Top 10 Space Saver Microwaves for Upper Cabinet

The upper cabinet microwaves are popularly known as over-the-range microwaves. Such microwave ovens are designed in a way to fit properly in an upper cabinet. You can check best over-the-range microwaves for upper cabinet in this post.

Buying a microwave for upper cabinet is a perfect option for a small kitchen. It saves the counter space and offers easy access to microwave for everyone. The microwave in upper cabinet is not reachable for children, so it is a safer option for small homes with kids.

If you are looking for a microwave that fits in your upper cabinet then you are at the right place. Here, I am going to share my tested best microwaves for upper cabinet that are good enough for buying.

Can a Microwave Fit in an Upper Cabinet?

Yes, a microwave can fit in an upper cabinet but not all microwaves can fit there. The microwaves are made in different types and sizes. So, it is important to know if your selected microwave will fit in your upper cabinet before you decide to buy it.

The countertop microwaves are designed for installation on kitchen counters but some of them are also suitable for in-cabinet installation. Such shallow microwaves are easy to find right here. So, keep reading ahead to find an ideal microwave oven for an upper cabinet at best price.

10 Best Microwaves for Upper Cabinet – My Most Recommended

You should measure your upper cabinet space carefully before looking for a microwave for upper cabinet in market. In order to find the best microwaves for upper cabinet, my team has done a long research. Thereafter we prepared the final list of microwaves that are good enough to recommend.

How We Picked Best Microwaves for Upper Cabinet

Every microwave has some important features that make it either the best microwave or an average microwave.My team and I decided to find out top 10 microwaves for upper cabinet that are worth buying in present time.

After one month, we found 30+ microwaves with highly positive online reviews and we divide them in two different categories i.e. I) countertop microwaves for upper cabinet and II) over-the-range microwaves for upper cabinet.

Thereafter we bought 20 microwave ovens that are suitable for upper cabinet installation. We tested all 20 microwaves to know how good they are in real-life performance.

We considered food capacity, power consumption, defrost functions, venting system and control panel during the testing process.

After testing each microwave for 30 to 90 days, we prepared the list of 5 best countertop microwaves for upper cabinet and 5 best over-the-range microwaves for upper cabinet.

So, this is how we reach to the top 10 most recommended microwaves for upper cabinet that I am going to share here.

The list contains 5 countertop microwaves and 5 over-the-range microwaves that I am going to explain in detail.

Countertop Microwaves for Upper Cabinet

#1. Toshiba Countertop Microwave Oven

Specification:

Microwave Dimensions [Width x Depth x Height]	20.5” x 17.1” x 12.8”
Food Capacity	1.2 cubic foot
Power Consumption	1100W
Venting Fan Speed	No Fan
Clearance Space	3” on sides 12” on top

Toshiba Countertop Microwave Oven is a powerful microwave for upper cabinet with many useful functions. It is made of stainless steel and high quality glass with 20.5-inch width, 17.1-inch depth and 12.8-inch depth.

It uses 1100-watt power at its maximum performance.

It has a smart humidity sensor that monitors the food during entire cooking process. The sensor adjusts heat level and timer as needed by the food inside to provide best cooking/heating results.

It comes with a large LED display and an easy to read control panel. The pull-door system makes this best microwave for upper cabinet easy to open and close.

It can cook, reheat, defrost, soften and melt a variety of food items at 10 different power levels. You can also add +30-second option to cook your food for 30 seconds more.

The child safety lock prevents children to access the microwave to keep them safe. It has mute button to disable all sounds of beeps so that other people can sleep peacefully even when you are cooking.

The ECO mode cuts the power consumption by 50% in standby mode.

It has 12.4-inch glass turntable that holds the food plate steady. It also rotates to allow the heat to reach all parts of food for even cooking.

It is packed with 1100-watt power, 1.2 cubic foot capacity and 12 auto cook menu settings.

My Remark:

My kitchen counter had so much to hold and I didn’t want to add one more thing on it. So, I decided to get a microwave that can fit in my upper cabinet and Toshiba Countertop Microwave has fulfilled my need.

It is packed with 1100W power and all the features that I need in my microwave.

