Can you help me choose a microwave to fit the hole I already have? Especially how to get the exact size I need? And how important is "inverter technology?
I need to replace a dead built-in black microwave without spending $800 to replace it with the original Jenn-Air M170B countertop 1200W 1.6cf unit.
The existing fabricated black aluminum faceplate apparatus is pre-set to: Length = 22-1/8" Height = 13-3/8" Depth = 12-5/8" (but it can be deeper) Watts = 1200W Volume = 1.6cf
Costco has a #1325470 Panasonic NN-SC668S for $119.99 Length = 20-7/16" Height = 12-3/8" Depth = 16" Watts = 1200W Volume = 1.3cf with something called "Inverter Technology".
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Home Depot has a #1003366983 Magic Chef for $109.00 Length = 20-3/4" Height = 12" Depth = 15-1/2" Watts = 1100W Volume = 1.6cf
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Target has a #NN-SN67HS Panasonic for $119.99, which is Length = 20-11/16" Height = 12-1/4" Depth = 15-13/16" Watts = 1200W Volume = 1.2cf
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Target also has a #072-1-282 Oster for $64.99 Length = 23.9" Height = 14.4" Depth = 18.4" Watts = 1000W Volume = 1.1cf
Have you checked the one you have to see if it has a fuse that's blown?
Even my sil who spends money like water just had mouldings put in to fit the new microwave, so anything smaller will work. (I fixed the old one but after she'd made up her mind to buy new.)
Yes, essentially it pulses the power fast and adjusts the pulse on time to set the power. No more visibly pulsing on and off to get lower power. I would think most decent ones would use that now.
I had a Jennaire combo oven/microwave wall unit too. It was still working, but it was looking dated, so I replaced it with a dual oven unit and went with a countertop microwave. Those you can replace for $125 instead of $800.
Depending on how old his JA is, might want to consider that. It's probably not going to look very good with a regular microwave sitting in a hole. Could leave the existing one there, use it for storage and put the new one on the counter. Also worth looking on Ebay or CL if you're not in a hurry. There are used ones that are not too old that could work.
That's what it was when my microwave quit working. Fixing it cost 69 cents plus tax (Radio Shack fuse). That was almost 30 years ago and that microwave is still working.
When you say big hole are you talking wall , cabinet , or other ? When we redid our kitchen we wanted to change from over the stove / vent to a cabinet model and what we found is to ask if there is a trim kit made. We got a counter model and a trim kit to fit inside a cabinet and it gives you a built in look. Trim kit was about $30 .
I can post pictures if you know of a quick picture posting site.
It's a wall above an oven where it has to match so I have to use the existing trim kit which was for a larger microwave oven.
The bare opening is huge but it already has trim.
The bare opening of wood on three sides and oven on the bottom is
27 inches wide by 17 inches tall but that opening doesn't matter.
What matters is the black microwave fitting inside the existing trim kit which is an opening of 22 inches wide by 13-1/2 inches tall.
I ended up with this Home Depot $100 microwave oven because of all the stores I visited, it was the best fit but it's not tall enough either.
Magic Chef, 1.6cf, Model HMM1611B2, 1100W
21.8" wide, 12.8" tall, 19.2" deep.
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The four plastic legs were too short at 1/4" tall & 1/2" diameter. The JennAir microwave legs are 15/16" tall & 1-1/16" diameter.
The old microwave four leg holes are 25/64" diameter each. The new microwave four leg holes are 5/16" diameter each. (I tested with drill bits where those are the ones that fit best.)
Much worse, the side to side distance of the old legs was 16 inches. But unfortunately the side to side distance of the new legs is 15-11/16".
That's the biggest PITA so far since the feet fit on pre-designed rails that are built into the wall out of formed sheet steel.
To fit that smaller leg to leg distance side to side (the depth doesn't matter because of the rail that is built into the cabinet holds any reasonable depth) I had to move & re-drill the steel supports bolted into the wall and to the top of the oven underneath.
This is where I am stuck now.
I could not find new legs to fit so the closest Home Depot had was something called Everbilt #141 178 "Threaded Felt Base Stem Glides" which are meant for the bottom of wooden chair legs, I think. The 1" long threaded stems fit into a 15/64" drill hole, which is too big for the new microwave so I have to open up the new microwave to put nuts on the ends.
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Strangely Home Depot did not have a round file that fit the mounting holes in the existing steel inside mounting kit (the sheet steel runners for the legs had to be moved from 16 inches to 15-11/16" inches apart) so I had to drill them sideways to make the holes oblong (how is that normally done?).
The main thing left is I have to rip open the new microwave to mount the Everbilt threaded felt base stem guides, unless I can find a source of 1" long feet to put in the new microwave feet holes.
Let me guess - the microwave needs to be about 30 inches wide??? What you are likely looking for is an "over the range" microwave which comes with all the hardware you are fighting with. Likely looking at about $300, but they are readily available
Instead of paying $800 to replace the original microwave with the same model, it's all now done for $100 plus five bucks for the four felt feet.
If there's a picture site I can upload shots to show you the work.
I had to run to the hardware store one more time to get security torx drivers to remove the sheet metal body so that I could get to the inside to place the 1/4" x 10tpi wingnuts on the inside of the four threaded feet.
The hardest part was simply putting the 1/4"x10tpi wingnuts on the inside of the microwave, particularly under the large capacitor because they were never intended to be accessed from the inside.
There's a little more room around the top than there was before, but it's almost symmetric so it doesn't look out of place I don't think.
When you see the photos you may be able to tell, but maybe not.
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