On the iVillage Garden Web forums, there was a fun discussion this week about the impracticality of Susan Mayer’s kitchen on the TV show Desperate Housewives. One of the members posted this photo of it showing how high the microwave is.
I had never noticed that they had it stacked way up there! We all know that Susan doesn’t really cook, so you’d think she would need her microwave a little more conveniently located for all the frozen dinners she eats. Actress Teri Hatcher is fairly tall, so she can at least peek inside–I’d need a footstool to reach the handle!
What do you think the ideal location for a microwave is?
(Thanks to pllog for the photo and to Susan, who sent me the link to the thread.)
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{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
I have mine lower in the bottom cabinets so the little people like me can reach it
I always thought Susan’s kitchen was set up terrible.
Suzy´s last blog ..Birthday Dinner —-Chicken Marsala!
Ours is above the stove, but it’s not nearly that high! That does seem pretty impractical.
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Our microwave in our house right now, has the microwave on the counter. I think that if they had put the cabinet on the top instead of the bottom, the microwave would be easier to reach.
A friend of mine has her built in microwave under her range. She loves it because the kids can easily help themselves. Her kitchen is amazing and gorgeous, but the placement of the microwave has always bugged me. It just doesn’t look right too low…or too high
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Beth@The Stories of A2Z´s last blog ..Merry Consumptionmas!
I know in some new homes where there are double ovens, the microwave is sometimes place above them and it does seem fairly high. There is just a cabinet underneath this one in Susan’s kitchen though.
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That is funny! Yeah, it doesn’t look like it would be easy to use waaaaaay up there!
We actually got rid of our microwave years ago…and when we built this new house 2 years ago, we chose to forgo a microwave and continue life without one. The reason? Well, the short answer is is that there are studies that prove food just isn’t nutritious when zapped to death in a microwave. So yeah, go figure. Plus, I think it makes food taste nasty, too. I know, I know…I’m a food snob – and dern proud of it!
ClassiclyAmber´s last blog ..Winds of Change
It is high, isn’t it? Hum…I like the height of mine, the handle right at shouldar height so when I open the door I look right in at what is warming. Perfect for me, but I hadn’t thought of it being too high for my kids. By the time they are ready to microwave anything for themselves it will be the right height for them as well!
Janell
Janell Beals´s last blog ..A Sunday Of Painting…The Afters!
Hi! well that’s just too high, might as well put it up in the attic. I don’t have a microwave, love the oven and grill!. BUT, I used to have a microwave and the best place was always just a bit higher than the bench so you could see the inside completely. That way you can clean it easily without the need to kneel and the shoulder/elbow dislocation. Food explosions always bothered me.
thank you for sharing!
I enjoy your blog
Elizabeth.
Elizabeth´s last blog ..Dior Santa.. sorry, Dear Santa..
I don’t even like the one’s above the stove because they are too high, and I’m always afraid I’m going to spill hot stuff all over me. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one being discriminated against by home designers!
songbirdtiff´s last blog ..Ranch Seasoning Mix Recipe
Good point. That’s sort of odd that it’s that high. I am really short so there’s no way I could do that. I would have to climb on a chair to clean it. Mine is above the stove it’s a little high but it’s out of the way at least.
Jessica at Lavender & Lilies´s last blog ..Cottage Kitchen
I agree with classicallyamber about microwaves being dangerous nutritionally. I say the best place for them is in the trash!
Debbie Bailey´s last blog ..Back to Decluttering
Oh my I couldn’t live without my microwave…..it really is just a heater upper….and a gourmet popcorn maker…none the less I love it. I remember my first one when they were HUGE and they sat on your counter….she was a big brown Kenmore. box.
Kathy
I haven’t had a microwave in years either. I’m with Debbie and Classiclyamber on that one!
Dawn-Hydrangea Home´s last blog ..Let it be a Handmade Holiday
I don’t “cook” with a microwave, but I think I’d want it eye level, or lower even. Fun what some people notice!
Ha! Funny you should mention it. My husband and I JUST had this conversation about an hour or so ago. I was heating up a large container full of pasta sauce (it had been frozen) and as I went to put it back into the microwave, I dropped it. It fell to the stove, splattered everywhere. Emphasis on everywhere. It look forever to clean the mess up. So it led to me ranting about why it is that microwaves go above the stove. How stupid is that?! It should be eye level. I’m lucky only a bit of it touched my hand because I have a small burn. It could have been much worse. Oh but what a mess.
~Michelle
Michelle´s last blog ..Powder Room Project
The microwave is too high.
I have mine on the bench, then I can put things in and still see what ois going on. It also means I am not taking hot things out at a height.
It must have been men who decided where they should go and we all know they never use the microwave anyway!
boysmum2´s last blog ..New Editor Mode
I think a microwave should be like, counter height, but that would look best in a custom, built -in cabinet, with a thick, pull -out drawer underneath to place the hot items on. My dream kitchen would be so incredibly well thought out – if only I could build it!!!
I never came back about the Sticviews! I am thinking I’d love to have some/ one for my kitchen window, which currently is a view of my neighbor’s driveway. Anything is better than that view, but some of the Sticview designs were fabulous, so I’m sure it could be awesome!