I hired a professional for its installation in the upper cabinet of my kitchen. The professional guy recommended to leave 3-inch clearance space on sides and 12-inch free space above the microwave for ventilation purposes. Its power cord was short, so I asked the professional to extend it.

This upper cabinet microwave works great and its smart sensor takes care of food during cooking process. Its preset menus work perfectly to make rice, popcorn, veggie, potato, pizza and other delicious dishes for my family. I have used it for more than six months and haven’t faced any issue.

#2. Farberware Compact Countertop Microwave

Specification:

Microwave Dimensions [Width x Depth x Height]	20.2” x 16.54” x 12.03”
Food Capacity	1.1 cubic foot
Power Consumption	1000W
Venting Fan Speed	No Fan
Clearance Space	3” on sides 12” on top

Farberware Compact Countertop Microwave is a programmable microwave for residential use. It comes with built-in LED display, LED lighting inside and an easy to understand control panel. It also offers one year limited warranty from the manufacturer.

It provides 1.1 cubic foot food capacity and uses 1000-watt power to cook, reheat and defrost various food items. The 6 auto cook menus and 6 express cook functions make allow to prepare your favorite food faster.

It also has memory function to store your customized cooking settings.

This microwave is 20.2-inch wide, 16.54-inch deep and 12.03-inch tall. Such compact dimensions make it a perfect microwave for upper cabinet installation. It needs 12-inch clearance space on the top, you should keep it in mind.

It is available in black, copper, metallic red, white and stainless colors, you can choose to buy it in your favorite color.

Also its offers 10 different power levels for customized cooking as required by the food. The +30-second button allows to extend the cooking period if needed. The child safety lock function make it inaccessible by kids so that they can’t damage the food or the microwave.

My Remark:

This Farberware compact microwave is designed to provide faster cooking with less power consumption. I bought this 1000W microwave for upper cabinet of my kitchen after checking its awesome features online.

It took 4 days to arrive at my home and I get it installed the same day. With a week, I have used this microwave for all food & beverage items and used its auto cook functions. Everything was good and its performance impressed me a lot.

I keep frozen chicken and veggies for myself and defrost them as per my need. I used time defrost function which worked completely fine. After 3 months of regular use, I noticed that this compact microwave is all good but it makes some noise during long cooking processes. I haven’t faced any other problem yet.

#3. BLACK+DECKER Digital Microwave Oven

Specification:

Microwave Dimensions [Width x Depth x Height]	17.3” x 13” x 10.2”
Food Capacity	0.7 cubic foot
Power Consumption	700W
Venting Fan Speed	No Fan
Clearance Space	3” on sides 12” on top

BLACK+DECKER Digital Microwave Oven is a compact microwave for upper cabinet and other small spaces. It is a power efficient and space saver microwave that uses only 700-watt power at its maximum performance level.

It has 10 power settings to let you adjust its power level as required for different food items. To save your valuable time, it provides 6 preset cooking menus with one button-press function. You can make pizza, popcorn, beverage, dinner plate, potato and frozen vegetables.

It comes with an LED display above the control panel and an LED light inside for visibility of food. It can defrost frozen food by weight or time as you choose.

Inside the oven, it has a 10-inch glass turntable to rotate for cooking the food evenly. It offers 0.7 cubic foot food capacity at a time.

The memory function stores cooking settings of your favorite food to make it fast next time. It also has the +30-second button that adds 30 seconds of more cooking/heating to get your food ready. It’s a UL approved microwave with one year limited warranty from the manufacturer.

My Remark:

I have a long experience of using microwaves and BLACK+DECKER has always worked for me. This time, it’s a compact microwave for upper cabinet of my kitchen and got it in January.

I decided to use it for breakfast and small meals as it offers only 0.7 cubic foot capacity.

After installation, I used it for cooking vegetables, chicken, mutton, burger, pizza and hotdog as well. It has impressed with its great performance even if the power consumption is 700W only.

Many customers claim that this microwave makes noise during cooking process. It is true as I have also experienced some noise from this microwave but it doesn’t have any performance issue.

