Sharp Microwave Drawer
From time to time the manufacturers of appliances seem to be getting the message about compact space and universal design. If you are planning a kitchen remodel in very tight space or designing an accessible kitchen, a birth announcement about a new appliance ought to peak your interest.
Hooray for the brains at Sharp Electronics Corporation that have combined the Cooktop + Microwave Drawer combination. This new product allows for a glass ceramic electric cooktop and a pull out microwave in only 30-inches of space.
What does that do for your design concept? A lot, actually! It allows, perhaps most importantly, a two-in one concept that eliminates steps between cooking appliances. Imagine melting butter in the microwave drawer that is right below your cooktop? Or, feature steaming the vegetables as you are frying a pork chop on top of the cooktop. With an additional step or movement, the entire meal can be put on a plate.
You can use the microwave drawer or combo installation with a warming drawer right below. The unit can allow for a pot drawer or deep pull-out for other counter-top appliances like a blender, food processor or mixer to be stashed away from sight. Keeping a clean counter is critical if you only have two or three feet of it in the first place.
If you are designing an accessible kitchen, listen up: Lower the entire unit to a 30″ height to make cooking possible and comfortable for someone in a wheelchair. Then plan for a wall oven to be mounted at 36″ above the floor, which is regular counter height. This would allow for the three typical cooking appliances in any kitchen to be in one spot. For a person in a wheelchair, this means logical and functional design within a 60″ length of wall. With a refrigerator on the opposite wall and a sink, the entire kitchen would be possible within five feet or maybe insert into the kitchen an under-the-counter washer/dryer combo.
The front-mounted knob style controls are easy to see and clean. The world’s first microwave drawer opens with the touch of a button. This is important for seniors who might have hand impairments and sight problems Whether you are designing a kitchen in a new situation or remodeling an older kitchen this Insight Pro Cooktop + Microwave Drawer shown here can offer easy under counter installation without a built-in kit, additional trim or venting.
In a remodel, it can be expensive or impossible to create a way to vent. It is always a prickly problem. What is worth of applause is that when a major manufacturer designs with small space function and accessible design in mind, they nearly always deliver many other terrific residual benefits to the public.
Imagine using this unit in a family room or basement playroom? This combination is also perfect for a granny flat or small guest suite where you can assume that more elaborate meals, requiring an oven, might be cooked in the main kitchen. This invention is the latest in the appliances-in-a-drawer concept. We now have dishwasher drawers that allow for energy efficient small loads. There are refrigerator and freezer drawers that can be inserted into the tiniest kitchen in order to satisfy basic kitchen needs.
More than being gimmicks, the design of such appliances demonstrates an increased awareness of how people really use their kitchens. The compact designs that roll out are also looking at demographics of an aging population with reduced needs in shrinking space. It is expected that a significant amount of the baby-boomer generation will move out of their larger family homes into smaller places. Developers might begin building for this population with the emphasis on realistic use of space and function. Rather than a larger kitchen, maybe the space allocation in a 1,200 square foot unit could be for better storage or larger bedrooms. The under-the-counter approach to appliances makes sense and can include a washer/dryer combination in the kitchen. The typical stacking washer/dryer occupies a closet in most senior apartments or condo units.
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