Nowadays, you can hardly find a kitchen without a microwave oven due to its functionality in preparing food and saving cook time. If you always have a tight schedule, nothing can save you time and effort as a microwave oven does!
But what if your kitchen’s countertop has no place for it? Here the dilemma arises! And that’s why right now you are asking “Can Microwave Go On Top Of Fridge?”
Although it is not a recommended thing to do, you can place your microwave on top of the refrigerator, but for this, you need to consider a few elements like the weight, height, wattage, and ventilation of the microwave.
And that’s what you will get to know in detail in the next few lines.
Is It Okay To Put a Microwave on Top of a Fridge?
The ideal place for microwave ovens is always and forever the kitchen counter, but not all of us have a dream kitchen with luxurious spacious counter space, and here the essential kitchen appliances will be competing for kitchen space, giving us no choice but opting to place the microwave oven on top of the refrigerator.
However, to take such a step, you need to be fully aware of the safety precautions, which will be mentioned in a few seconds.
Here are a few factors you should take into consideration before placing your microwave oven on top of the fridge.
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First, Weight: How Much Weight Can You Put on Top of a Refrigerator?
Weight is the first and foremost factor you need to pay attention to. The microwave’s weight and pressure should cause no strain on the fridge’s body. That doesn’t depend on the microwave oven only but the fridge’s outer casing build too.
Some people can safely place items of around 30 kg on top of their fridges, but we still can’t generalize this because there are also fridges that can’t withstand more than 20 kg.
Most microwave models range from 20-30 inches in width, 16-18 inches in height, 15-16 inches in depth, and 1.5-22.2 cubic feet in capacity, making their average weight something around 32-39 lbs. However, there are models that weigh up to 100 lbs.
Thus, if you are planning to place the microwave oven on top of the refrigerator, it should be maximum 4.4 lbs. for less than 2 hrs if you aren’t sure how much weight capacity can go on top of the fridge.
Second, Ventilation: Will the Microwave Ventilate Properly?
Countertop microwaves are manufactured in a way that they are vented from the sides or the back. So, if the fridge is positioned in an open area, the proper ventilation of the microwave oven won’t be affected at all when placed on top of it.
However, the heat from the microwave may make the fridge’s compressor work harder than it would without the oven above it, slightly degrading the refrigerator’s performance over time.
Moreover, you should also allow your refrigerator to breathe, by ensuring that its backside has enough space because poor ventilation results in more energy consumption. It is always recommended to keep ¼ inch gap on the refrigerator’s sides and a 1-inch gap on its top and back.
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Thirds, The Fridge’s Height
Another consideration while deciding whether to retain your microwave oven on the fridge’s top is its height. Of course, you have bought a refrigerator that you found convenient for the entire family. However, you should use caution when letting children use the microwave, which is located above the refrigerator.
Always make sure the microwave is within your reach to prevent food from spilling. Let’s imagine a situation where you are struggling to reach the microwave oven that is located on top of your refrigerator at the wrong height. Eventually, after countless attempts, you succeeded by placing the food inside the oven, but the result is food spilled all over the place.
Fourth, Power Allotment for Both Units: Can a Refrigerator and Microwave Be On the Same Circuit?
Taking power consumption into consideration, both units emit heat around them. The domestic fridge power consumption normally ranges from 100 to 250 Watts. And the refrigerator typically uses between 1000 and 2000 Watts each day.
Similar to this, domestic microwave ovens operate at a frequency of 2450 Watts and use 500-1100 W.
Therefore, always ensure that the outlet to which the refrigerator and microwave oven are connected can supply at least 2500 W, otherwise, both the kitchen appliances will be damaged permanently or won’t perform properly.
It is worth mentioning that the National Electrical Code for 2020 recommended using a dedicated circuit for each appliance.
Fifth, Safety Concerns
One of the crucial safety concerns that you need to take into consideration is that there is a high risk of hot food spilling on your body while trying to place food in and out of the microwave oven.
The higher the microwave oven is placed, the greater the risk is. This shouldn’t be a problem if you are tall enough or the fridge height is low enough to easily put food in and take it out.
Sixth, Reaching the Controls
The inability to easily see and reach the controls when using a microwave that is placed on top of a refrigerator is a big issue, and maybe one of the reasons that don’t make the top of the fridge a proper microwave placement.
A smart way to check if the food appears hot enough if the stem is falling off, or if it is causing a mess in your microwave is to peek inside and look at the top of the meal.