#4. Nostalgia Retro Compact Countertop Microwave

Specification:

Microwave Dimensions [Width x Depth x Height]	18” x 14” x 10.25”
Food Capacity	0.7 cubic foot
Power Consumption	700W
Venting Fan Speed	No Fan
Clearance Space	2” on sides 2” on top & rear

Nostalgia Retro Compact Countertop Microwave is a multi-sequence cooking machine with digital LED display. It provides 0.7 cubic foot capacity and uses 700-watt power to cook & reheat the food quickly.

It is made with a retro-style to create an attractive appearance. It has a large LED display with six buttons and one dial in its control panel.

It contains 10-inch rotating glass carousel inside to cook the food evenly. The interior light lets you see the food and carousel in night time.

This compact microwave from Nostalgia offers 8 pre-cook settings. It allows you to cook meat, fish, pizza, popcorn, potato, vegetables, beverage and reheat with preset settings.

It also provides multi-sequence cooking to let you use 4 separate cooking sequences for different food items.

The Express Cook button heats up the food for 30 seconds. You can add heating time up to 1.5 minutes as required for the food. The child safety lock keeps the microwave and your kids safe when you aren’t around.

It is available in 10 different colors to match with any kitchen interior.

My Remark:

I always prefer home & kitchen appliances with modern design and latest technology. My mom likes retro-style stuff, so I gifted this microwave to my mom on last Christmas.

I stayed with my mom for 2 months and used this Nostalgia Compact Microwave for cooking a variety of food items.

My mom was really happy to see its color and design. On next day of Christmas, I installed this microwave in the upper cabinet and taught my mom how to use it.

I have also tried to defrost frozen food like vegetables and meat. The microwave doesn’t have any problem but it takes longer to get the frozen food ready to eat. It’s been a year and my mom is still using this microwave everyday, she is happy with it.

#5. Panasonic Microwave Oven with Inverter Technology

Specification:

Microwave Dimensions [Width x Depth x Height]	19.2” x 14.81” x 11”
Food Capacity	0.8 cubic foot
Power Consumption	950W
Venting Fan Speed	No Fan
Clearance Space	3” on sides 1” on top

Panasonic Microwave Oven is a stainless steel microwave with inverter technology. The inverter technology provides consistent and equal stream of heat to cook the food evenly.

It also has 11.25-inch thin and light turntable to hold the food plate and allow more food capacity.

This compact microwave contains a genius sensor that monitors moisture level of the food. It adjusts the heat level and timer as required for the food throughout the cooking/reheating process.

It also keeps the soups, vegetables and gravies warm after cooking so that you don’t need to reheat it at the time of eating.

It also offers turbo defrost function to deliver proper heat on frozen food to get it ready to eat ASAP.

This upper cabinet microwave comes with 0.8 cubic foot capacity and it uses 950-watt power for cooking. It has 6 auto-cook options for pizza, pasta, soup, oatmeal, frozen entrees & vegetables and more.

It has a bright LED display and an easy to understand control panel on its front. It is 19.2-inch wide, 14.81-inch deep and 11-inch tall, so it’s a perfect microwave to install in an upper cabinet, drawer and other spaces. It requires 3-inch clearance space on each side and 1-inch free space on top, make sure you have it in your upper cabinet.

My Remark:

Panasonic makes a variety of home and kitchen appliances, I have used many of them. This compact microwave has inverter technology that cooks the food evenly with steady stream of heat inside. I installed this microwave in my basement where I spend a lot of time working on my work projects.

Within one month, I have used this inverter microwave for coffee, soup, chicken, popcorn, pizza, pasta and many other things. Its turbo defrost feature surprised me with its quick cooking result. The interior LED lighting allows me to watch my food getting cooked rapidly.

Its genius sensor is really smart, it makes necessary changes to get my food ready quickly. People complain about popcorn burning problem but I have not faced that issue. It’s been 6 months and the microwave still works like new, so nothing to complain.

