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As technology is advancing our homes, and we’d like to say kitchens especially, start to resemble the Jetsons’ home. Our lives depend on so many appliances – juicer, blender, coffee maker; you name it. Of course, an appliance that found its honorary place on the kitchen counters of many homes is – best microwave oven.
Okay, we know, we can hardly say that this is a new gadget – it’s been around for almost a century now in general. For more than half of a century, it is an integral element of many households all over the US and broader.
So why are we talking about this now? Well, we tend to focus on different things while buying kitchen appliances. We take time to check the functionality and various features; we think how will the design with our kitchen furniture and other machines but the size often get overlooked. Nevertheless, whatever type of microwave that you are buying, you have to factor in the size because it needs to fit the area where you want to put it.
Standard Microwave Size
There is no such thing as standard microwave dimensions, but they vary pretty much depending on where they are designed to be installed. Generally speaking, though they can be small microwave ovens, medium or large and then there are differences between different models and types. This means that before going on a hunt to equip your kitchen with a new shiny gadget, you need to decide where you want to put it. Of course, you can quickly move some ovens, so it’s not a big deal if you make a mistake or don’t measure the dimensions of the space. But some others are big and heavy or built-in, so you cannot change the place however and whenever you like.
Countertop Microwave Dimensions
When we are talking about a countertop microwave oven, we think about portable appliances that can be put anywhere and are generally affordable for many people. They are quite popular because they don’t require any specialized knowledge or skills for installation. You just need to unpack it, find a place on the counter, plug it in, and that’s it. When it comes to countertop microwave sizes, we can say that they can be а small microwave or medium-sized.
The average microwave size for a countertop is 24 inches wide, 14 inches high, and 16 inches deep. The capacity of such a microwave is 1.5 cubic feet. But of course, there are small microwave options with less than 1.0 cubic feet capacity and larger with over 2.0 cubic feet.
If you are wondering what size microwave fits a dinner plate, we can tell you that a small microwave with 0.5 cubic feet is perfect for doing a job. If you are living by yourself, you might be interested in checking out the best small microwave.
Built-in Microwave Dimensions
If you have limited space on the kitchen counter, then a built-in microwave is a perfect solution for you. These appliances are nicely tucked in your kitchen cabinets. When you opt for this one, you get extra space in the kitchen, but you have to carefully measure the place where you want to put the oven to make sure it fits. They are created to fit standard cabinets, so they are from 24 to 30 inches wide and around 19 to 222 inches high. The depth of a cabinet is about 24 inches, but it can be smaller in which case you need to look for a small microwave. But in general, they are what we would call a midsize microwave.
Over the Range Microwave Dimensions
OTR or over the stove microwave or the range is a device that combines microwave oven with range hood. This is a 2 in 1 gadget that needs to be mounted over the cooktop. Some people are wondering if all over the range microwaves the same size. They don’t have a standard size, but there is something that you will like. All 30″ OTR microwaves have approximately the same width, and it is simple to fit them in the cabinet that has a 30″ inch opening. Also, if you need to replace 36″ best over the range microwave, you can do it with a 30″ microwave because it has a system to adjust.
Under Cabinet Microwave Dimensions
These are similar to countertop microwaves but more versatile. They are also pretty small microwave ovens because usually there isn’t a lot of space under the cabinet. So with this compact microwave, you have a lot of standard features like fast cooking, convection, and so on. They are pretty good as apartment size microwaves.
What Size Microwave Do I Need?
Well, that is entirely up to you. It depends on various factors, such as do you live alone or you need a family size microwave, what are you using it for, how often do you have friends over and so on. It also depends on how much space you have and do you want any special features. If you ask us, we think that for someone living alone, a small microwave does more than a perfect job. If you want something more advanced, you can look for the best convection microwave.
How to Measure Microwave Size?
When you are looking for a small microwave, mid-sized or large, what is most important is the inside, which is expressed in cubic feet. To measure this you need to multiply the interior length by width and then by height. Then you should divide the total number by 1.728 and the result you get is the size in cubic feet that you need.
Conclusion
It is funny to think that something so significant as the size gets overlooked a lot of times, but it does. Whether you are looking for a small microwave for yourself or something bigger for the entire family, make sure that you measure correctly the device and place where you are going to put it. What kind of microwave oven do you have? Or are you planning to buy one? At mykitchenadvisor, we always like to hear back from you, so we hope that you will send us your feedback and comments.