A microwave that is lower down will make it simpler for everyone to use because it will be clearer what button you are pressing.
Seventh, Hard Cleanup Process
High-placed microwaves are also more challenging to clean. To keep your microwave food safe, it’s crucial to check inside to see where food has spilled out and gotten all over the place.
When the microwave is used again, food that has splattered around can bake at much hotter. It will be simpler to regularly clean and get to all of the places where food can get lodged in a microwave that is simple to look into.
Get a microwave without a platter if you want to make cleaning it more effortless. You will just need a damp cloth and warm water.
Alternatives
Microwave Rack
You can purchase a microwave rack to add an additional level of countertop space for your microwave and other kitchen items.
Kitchen Rack
If you don’t have counter space but still have a free space on the floor, you may consider adding a kitchen rack to that space, it will provide you with additional storage space, sufficient enough to take your microwave and many more items.
Moveable Cart
In addition to being a useful addition, a moveable microwave stand or cart is an excellent choice in offering a place for your microwave. When not in use, you can simply move it out of the way and plug it in.
Additionally, you can fill it with dishes or other kitchen items.
On Top of a Mini – Fridge
You can put your microwave on a mini – refrigerator by using a page from the playbook of motels. It will also be great if they can plug it into their own power outlet.
However, you need first to check whether the outer body of the mini-fridge is strong enough to withstand the additional weight or not. If it can, then there should not be a problem.
Also, take the vents fridge’s rear vents into consideration and make sure that they are not clogged, and that the air is flowing properly around the back of the mini-fridge, which means that you have to leave a 6-in space between the wall and the fridge.
On Top of a Washing Machine
If your washing machine is a front-loading model, then you can place your microwave oven on top of it. However, when doing so, you have to put something under the microwave in order to absorb any vibrations that the washing machine’s cycle may generate.
In addition to safeguarding the washing machine from harm, placing a layer such a board, towel, or rubber pad under the microwave will prevent it from shifting or dropping.
Also, take into account that utilizing both units simultaneously risks overloading the circuit.
Can You Put a Microwave Inside a Cabinet?
Generally speaking, it’s a bad idea to place a microwave within a cabinet, or to be more frank, it is one of the worst locations. Vents are incorporated into the back or sides of microwaves that are made to stand unrestrainedly on a kitchen countertop.
These vents which are designed to allow for proper ventilation become clogged when they are installed or placed in a closed cabinet, which can provide a fire risk.
If you do not have a permanent kitchen storage space for your microwave, another alternative is to put it in a cupboard while not in use and remove it during meal prep.
FAQ About “Can Microwaves Go On Top of Fridge?”
Is the Microwave Too Heavy?
If you own a heavy microwave oven, it will most probably dent the top of your fridge. So, it is always recommended to check your fridge’s manual instructions and find out if it indicates that you can place items over the fridge or not, and if yes, how much weight can it withstand without being damaged.
Is It Okay To Put Other Things On Top Of A Fridge?
Yes.
You can put items on the top of your refrigerator, but you need to ensure that you aren’t overloading it because placing too much items on the refrigerator’s top can prevent the escaping of heat, reducing the performance of the appliance.
Do I Need to Vent a Microwave?
This actually depends on your aim, if you want to vent, you need to make sure that there are ducts installed with a ventilation door. The microwave oven is manufactures in a way that it is able to either vent indoors or outdoors.
What Appliances Can Go On Top of a Microwave?
On food-grade metal racks, a lot of the foods that are cooked in microwaves are arranged. These things can typically be placed on top of microwaves. Some appliances, however, should not be placed on the glass plate or surface of the microwave.
Should I Leave the Microwave Door Open After?
No.
This is only safe if you are cooling it down, which is typically accomplished with the microwave door ajar by removing all of its contents and allowing them to cool in a different container.
Is It Safe to Cover Food With a Paper Towel in the Microwave?
No.
Paper towels cannot be used in a microwave. This is due to the fact that their fibers contain water, which may produce a burn when exposed to the intense heat from microwaves.
It is only recommended to use the microwave covers that are intended to circulate steam rather than trap it over your food.
Final Thoughts
In summary, it is generally safe to place your microwave oven over your refrigerator or mini refrigerator. But first you need to make sure you are completely aware of the risks, particularly if you or smaller family members have trouble getting to the microwave because it is located on top of the refrigerator.
