In this article, you will learn all about the best microwave drawers, including their reliability.
You've probably read online reviews about Sharp, Dacor, Viking, Bosch, Thermador, and Wolf, and analyzed all their features, seeing prices from $1,299 to $2,799.
It's hard to find the differences behind those flowery descriptions, isn’t it?
However, you will be surprised at how simple buying a microwave drawer is.
You will finish this article with four definite choices, including a few you can buy for under $500.
People have reported all sorts of problems with microwave drawers in the comments below. I wanted to address that with real numbers based on our internal service rates.
Let's do that first. The rest will be straightforward, even superficial.
Yes, it's that easy.
Seriously, when have I ever said that on this blog?
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Some microwave drawer problems are serious, including fires and other major service problems if you read the comments below.
First, let me put your mind at ease. We don't see the issues, and we service what we sell.
We do our best to avoid heavily serviced items because we cannot afford the service expense.
You should also know I have a microwave drawer and have a small child at home. If I weren't confident of the reliability of a drawer or any other product, we wouldn't sell it, and I certainly wouldn't put it in my home.
A microwave is one of the most reliable appliances in your home, if you install it correctly.
Below you will find our service statistics for microwave drawers.
The following service rates are based on a minimum of 45 microwave drawers sold and a total sample of over 1700 units in 2022.
| Service Rate | |
| Bosch | 2.6% |
| Thermador | 7.5% |
| Beko | 8% |
| Sharp | 9.9% |
| JennAir | 22.2% |
| Grand Total | 4.8% |
Sharp microwave drawers are safe with a 4.8% service rate in the first year based on our internal service stats, easily one of the lowest for appliances.
Based on over 33,000 service calls logged last year, the average appliance service rate was 9.7%.
We calculate appliance reliability by dividing the products we serviced by the products we sold. For this article, we looked at the number of front washers sold and serviced over a 12-month period.
Now, let's take a look at the best microwave drawers.
Read More: The Most Reliable Appliances
Beko can be flush mounted, and it’s relatively inexpensive at $1,399. KitchenAid has an almost identical unit for over $1,700. Beko also has a five-year warranty.
They were smart enough to design it without logos or a trim kit that might clash with a dishwasher or other under-counter appliances.
You may not have heard of Beko as a brand. They are a Turkish-based company and extremely popular in Europe and 140 companies worldwide.
In this case, it's the same as the others - a Sharp microwave with another name.
Pro Tip: You can also buy the Sharp built-in microwave drawerfor $1,099, but it can't be mounted flush.
The SMD2489ES has all the functionality of the SMD2499FS featured below, just without the convection feature. Having your microwave respond to Alexa is interesting. You also have that wave function described above. Maybe it will impress your friends.
Now, this is where buying a drawer becomes interesting. The majority of drawers we've sold perform like a regular microwave.
Mounting the microwave flush to your cabinet is the most popular installation.
That said, you should look into installing your appliances seamlessly with your cabinets, like your wall oven and dishwasher. It looks much better than seeing an appliance protrude into your kitchen.
Sharp does have a few interesting models. Then again, Sharp is the only manufacturer of the drawer.
The SMD2499FS is microwave convection, meaning you can use this as a microwave and a convection oven.
You can use their combination setting for baking and roasting, saving half the time without the microwave texture. It even has an air fry setting which might work because of its small size.
Note: We still haven't been able to successfully fry any food using an air fry mode in a larger oven.
This unit has all the cool features, Wi-Fi, and app functionality, so you can ask it to cook with Alexa. You can even set it remotely from your office.
In addition, you can wave at it to open automatically. Not sure why that's important, maybe if you have your hands full. Then again, you can always put what you’re holding on the counter and press the button.
What's baffling about Sharp is their availability. These units are unavailable and have longer lead times than other brands.
Many other brands have rebates, usually around $1,399, like JennAir, Monogram, and Thermador.
