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Key Points
- Microwaves remain popular for quick, everyday meal and drink prep.
- Many homeowners and buyers still expect a microwave in the kitchen.
- Designers now hide microwaves in drawers, pantries, or built-ins for a cleaner look.
Scroll through a designer’s portfolio of work or a h high-end home tours online, and you might be hard pressed to immediately spot a microwave present within a luxury kitchen. Even in more “everyday” kitchens, with the rising popularity of air fryers, dual ovens, and other countertop appliances, you might not necessarily need a microwave if one of your other appliances does the trick.
We asked kitchen reno pros whether microwaves are being phased out of kitchen designs, and here’s what they had to say.
Meet the Expert
- Kelly Emerson is a senior designer at Aidan Design.
- Carlos Nyce is an interior designer with TriVistaUSA Design + Build.
- Shannon Kadwell is the kitchen and bath director at Anthony Wilder Design/Build.
Are Microwaves Becoming a Thing of the Past?
According to interior designers we interviewed, homeowners still greatly appreciate having microwaves—even with many new, ultra-specific kitchen gadgets on the market.
“Microwaves are still very useful,” Kelly Emerson, a senior designer at Aidan Design, says. “Many homeowners may use them less, but they are the most convenient to reheat items like coffee. They also work well for homeowners who like to make pre-packaged popcorn.”
In households with children, microwaves are popular, too, Emerson adds. After all, microwaves make it easy for parents to heat up frozen, kid-friendly snacks and meals without having to spend too much time on prep.
Carlos Nyce, an interior designer with TriVistaUSA Design + Build, adds that microwaves just perform certain tasks better than alternative appliances, like “reheating leftovers, warming beverages, melting ingredients, and preparing quick meals.”
But that’s not the only reason he would recommend installing one.
“Eliminating a microwave all together can reduce convenience and may even impact future resale appeal for some buyers,” he points out.
Creative Microwave Storage Solutions
What is, changing, however, is the placement of the microwave. (You probably won’t find it above the stove in a 2026 new-build.)
“We still include them in almost every kitchen, but we do not put them where everyone can see them anymore,” Shannon Kadwell, the kitchen and bath director at Anthony Wilder Design/Build, says. “This keeps the kitchen looking clean and beautiful, while still giving you the convenience you need.”
Today, it’s more in vogue to keep microwaves hidden in a pantry or blended with cabinetry.
“Many homeowners dislike the visual impact of a traditional microwave, particularly in kitchens designed with a more custom, elevated, or luxury aesthetic,” Nyce explains.
Emerson says some clients of hers are opting for under-countertop microwaves or microwave drawers. This helps to ensure that these appliances aren’t taking up valuable surface space and makes them appear more sleek, too.
Other options include installing a microwave in an island or in an appliance garage, Nyce adds.
Read the original article on The Spruce