Over-the-Range Microwaves for Upper Cabinet

#6. GE Over-the-Range Microwave Oven

Specification:

Microwave Dimensions [Width x Depth x Height]	29.87” x 15.25” x 16.5”
Food Capacity	1.6 cubic foot
Power Consumption	1000W
Venting Fan Speed	300-CFM
Clearance Space	Not Needed

GE Over-the-Range Microwave Oven is an easy to operate microwave with amazing features. It is made of stainless steel and sturdy glass materials. It is designed to be installed over-the-range in an upper cabinet and other area of the kitchen with enough space for it.

This microwave comes with 29.88-inch width, 15.25-inch depth and 16.5-inch height. It is a big microwave oven with 1.6 cubic foot capacity still it uses only 1000-watt power at its maximum performance. So, it saves a lot of power yet cooks any food quickly and evenly.

It includes a 300-CFM exhaust fan with two speed options. The exhaust fan is a part of venting system for removing smoke, heat and odors. It also has a charcoal filter behind the door grille, you can also replace the filter when needed.

With 10 power levels and 1-6 minutes express cook functions, it is one of the best microwaves for upper cabinet till date. It has auto cook settings for popcorn, beverage, potato, reheat and others. You can also add 30 seconds more to cook/reheat the food when needed.

It has turntable control button that allows you to enable or disable turntable movements. It can defrost frozen vegetables and meat with time-defrost and weight-defrost options. The lock controls button locks it to make it child-safe to avoid accidental use by kids.

My Remark:

My brother bought a new house where he needed a large microwave oven. He asked me to suggest and I recommended this GE over-the-range microwave with 1.6 cubic foot capacity.

I used this microwave oven for cooking, baking, heating and defrosting jobs. I knew it’s a good microwave and its performance just confirmed my beliefs. It does work really well and the venting system is quite cool, it’s a perfect microwave that every family needs.

#7. BLACK+DECKER Over-the-Range Microwave

Specification:

Microwave Dimensions [Width x Depth x Height]	29.9” x 15” x 16.4”
Food Capacity	1.6 cubic foot
Power Consumption	1000W
Venting Fan Speed	300-CFM
Clearance Space	Not Needed

BLACK+DECKER Over-the-Range Microwave is a power efficient microwave for upper cabinet installation. It is made with all-black color and simple design to create a neat & clean appearance. Its pull handle allows easy opening and closing of the microwave door.

It provides 1.6 cubic foot capacity to allow making large meals for multiple people. It uses 1000-watt power and it offers 10 different power levels for cooking, boiling, baking, reheating, roasting and other processes. You can adjust the power level as per your needs.

It offers 1-6 minutes express cook with add 30-second function. It also has auto-defrost and time-defrost options for defrosting & heating up frozen food.

The in-built vent system makes this microwave for upper cabinet easy to install without leaving clearance space.

It has some one-touch cooking programs to save your time. You can simple press one button on this microwave to prepare popcorn, backed potato, beverage and reheat any food.

It is 29.9-inch wide, 15-inch deep and 16.4-inch tall with 55.1 lbs weight, so it’s not a compact and lightweight microwave that you should keep in mind.

My Remark:

The BLACK+DECKER is a well known brand and I have used many of its appliances. This over-the-range microwave seemed good enough to consider for our research & testing program. My team and I have used it for 90 days to know if it works as good as claimed by the manufacturer.

After installation, I put a soup for reheating and frozen fish for defrosting. In terms of performance, this microwave has always impressed me.

Its different power levels, add 30-sec button and auto cook functions are very useful. Its venting fan works perfectly to remove smoke and odor from my workplace kitchen.

#8. FRIGIDAIRE Over-the-Range Microwave

Specification:

Microwave Dimensions [Width x Depth x Height]	29.87” x 15.75” x 15.62”
Food Capacity	1.8 cubic foot
Power Consumption	1000W
Venting Fan Speed	300-CFM
Clearance Space	Not Needed

FRIGIDAIRE Microwave is larger than previous microwave oven. It provides 1.8 cubic foot capacity to accommodate more food at once to save time. It still consumes 1000-watt power which makes it a really good microwave for upper cabinet that also saves energy.

This microwave oven has 27 touch pad buttons that allows you to operate it as you need. It provides one-touch cooking functions for popcorn, backed potatoes, beverage and other stuff. Its door opens at a 90-degree angle without touching any adjacent walls, so it doesn’t need clearance for door.

