Like most things on the market today, you’ll have a myriad of options when shopping for a microwave. And, like most people, the choices only make it harder to decide. Should you go for the traditional countertop microwave oven, the over-the-range design, or the modern drawer microwave everyone raves about?
Any interior design enthusiast will tell you that a drawer microwave is the way to go due to its sleek design and efficient performance. However, there’s more to this microwave than meets the eye. Discover some of the benefits you stand to enjoy by adding this appliance to your kitchen.
1. You Get to Keep Your Countertop Space
We’ve all been there. You move into a house with a spacious kitchen and immediately fall in love with the spacious countertops. You can envision how all that space will be useful when making numerous meals. However, as time passes and you get more and more appliances, you can hardly make room to place your chopping board during meal preparation.
Luckily, the drawer microwave doesn’t require any more countertop space. It can fit into a lower cabinet under a kitchen counter or below a wall oven, saving you that coveted counter space.
However, to enjoy this benefit, you may want to clear your countertop of any other appliances. Consider moving appliances like blenders and kettles to hidden spaces to eliminate the countertop clutter.
2. Improved Safety
Drawer microwaves are also a safer alternative for people with children. Because the appliance is installed at a kid-friendly height, there’s a lower risk of them burning themselves as they would trying to reach for hot items in a traditional microwave.
Additionally, most of these microwaves have a safety lock feature — perfect for households with toddlers or children not old enough to prepare their own meals. You can read more about the best microwave options and safety features.
These microwaves are also a perfect addition to a household with someone who has shoulder mobility or who uses a wheelchair. Since you must lift up and out of the drawer, it will be much easier to do so safely and without assistance.
3. Enjoy Better Kitchen Aesthetics
Let’s face it: a countertop full of appliances is an eyesore. If you want to improve your kitchen aesthetics, a microwave drawer just below a clutter-free countertop is the way to go. Since the microwave will be hidden inside an island or a cabinet, anyone who walks into your kitchen can focus more on the architectural richness of the space instead of the appliances.
Not to mention, if you maintain a specific theme across all your appliances, you can elevate the look of your kitchen even more. For example, having a consistent color palette across all your appliances is better because it creates a cohesive and aesthetic look. Therefore, consider this even when choosing your drawer microwave.
4. It’s More Convenient
A microwave drawer also offers more convenience compared to the traditional design. For one, you no longer have to worry about the wide swinging door. This microwave features a sliding drawer design that opens at the push of a button.
Additionally, because the microwave is just below the countertop, you no longer have to worry about moving hot food from one section of the kitchen to the next. You can easily take the food out and place it on the counter, avoiding any spillage that may potentially lead to burns.
That’s not all. The drawer microwave is also relatively easy to use. Therefore, you can rest assured that even your little ones will get the hang of it quickly.
5. Drawer Microwaves Are Easier to Clean
Drawer microwaves don’t have one, unlike standard microwaves, which have a spinning plate that rotates food inside the microwave. They also don’t have nooks and crevices where food will likely stick, making them way easier to clean than their traditional counterparts.
To clean a microwave drawer, just wipe it down with a damp, clean cloth, and you’re done. If you notice an odor developing in the microwave, combine 1 cup of water, grated peel, and juice of one lemon and a few cloves of garlic in a microwave-safe container and bring the mixture to a boil in the microwave.
Leave the mixture inside the microwave until everything cools down. Once the mixture has cooled, the odor should be gone. Next, take a damp cloth and wipe the interior. It’s that simple.
6. Larger Capacity than Standard Microwave
Heating everyone’s food one at a time can be quite a hassle due to space restrictions in the microwave. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about this with a drawer microwave. Most designs can fit a casserole dish of up to 1.2 cu. Ft, which should be enough to feed several people.
Apart from saving you the trouble of warming food several times, you will also save on energy by reducing the number of times you have to run the microwave.
Conclusion
There you have it: 6 benefits of having a drawer microwave in your kitchen. As you can see, the microwave has way more to offer than just a sleek design. To recap, the microwave saves on countertop space, is safer, improves your kitchen aesthetics, is more convenient, is easier to clean, and has a larger capacity than the standard microwave.
So, what do you think? Will you be opting for the drawer microwave?