Sybil Law´s last blog ..Buzzed Posting
Being a Kitchen designer, you would think I would have a good answer to this one. Well I do. The new Microwave in a drawer by Sharp, (Decor, Wolf and few other manufactures have them also, but all are made by Sharp) is the perfect solution. I use it in 90% of my kitchen designs. Push a button and the drawer that is right under the counter opens and you place the food in, push the button , it closes , cooks etc. When you need to stir or check you just slide the drawer out, stir the food without having to remove it, push the drawer back in and continue cooking. It really solves the design dilemma of “where to put the microwave.” Also keeps you from bending over if the microwave is a normal one below the counter (to Low) Or lifting heavy and hot foods above your head in the upper cabinets. Check it out on the Sharp web site. Lastly If this is not an option for you, Counter hight ( on the counter Not attractive but safe) or built in at this hight is best.
Sue, it sounds from your description that the microwave in a drawer is located below counter height. How does this prevent you from having to bend over to check what’s going on in the microwave? I was really surprised when the new trend started of having the microwave built in to the lower counters, within easy reach of little hands. Frankly, I do not want my children using the microwave without supervision, and an oven placed that low required me to practically stand on my head to see into it. Let’s get the microwave back at counter height, or eye level.
Love Desperate Housewives! That is a crazy place for a microwave, though.
I agree with a few others here and got rid of mine years ago. Don’t trust them or what they do to food and liquids. If anyone in interested, read “Hidden Messages in Water” and you can see what microwaving does to water molecules.
Funny! I noticed Susan’s microwave placement when i was watching this past Sunday – I hadn’t noticed it before! That is incredibly high, and i am not short! I’d be afraid of spilling something hot down my arms!
Love your blog very much – look forward to it each day! Thank you!
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Well, my microwave is over the stove, and since I’m quite short that means it’s just above eye-level. It’s a bit of a stretch. The ideal height would be counter-top, but that takes up a lot of room, so I’m not sure what ‘ideal’ would be.
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That certainly is an odd place to put a microwave. I’ve also seen them placed low under a counter at knee level.
My microwave at eye level. I think I use it everyday for soemthing or another and couldn’t live without it at this point.
XO Pat
I WISH ours was over the stove, but it’s on the counter. I had never noticed Susan’s microwave either. Some people just have eagle eyes, I guess. Sounds like you and I run in the same TV circles.
Amanda @ Serenity Now´s last blog ..Tasty Tuesday: Best Ever Pumpkin Bread (and Day #10)
I think a microwave can work at different heights but that height is just ridiculous. I have a feeling we may see a change to the set in the near future. You know this kind of internet chatter will get back.
Anyway, I am in love with the microwave drawer. I first saw this on New Yankee Workshop when Norm was making new cabinets for a kitchen. (Yes, I watch New Yankee Workshop with the hubs.) At first I thought it was a little awkward. But after seeing it demonstrated several times, it started to make a lot of sense.
http://www.kitchenandbathproducts.com/shop/KB_6002LS-p17499.html
Shannon´s last blog ..You Wanna Piece of Me?
That is waaaayy too crazy high. I’m only 5′2 so I have ours on the counter. I really don’t want to pull hot soup onto my face.
I don’t have a microwave, haven’t had one for the past ten years, I don’t really see the point with having one… However, I do agree that hers is rather “unapproacable”.. Maybe she only orders take out??
Dagny @ Beautiful Living´s last blog ..Before and after: Delayed!! / Forsinket!!
I def think bench height. In my new home it is higher, and I’m a bit worried. Well I’ll find out this Friday when I move in… I just couldn’t find a better place for it unfortunately…
Annie@A View on Design´s last blog ..Toorak Style, in Melbourne
Mine is actually on the counter taking up space. It does seem to be the perfect height even if I wish there was a better option. HOwever, I would like to add that I considered placing it above the stove just like in the photo being that I am 6 ft tall. I don’t have a problem reaching it there but a friend pointed out that my kids would have issues. Another friend, a nurse at a pediatric hospital said you wouldn’t believe the number of burns that come in yearly from microwave spills with the majority placed above bar height. She even moved her microwave to a bottom cabinet after starting working there.
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Kathy
11.10.09 at 6:36 pm
I remember my first one when they were HUGE and they sat on your counter….she was a big brown Kenmore. box.
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LOL, Kathy, I still have and use mine; still works great after all these years. Tried looking for a smaller one but today they are all made of plastic. Can’t find anything as sturdy with metal hinges & closures.
That’s hilarious! Ours is right over the stove with the bottom level to the wall cabinets.
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Our microwave is over the stove, but years ago, my microwave was on top of our refrigerator. I never gave it much thought until every….single….guest…. who entered our house made a comment about it. HA! It saved a bunch of counter space.
My microwave at home is above our range which doesn’t seem to high for us. We can actually look into it, but the one at work is really high. I mean way to high. I can’t really see in it and I’m 5′ 6″.
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Mine is above the counter, even with the cabinets. Um…let’s see how to explain it. When we re-did the kitchen we made one cabinet special so the top half was shelving and the bottom half was special for a microwave. Does that make sense? that way it isn’t on the counter-top. We have double wall ovens and the stove is set in the counter top – so we couldn’t easily put it above the stove and neither one of us was willing to get rid of one of the ovens (which is what a lot of people seem to do).
Kris´s last blog ..The Stranger by Albert Camus
The microwave thing is a bit odd, but I love Susan’s kitchen. I would love to find more pictures of it to help me redesign my own kitchen.