The lefty people prefer a left handed microwave that feels more convenient to them. Most kitchen appliances like microwaves, refrigerators and dishwasher are made with a basic design. It offers convenience for right handed people but some left handed people find it difficult to operate such appliances.
So, they need the same appliance in left handed design.
Which Microwave is Ideal for Lefty People?
A left handed microwave is ideal for lefty people. Because the left handed microwave door opens from left to right which is very convenient to open & close. The regular microwaves are right handed that are most common and popular as well as most used microwaves in entire US.
In case you are lefty and cannot find a left handed microwave, you can go for a microwave drawer that opens like a drawer. It is very comfortable to use for lefty people.
Important Note:
My team and I did a thorough research to find out left handed microwaves but couldn’t find any. Therefore we decided to choose drawer microwaves that are suitable for lefty people. So, you should check our suggested left handed microwave drawers to get an ideal microwave oven for yourself.
Is My Microwave Left Handed or Right Handed?
Your microwave is left handed if its door opens from left to right. On the other hand, your microwave is right handed if its door opens from right to left. The swinging direction of a microwave door decides if it is left handed or right handed.
The experts consider door hinges to define the microwave oven. If the microwave door hinges are on right side then it is a left handed microwave. In case the door hinges are on left side then it is a right handed microwave.
It is possible that your microwave is a drawer type which is neither left handed nor right handed yet suitable for both types of users.
Top 5 Left Handed Microwaves for Lefty People
Due to unavailability of left handed microwave, I have picked up some microwave drawers that are convenient for left handed people. Here I provide the top 5 left handed microwaves for lefty people as follows.
#1. Sharp 24-Inch Microwave Drawer
Sharp Stainless Steel Microwave Drawer is a sturdy and durable microwave for left handed people. It is 23.88-inch wide, 23.02-inch deep and 15.88-inch tall that make it a large microwave. You can install it in a drawer or cabinet as a built-in microwave oven.
It is a drawer-style microwave that opens like a drawer without any effort. Its control panel is situated on top in which you need to press open/close button. This button opens the microwave drawer automatically and closes as you press it again.
The Sharp left handed microwave comes with 1.2 cubic foot capacity. It uses up to 950-watt power and offers interior lighting to offer proper visibility. It has 12 different settings for sensor cook including popcorn, potato, vegetables and reheat.
On the control panel, it has a separate button for beverage, defrost, soften/melt and keep warm. It also has 6 defrost settings to let you choose a suitable defrost method for different frozen food items. The bright white LED display shows clock, timer and other settings to allow ease of use.
Pros:
- Control Panel with 45-Degree Angle is Easy to Access
- Microwave Drawer Open/Close Automatically for Handsfree Use
- 12 Auto & Sensor Cook Settings for Different Food Items
- Interior LED Light Offer Visibility During Cooking Process
- 1.2 Cu Ft Capacity Fit Up to 9″ x 13″ Food Plate
- Can Keep the Food Warm Up to 30 Minutes
Cons:
- Does Not Support Voice Control
My Opinion:
I am always curious to know about new designs and technology of different appliances. This Sharp Microwave Drawer came across my way when I was looking for a left handed microwave oven. This microwave drawer has cooked everything for my family and guests with zero issues.
I bought it in March and my maid used to operate it in the morning and evening. I used it in the afternoon for making some coffee and green tea. The angle of control panel is very comfortable and the auto open/close function allows me use it like a DVD player.
The sensor cook function works fine and I loved its keep warm option. Because the food is always ready before 30-40 minutes of lunch/dinner and we don’t like to reheat it. So, I ask the maid to press keep warm button to keep the food warm after it is cooked in the microwave.
#2. COSMO Built-in Microwave Drawer
COSMO Built-in Microwave Drawer is one of the best left handed microwave ovens for built-in installation. It is made of high grade stainless steel and glass to provide long lasting performance. It comes with required installation kit and user manual with instructions.
It provides 1.2 cubic foot food capacity to allow more food at once. It has one button for automatic opening & closing of microwave drawer without using hands. The 11 power levels allow you to prepare your food at your desired heat level to get your favorite taste.
