, pshonore.

Ours vents to the outside as well. We wanted a proper hood, but we just don’t have space.

I begrudgingly got rid of a perfectly good 10-year-old countertop model when we renovated and replaced our dead built-in. It’s been a great 2 1/2 years, but now we’ve got a problematic built-in.
newbie_Mo
Posts: 233
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:28 pm

Re: Microwave - Reliable built-in with vent?

Post by newbie_Mo »

I had a similar problem with our over the range microwave few days ago. The frigidaire microwave would start when we closed the microwave door. Ours was manufactured in 2014. I look up the problem. It was most likely due to a faulty door switch. The switch costs $10. Without replacing the switch, i used a chop stick to poke on the door larch hole couple times until i can feel the switch pressed down and release. This seems to fix the problem temporarily. I may eventually have to replace the switch or replace the microwave.
Topic Author
linenfort
Posts: 2241
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 9:22 am
Location: #96151D

Re: Microwave - Reliable built-in with vent?

Post by linenfort »

newbie_Mo wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:06 pm .. was most likely due to a faulty door switch. The switch costs $10. Without replacing the switch, i used a chop stick to poke on the door larch hole couple times until i can feel the switch pressed down and release. This seems to fix the problem temporarily. I may eventually have to replace the switch or replace the microwave.
Oh my gosh, i did the same thing! First with a toothpick and then with a chopstick! I don't know if I'm poking around in the same place, though. Good luck. I'm going to start shopping for that switch.

If we could find an easy way to heat up cat food, the little bit of wet food that we add to the dry, then we could dispense with the microwave altogether.
barnaclebob
Posts: 5564
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2012 10:54 am

Re: Microwave - Reliable built-in with vent?

Post by barnaclebob »

linenfort wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 11:55 am Thanks, pshonore.

Ours vents to the outside as well. We wanted a proper hood, but we just don’t have space.

I begrudgingly got rid of a perfectly good 10-year-old countertop model when we renovated and replaced our dead built-in. It’s been a great 2 1/2 years, but now we’ve got a problematic built-in.
How do you not have space for a hood? I assume you have a 30" OTR microwave? They make hoods in that same size that should be able to mate up to the vent. I have a zephyr typhoon and it is a vast improvement over our old OTR microwave. If you have adequate cabinet space you could also consider cutting one of your cabinets shorter and putting a GE profile 24" microwave.
Topic Author
linenfort
Posts: 2241
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2007 9:22 am
Location: #96151D

Re: Microwave - Reliable built-in with vent?

Post by linenfort »

I cleaned the receptacles where the door latches fit and it’s fixed...for now.
How do you not have space for a hood?

It’s a very narrow space, Bob. Hard to explain, but it would be difficult, and it would look weird. I need a bigger house, but that comes with its own problems. :happy
Frisco Kid
Posts: 421
Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2014 5:18 pm
Location: San Francisco Peninsula

Re: Microwave - Reliable built-in with vent?

Post by Frisco Kid »

A knowledgeable appliance salesperson will share with you that a microwave with a built in vent is going to provide marginal performance at best as they are designed for convenience. These are really not a good idea..................
btenny
Posts: 5694
Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:47 pm

Re: Microwave - Reliable built-in with vent?

Post by btenny »

I have a 37 year old microwave and oven combo that is built into the kitchen cabinets. It looks fine. It works OK. But is so old it does not have a turntable and uses a mechanical twist timer dial. Because we only use this home part time I have been able to procrastinate replacing this setup for 15 years or so. All the things you guys are talking about like fitting a new unit in the cabinets and finding a reliable unit are also my concerns. But the other issue in my case is the oven is old as well and has some funny temperature dials. So if I replace one I need to replace both. And that is really really pricey. Above $3K plus some likely cabinet work and refinishing. Ughhhhh....
ncbill
Posts: 2049
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 4:03 pm
Location: Western NC

Re: Microwave - Reliable built-in with vent?

Post by ncbill »

Frisco Kid wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2017 6:49 pm A knowledgeable appliance salesperson will share with you that a microwave with a built in vent is going to provide marginal performance at best as they are designed for convenience. These are really not a good idea..................
I am skeptical of that claim.

Over-the-range microwaves are setup to vent out the front by default.

Manufacturers know most of their customers don't have a dedicated vent available.

We replaced a 20+ year old freestanding combo range/microwave last year with separate range & OTR microwave.

That older unit, which was standard in all the units in our townhouse development, also vented out the front (no dedicated vent available)

The biggest PITA was having a new circuit added for the microwave since OTR microwaves require a dedicated 20A circuit under current U.S. code.
Post Reply