It has in-built 300-CFM exhaust fan with two speed options. You can choose to run the vent fan at 105-CFM or 300-CFM to remove odors and smoke from your kitchen.

It has 10 different power levels to prepare different food items at required heat level. It offers +10-second and +30-second functions to heat your food a bit longer on your order. Its LED display shows clock, timer and settings as you operate this microwave.

My Remark:

I needed a large microwave that fits over-the-range and doesn’t require clearance. This FRIGIDAIRE 1.8 cu ft microwave oven grabbed my attention with its mind blowing features.

I got this in July and has been using it at my cafe cum restaurant for making a variety of food and beverages for customers.

From the day it was installed, I have used it almost everyday and I want to share something about it. It makes a weird beep noise that’s annoying when there is silence in my cafe.

The power levels, auto cook functions and defrost functions work accurately. It gets a large amount of food ready quickly and cooks it evenly. The venting fan also works properly, so I haven’t got any unpleasant odor or smoke from this microwave.

#9. Galanz Over-the-Range Microwave

Specification:

Microwave Dimensions [Width x Depth x Height]	29.9” x 17.4” x 16.9”
Food Capacity	1.9 cubic foot
Power Consumption	1000W
Venting Fan Speed	400-CFM
Clearance Space	Not Needed

Galanz Microwave Oven is a sturdy and durable microwave oven with stainless steel construction. It comes with a glass turntable and a glass door with aluminum handle. Your search for the most rough-and-tough microwave for upper cabinet ends with this microwave oven.

It is 29.9-inch wide, 17.4-inch deep and 16.9-inch tall, so it’s not a compact microwave. Therefore it is not suitable for small kitchen counter and other tight spaces. It offers 1.9 cubic foot capacity to cook plenty of food simultaneously.

It comes with 11 variable power levels to generate heat as required for the food inside. You can set its power level as you need to prepare raw food, reheat leftovers and defrost frozen vegetables.

It requires a 120V wall outlet and its maximum power consumption is 1000-watt.

It contains 400-CFM vent fan with 4-speed options. It removes all cooking odors and humidity to keep your kitchen odor-free. It has built-in sensor cook & sensor reheat that detect the food condition to get it ready properly.

The auto cook menus can make popcorn, pizza, soup, beverage, melt/soften, fresh vegetable, frozen vegetable and others. Its smart sensor turns off the microwave when your food is heated and ready to eat. So, it does not burn or overcook the food.

My Remark:

The Galanz Microwave Oven is a highly durable microwave with amazing features. I bought this stainless steel microwave in April to install it in the upper cabinet of my kitchen. It’s a big size microwave and its powerful enough to cook and reheat all types of food items.

I have used this microwave to prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner for 100+ days. During those days, I realized that it’s fast, powerful and high capacity enough to make large meals. This microwave didn’t stop and never burned any of my food.

Some people complain about its door being not in-line but mine was completely fine. I have not faced any problem when operating this microwave, so it’s all good.

#10. GASLAND Chef Over-the-Range Microwave

Specification:

Microwave Dimensions [Width x Depth x Height]	29.9” x 15” x 16.4”
Food Capacity	1.6 cubic foot
Power Consumption	1000W
Venting Fan Speed	300-CFM
Clearance Space	Not Needed

GASLAND Chef Over-the-Range Microwave is the last best microwave for upper cabinet in my list. It comes with 1.6 cubic foot capacity and attractive design. It has a bright LED display and control panel on front. It is available in black and white colors.

It is a UL listed microwave with 10 power levels and 1000-watt power consumption. It has 29.9-inch width, 15-inch depth and 16.4-inch height. It contains 300-CFM suction power with an exhaust fan to keep your kitchen free from smoke and odors.

It has two LED lights inside to offer visibility of food when it is in the cooking process. The 4 auto cook programs let you order to prepare popcorn, beverage, backed potato and reheat with just one button.