We don't carry several popular brands such as Viking or Dacor, which may have similar deals.
Thermador, for example, sells their MD30WS microwave for $1,899. You can apply for their One-Two-Free rebate of $1,399 and get their drawer for $500.
Pro Tip: You probably should apply the rebate to the drawer. Thermador’s hoods are almost impossible to get, and their built-in blowers are impossible to insert into a custom wooden hood.
Monogram has a better rebate with qualifying purchases. You buy a pro range or qualifying cooktop and wall oven for a $1,500 rebate. Their Monogram Sharp built-in microwave is $1,900 but after the rebate is only $400.
All the high-priced premium brands become less expensive than Beko or, ironically, even Sharp when you are buying other qualifying appliances like their pro range.
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First, microwave drawers are available in two sizes, 30 inches and the more common 24 inches. The interior capacity is similar.
Second, Sharp produces every microwave drawer, whether Wolf, KitchenAid, Bosch, Beko, Thermador, Monogram, or any other name.
Thus, there is no single best microwave drawer. How could there be?
They are all manufactured by the same company.
That said, you should try to buy a microwave drawer at a reduced price by taking advantage of manufacturer rebates and offers.
Microwave drawers are a relatively recent innovation in kitchen appliances.
As kitchens have expanded in size, the trend of integrating point-of-use appliances into cabinetry has gained popularity, making microwave drawers an attractive option.
With a simple button press, the drawer smoothly glides out, providing easy access to the microwave.
One advantage of microwave drawers is their aesthetic appeal. Compared to traditional microwaves with built-in trim kits, microwave drawers offer a sleek and modern look that seamlessly blends with the kitchen's overall design.
Additionally, these drawers effectively address the issue of space utilization. Traditional microwaves often occupy valuable countertop space or require dedicated higher cabinet space, particularly built-in models.
By contrast, microwave drawers offer a more space-efficient solution, freeing up both countertop and cabinet areas for other purposes.
With the increasing power of stoves, over-the-range microwave vents have not kept up in strength and depth, rendering them inadequate for proper exhaust.
If you frequently cook at high heat levels or engage in activities like frying, wok cooking, or using a griddle, an over-the-range microwave's venting capacity may prove insufficient.
The problem lies in the dimensions: over-the-range microwaves typically have a depth of only 16 inches, while the front burners of most stoves extend to 23 inches.
This discrepancy leads to a situation where smoke, grease, and fumes generated during cooking easily bypass the microwave, leaving them lingering in your kitchen instead of being effectively vented outside
By adding a microwave drawer to your kitchen, you get the convenience of a microwave and the option of having better ventilation with a range hood instead of an over-the-range microwave.
Read More: 4 Kitchen Hoods You Should Not Buy
When it's essential to have a microwave in your kitchen, many clients opt for microwave drawers as a solution.
With a microwave drawer, you have the flexibility to place the microwave almost anywhere you like, except for mounting it in a top cabinet or hanging it under a cabinet – those spots won't work.
However, you can easily install it in various other locations.
Microwave drawers are particularly well-suited for lower spaces and kitchen islands. So, if you have a lower area or a kitchen island available, it's an excellent fit for a microwave drawer.
First, microwave drawers are safe and reliable. They also look good in your kitchen.
Installing a microwave drawer may be the toughest part of the purchase. Buying one is not.
You will be buying the same product with different names.
The Sharp convection microwave drawer has the best features allowing you to cook and microwave in the same unit.
Look at combining rebates from some of the premium manufacturers to buy a microwave drawer at a much lower price.
After that, look at the lowest price because you will be buying the same product just with a different label.
Right now, Beko is the least expensive and has the best warranty.
If that changes with another brand, then so will our recommendation.
Have questions on appliances? Read the Yale Appliance Buying Guide with the 10 most frequently asked questions, the best time to buy appliances as well as detailed profiles of all the brands. Well over 1.5 million people have read a Yale Guide.