It provides 4 preset menus to quickly prepare popcorn, beverage, melt and soften the food. The touchscreen control panel with bright LED display makes it a convenient microwave for left handed people. It easily fits in any drawer/cabinet or built-in furniture of a kitchen.
It uses 1000-watt power which is much lesser than 1500-2000-watt microwaves. It can defrost frozen food with weight defrost and time defrost options. It also includes a defrost rack to make offer added convenience.
The child lock button locks all control buttons. So, your kids cannot access the microwave when the cooking/reheating process is going on. The child lock keeps the kids and the microwave safe. It also has drawer lock that prevents kids from opening the drawer unnecessarily.
The 1-9 time cook buttons and +30-second button allow customized cooking every time. The COSMO company provides one year limited warranty on this microwave. During warranty period, the company will provide repair and/or replacement service.
Pros:
- Only 1000W Power Usage and 1.2 Cu Ft Food Capacity
- Defrost Rack Included for Added Convenience
- Child Lock and Door Lock Provide Complete Safety
- 11 Power Levels with +30 Second Button for Perfect Cooking
- 4 Preset Menus for Soften, Melt, Beverage and Popcorn
- Bright LED Display with Touch Control for Easy of Use
- Installation Kit and Manual Included for Quick Setup & Use
Cons:
- Does Not Have Auto Defrost Function
- People Claim that Its Customer Service is Not Good
My Opinion:
My cousin (a lefty lady) lives in my neighborhood and she wanted a 24-inch built-in microwave with smart features. I bought this COSMO microwave drawer and gifted her on her wedding anniversary. We often take breakfast together, so I got chances to operate her microwave.
It’s been 4 months of her anniversary and we have used this microwave almost everyday. Its handsfree door opening/closing system and easy-to-understand control panel helped her to use it with confidence. It fitted perfectly in her kitchen furniture without any complication.
We cooked vegetables, mutton, eggs, fish. chicken, pizza, pasta, popcorn and many other stuff. We have also thawed frozen food and I found that it doesn’t have auto defrost function. But it has time defrost and weight defrost functions that work properly.
Some people complain about its under-warranty service but I haven’t needed it yet. The microwave still works like new, so I can’t say how good or bad its customer service under warranty.
Overall, it is a good left handed microwave with touchscreen control panel and low power consumption.
#3. Sharp 30-Inch Microwave Drawer
Sharp 30-Inch Microwave Drawer is a large left handed microwave with high-tech features. The low profile design makes it easily fit in most kitchen cabinets. It is made with high quality components and stainless steel finish to provide long lasting use.
It is a drawer style microwave with ADA compliant design. The control panel is set on its center top at 45-degree angle for easy access and it stays hidden when not in use. It has an open-close button that opens & closes microwave drawer without using hands.
It is 30-inch wide, 23.02-inch deep and 15.88-inch tall. It has a bright LCD display to show clock, timer and settings. It offers 12 sensor cook settings including 2 auto reheat and 6 auto defrost settings. Its auto cook buttons allow to make popcorn, potatoes and vegetables at one click.
It offers 1.2 cubic foot capacity to fit up to 4-quarts casserole dish or a 20-ounce beverage at a time. It uses only 950-watt power with 3-prong grounding plug included in package. The manufacturer provides 5-year warranty on magnetron tube part and 1-year warranty on other parts & labor.
Pros:
- ADA Compliant Left Handed Microwave Drawer
- Can Fit 4-Quarts Casserole Dish or 20-Ounce Beverage
- 12 Sensor Cook Settings for Popcorn, Potatoes and More
- 6 Auto Defrost Settings for Safe and Easy Defrosting
- 45-Degree Angled Easy-to-Read Control Panel
- 950W Power Usage Save Energy to Reduce Electricity Bills
Cons:
- Take More Space Yet Food Capacity is Same as 24″ Microwave
- People Complain about Its Customer Service
My Opinion:
One year ago, my boss asked me to get a built-in microwave for the office canteen. I suggested this Sharp microwave drawer and she agreed. The canteen cook is a lefty guy and he was happy to see the design and he has been using this microwave since October last year.