It offers 1-6 minutes express cook functions for cooking with full power. You can also use add 30-second button to heat up your food for more 30 seconds. It makes below 62dB noise at high speed, so it is a quiet microwave for upper cabinet that prepares all food without making any unnecessary sound.

My Remark:

I was not familiar with the GASLAND Chef Microwave because it’s not so popular. However, my team bought it to the research & testing process as it had positive reviews. After testing it for two weeks, my team handed over this microwave for personal use.

I used this over-the-range microwave for making tea, coffee and soups in the morning. I also defrosted chicken and mutton with weight defrost function, the defrost process was faster than I expected. Moreover, I didn’t feel any odor or smoke in my kitchen, so its venting fan works great.

Some people complained about its noise but I didn’t find it noisy. I have used it in the early morning when my kids are asleep and it has never interrupted their sleep.

Keep in Mind when you Put a Countertop Microwave in a Cabinet

Yes, you can put a countertop microwave in a cabinet if the cabinet is spacious enough to accommodate the microwave. But there are some important points that you must consider when installing a countertop microwave in an upper cabinet in your kitchen.

[1] Ventilation:

All countertop microwaves come with venting system on their left/right side or on top of the unit. Therefore the manufacturer adds clearance space information its the user manual of the microwave. You should read the manual to know how much free space your microwave requires for ventilation.

When installing a countertop microwave in an upper cabinet, make sure you have enough clearance space. You may need at least 3-inch clearance space on sides and 12-inch space on top. Some microwaves need their one side fully open for ventilation purpose.

You must provide proper ventilation to your microwave so that it can function properly. Putting a countertop microwave in a cabinet without ventilation can cause fire hazard that can damage the microwave, the cabinet and other furniture/wall of your kitchen.

[2] Microwave Weight:

Countertop Microwaves are quite heavy, make sure your upper cabinet is sturdy enough to hold a countertop microwave for years. You should check the condition of the cabinet to know if it is capable to hold a microwave or not.

In case the cabinet is not so sturdy, you should get a lightweight microwave for it. You can also hire a carpenter to know if the cabinet is capable for holding a microwave or not.

[3] Microwave Trim Kit:

The over-the-range microwaves are designed to install in a cabinet/upper cabinet. But the countertop microwaves are different, so they don’t have enough protection. You should get a microwave trim kit to protect your microwave in the cabinet so that it doesn’t fall during use.

After considering above factors, you can put a countertop microwave in a cabinet of your kitchen.

FAQs about Microwave for Upper Cabinet

The microwave for upper cabinet needs expert installation that you should keep in mind. It is not like a regular microwave that you place on your kitchen counter and plug-in the wall outlet to start using. For more details about upper cabinet microwaves, here I provide some FAQs and their answers as under:

Q.1 Does a microwave in a cabinet need to be vented?

Yes, a microwave in a cabinet needs to be vented properly otherwise it can cause fire hazard.

Q.2 What size microwave do I need for a cabinet?

You need a microwave in a size compatible with your cabinet, so it depends upon the size of the cabinet of your kitchen. Foe example: If you have a 35-inch wide cabinet then you need a 29-30-inch microwave for it.

Q.3 Do you need clearance above a microwave?

Yes, you need clearance above a microwave for ventilation purposes. The required clearance space can be 3-inch to 12-inch depending upon the type, size and brand of the microwave.

Q.4 Can my upper cabinet hold a microwave?

Yes, your upper cabinet can hold a microwave as long as the cabinet is sturdy and capable. You can get your upper cabinet checked by a carpenter to confirm if it can hold a microwave or not.

Summary: Save Space and Cook Fast

The countertop microwaves take up so much space of the kitchen counter, so I suggest a microwave for upper cabinet for you. The microwaves I have shared here are all suitable for installing in an upper cabinet and they also offer good performance.

You should know your needs first and then pick one of the top 10 best microwaves for upper cabinet given above. It will save space of your kitchen counter and also provide all necessary functions that you expect in a microwave oven.

The microwave for upper cabinet cooks as quickly as any regular microwave oven. It needs ventilation that you should arrange at the time of installation. In this way, the putting a microwave in upper cabinet saves space yet allows best cooking experience in your kitchen.