A microwave is an essential home appliance and one that you have to find a perfect place for it. Choosing where to put a microwave is about accessibility and safety. So, can you put the microwave on the floor?
You can put your microwave on the floor as long as it’s not flammable, but it’s not advisable. What to consider when placing your microwave include safety, ease of access, aesthetics, and weight and size. The best places are on the countertop, inside the shelf, above the range, and in the cabinet.
However, most people don’t put microwaves on the countertop because of the many functions that this space can serve. Wherever you choose, make sure you prioritize safety. Here, we discuss whether you can put your microwave on the floor and the best places.
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Where to Put Your Microwave
Where you place the microwave inside your house matters a lot. It usually depends on several factors such as:
1. Weight and Size
You have to consider the weight and size of the microwave when determining where to put it. It should be a stable place and can support its weight. The microwave should also have free space on the side and back that allows for enough airflow, ensuring that it doesn’t overheat. You can put home use microwave on anything that could support their weight.
2. Safety
It’s important also to consider safety when choosing where to put your microwave. Appropriate surfaces, in this case, include granite, stone, thick wood, Formica, etc. Avoid any surface of plastic, thin wood, rug, or anything that could catch fire or melt due to heat over a long period. It should also be a dry surface. So, near the sink might not be appropriate. It’s also important to connect the microwave to a grounded three-pronged outlet. Thus, you can put a microwave on the floor. You need to make sure that the carpet isn’t something that can conduct electricity or catch fire due to heat. Even if your floor has a fire retardant carpet, you should endeavor not to put a microwave on it because it could still melt or even smell.
3. Aesthetics
Aesthetics also matters when choosing where to put your microwave. It should be a place that complements the whole interior of your kitchen or space. This is unlikely to happen when it’s on the floor. Placing a microwave on the floor can make it more of an obstacle you can easily walk into and trip. So, it’s not visually appealing to do so.
4. Ease of Access
This is perhaps the most important reason microwaves shouldn’t be on the floor. Putting a microwave on the floor might make it difficult to access it because you’ll have to kneel doesn’t each time you need to use the microwave. That’s not the most convenient thing for you. It’s also important to pay attention to the height because it mustn’t be too tall that it’ll be difficult to load and unload the microwave or see what is inside.
Best Places to Put Your Microwave
There are many places you can put the microwave in your home, not necessarily in the kitchen. Here are some of the most suitable places to put a Microwave.
1. On the Countertop
This is one of the most common places you can put your microwave. It doesn’t require any extra steps as long as you have enough space on the countertop and there’s a three-pronged electrical outlet to put it. You should make sure that there’s enough breathing space for the microwave and it’s far away from the sink. You don’t want an electrical shock due to water from the sink.
2. Above the Range
An over-the-range microwave is a great way for you to save space, especially if your kitchen is small. Installing the microwave over the stove is quite a good start, and it can serve as a hood vent for the stove. Of course, there’s limited airflow in this type of microwave. But you can maximize the space you have.
3. In the Shelf
You can tuck your microwave inside one of the shelves in your kitchen or any other room. You have to plan it ahead of time because the outlet has to be inside the shelf, too, and the shelf must be big enough to hold the microwave and the outlet, and there should be enough space for ventilation. The microwave might be a bit longer than the shelf, so it protrudes out, and you can easily open its doors. But it should still sit firmly inside the shelf, which could be an upper or lower shelf, depending on what works for you. Of course, it’s always better up since you won’t have to be squatting or bending to bring things out of the microwave.
When putting a microwave inside the shelf, you need to buy one that perfectly fits the shelf you intend to put it inside if you want to maximize space. Finding something like that isn’t always easy. You can always put the microwave in your kitchen and make it fit inside a space. All you need for this is to add a trim kit. Trim kits are metal rings that will fill the space in the shelf so that your microwave can fit perfectly inside the cabinet. It’s good for aesthetics and ensures that you don’t have to clean the extra space between the microwave and the cabinet walls.
4. Hidden Inside a Cabinet
You can install drawer-style microwaves into the island or lower cabinets. You need to draw this microwave out to use, and after using it, you can push it in. these microwaves are quite costly, but they can keep well-hidden tucked inside the cupboard. If you can’t afford a drawer microwave, you can still hide your microwave by just placing it inside a cupboard that you can close when you’re not using it. It should be something that fits inside the cupboard, allowing you to close the door.
In Conclusion
Where you out your microwave will depend mostly on where you can find space. For most people, the first place is the countertop. But the countertop is such a valuable space that many people find other options. Shelves and cabinets are usually the best options in this case. While the floor might not be dangerous, it’s not a great idea.