I often have my evening snacks with my colleagues and we prefer our office canteen. This 30-inch Sharp microwave is good in making popcorns, pizza, pasta and sandwiches. I asked the canteen cook about other food stuff and he replied that it does all cooking & reheating jobs accurately.
This left handed microwave is good enough to consider for your purchase. Some people complain that its customer service is poor but the microwave in our office canteen is still working fine, so I don’t know if Sharp customer service is good or poor.
#4. ZLINE 24-Inch Built-in Microwave Drawer
ZLINE Built-in Microwave Drawer is one of the best left handed microwave with touch control panel. It provides 1.2 cubic foot capacity to fit most food dishes inside. It also saves power by using only 1000-watt power at its maximum performance.
Its 45-degree angled control panel allow easy access. The drawer style microwave allows top loading of a dish/mug/bowl so that the food/beverage doesn’t overflow. The stainless steel and premium glass make it a sturdy microwave that is made to last for years.
It has 11 different power levels for cooking different food at different stream of heat. You can also set timer to cook/reheat food as you want. The +30-second button cooks/heats up the food for 30 seconds more when you press it.
The ZLINE has added four auto cook menus for soften, melt, beverage and popcorn. It offers two defrost options, so you can thaw frozen food with time defrost or weight defrost option. The clear LCD display show timer and important updates. The interior light illuminates inside space to provide necessary visibility.
Pros:
- 11 Power Levels and +30-Second Button for Customized Use
- Clear LCD Display is Useful to See Timer and Other Updates
- Can Defrost Frozen Food with Time Defrost and Weight Defrost
- Touch Button to Open/Close Drawer for Handsfree Operation
- Top Loading of Dish/Bowl Prevent Spills
- 1000W Power Usage Save Energy Yet Work Perfectly
Cons:
- No Preset Menu for Pizza and Potatoes
- Users Claim that It Stopped Working After a Few Months
My Opinion:
A few months back, my colleague (Sara) told me that her microwave oven caught fire and died. I asked her to get the ZLINE built-in microwave drawer that is compact, powerful, safe and durable. She bought it online and it arrived the next day. I went her home and helped in installation.
For last 4 months, she cooks all her food in this microwave and she is happy with it. We share our lunch everyday, so the food taste is also good with this microwave. It doesn’t have preset menu for pizza but she can make it with customized settings.
The time defrost and weight defrost work perfectly, no issue found till date. Some people complain about its door making noise but Sara hasn’t faced such issue yet and her microwave is working completely fine.
#5. Bosch 24-Inch Microwave Drawer
Bosch Microwave Drawer is a low profile microwave oven for left handed people. It comes with 23.88-inch width x 23.38-inch depth x 16.22-inch height dimensions. It provides drawer with automatic opening/closing and touch control panel on the front for easy access.
It has a bright LCD display on control panel to show important info regarding cooking settings. The 1.2 cubic foot capacity is enough for cooking or reheating food in small to medium quantity. This compact left handed microwave saves space and also saves energy with only 950-watt power usage.
The sensor cook and sensor reheat functions detect the food and perform required process. It makes the cooking/reheating task safer, easier and faster to get the food ready to eat. It also has one-button auto cooking for popcorn and other food.
It has keep warm button that maintains the warmth of the food after it is cooked but the lunch time is after a while. The automatic defrost system works great and saves time. It also has 11 preset power levels to allow cooking at different heat levels.
The child lock disables the control panel buttons to avoid unauthorized use. Its sleep and low profile design allows you to install it in the flush cabinet of your kitchen.
Pros:
- 1.2 Cu Ft Capacity Allow Enough Food and Beverage
- Sensor Cook and Sensor Reheat Make It Easy to Use for All
- 11 Preset Power Levels Prepare All Kinds of Food Items
- Child Lock Prevent Kids from Using It to Avoid Fire Hazard
- Touch Control Panel with Bright LCD Display
- Button Operated Opening/Closing Allow Handsfree Use
- Auto Defrost System Offer Quick Defrost without Any Issue
Cons:
- Control Panel is Not Angled, User Needs to Sit Down to Access
- Much More Expensive Compared to Other Microwaves
My Opinion:
The Bosch drawer microwave is a high quality microwave that I have used for six months. Its build quality and design are really good. I installed it in April and used till September, I did not find anything problematic except its control panel that is not angled to be visible when I am in standing position.
I have cooked raw food like veggies, pizza, potato, eggs, chicken and others. In addition, my son used it for defrosting food items 2-3 times in a week. Its auto defrost sensor works well and does the job in time.
The design is good, power consumption is low and performance is outstanding. There is one thing that I didn’t like is its cost. It is more expensive compared to other 24-inch microwave drawers and I don’t know why. Its child lock function is great, it lets me go away from microwave and stay worry-free.
Top Features of an Ideal Left Handed Microwave
An ideal left handed microwave has its door open from left to right and its control panel is on either side. Unfortunately, such microwaves don’t exist anymore, therefore I have suggested 5 microwave drawers that are suitable for left handed people.
There are some important features of an ideal left handed microwave that you should know.
Easy Opening/Closing of Door:
The microwave should have easy opening and closing of the door. It can be difficult for a lefty person if the door opens from right to left. So, the microwave door should open either left to right or like a drawer.
The drawer style microwave door opens automatically with the open/close button on its control panel. So, it is convenient for left handed people and right handed people, the auto open/close system allows handsfree operation.
Auto Cook and Sensor Cook:
The auto cook menus of a microwave allows fast cooking without adjusting power, timer and other things. On the other hand, sensor cook detects the food and adjusts heat level as needed for cooking the food ideally.
The auto cook and sensor cook features of a left handed microwave save time. They allow to prepare pizza, popcorn, beverage, reheat, soften, melt and other processes with just one button-press action.
Different Power Levels:
Most left handed microwaves have 10 to 11 power levels. You can set the power level when putting the food inside so that the microwave can process it as you want. Without power levels, you can’t cook in a customized way.
Easy Defrost:
The defrost methods include time defrost and weight defrost. You can select the method of defrosting when using a left handed microwave at home. Some microwaves also offer Auto Defrost function which makes the defrosting task easier for all.
1+ Cubic Foot Food Capacity:
The food capacity is the most important part of any microwave. You should always prefer a high capacity left handed microwave so that it can cook/reheat more food at once. I personally recommend to get a microwave with 1 cubic foot minimum food capacity.
Low Power Consumption:
Your selected microwave must be good at its cooking and defrosting jobs. In addition, it should be power efficient i.e. its power usage should be 1000-watt or below. Only then it can be the best left handed microwave that works well yet cuts your electricity bills.
In this way, an ideal left handed microwave should have all the features that I explained here. You should check for these features at the time of buying a left handed microwave oven for your family.
FAQs about Left Handed Microwaves
The left handed microwaves are rare and not as popular as right handed microwaves. So, it is obvious to have doubts about their availability and operation. Here I provide some common questions about left handed microwaves and their answers in brief.
Q.1 Do any microwaves open left to right?
No, almost all microwaves open right to left and some microwaves open like a drawer.
Q.2 Do they make left handed microwaves?
The manufacturers launched left handed microwaves but these microwaves could not gain much attention from customers. Therefore they don’t make left handed microwaves anymore.
Q.3 Do microwave doors open both ways?
No, the microwave doors open right to left in most cases. If a microwave door opens both ways then it is a rare microwave oven and manufacturer must have mentioned it in the user manual.
Q.4 Can you change the door swing on a microwave?
Yes, you can change the door swing on a microwave only if it is mentioned in its user manual by the manufacturer. The door swing changing function is not available in every microwave.
Conclusion: Where to Buy Left Handed Microwaves
The left handed people need microwaves in left handed style. My team and I did a lot of research to find best left handed microwaves and we found 5 microwave drawers that are very convenient for lefty people. You can buy these left handed microwaves.
The left handed microwaves with their door swing left to right are not available anymore. So, you need to go with either a right handed microwave or a drawer microwave. I personally recommend a microwave drawer as its door opens and closes by itself with one button given on its control panel.
The drawer microwaves are made of stainless steel and they are ADA compliant. Moreover, these microwaves have a 45-degree angled control panel to offer easy access when you are standing in kitchen.
