Microwave Swap-out - BIG Upgrade and loving it!

[KWyer]

So I knew when we got our Solitude 375-RES-R in early 2021 that I wanted to swap out the OEM microwave with a nice microwave/convection oven because try as they may, camper ovens are serious compromises for the most part and I wanted to minimize propane usage for oven cooking. I did a lot of research and reading user reviews and settled on the KitchenAid model DMHC319ESS - 3 as this unit had numerous excellent reviews and is backed by a prominent brand and I can tell you after using it the convection oven results are fantastic with biscuits, rolls, cookies, brownies, etc. coming out great. Also the interior space and turntable are big and allow for a 12.5 pizza pan which allows for the round pan to spin and get a great even browning on everything mentioned above.

The installation was pretty un-eventful with just needing to drill new top screw hole placements and mounting the back plate to the wall behind the unit. The other big thing about this unit is that it still has a front grab handle for the door and if you have been looking lately at the way microwaves are trending everyone seems to be going to a hidden door grab on the right side and with the way the microwave is placed in the 375 and others up against a cabinet wall you cannot get to that grab handle to open the microwave door.

These units are not on the less expensive side of the spectrum but the best place I have seen for retail sale has been at Costco and at least you get a membership kickback and cash back points on your Visa. It's not a inexpensive item but I will be saving a lot of propane costs down the line. I could go into a lot more things about this unit but will stop here and just say I love it, and more importantly the wife loves it.

KW

[howson]

KWyer -- you are also hereby banned and forbidden from ever talking to my DW.

Seriously, the upgrade looks fantastic, Keith! Actually something I may do, too.

Howard

[KWyer]

KWyer -- you are also hereby banned and forbidden from ever talking to my DW.

Seriously, the upgrade looks fantastic, Keith! Actually something I may do, too.

Howard

Do it for the biscuits! Get a 12.5" round pizza pan from Walmart and go to town on some biscuits! They cook up fabulous! Everything else cooking up great is gravy!

[DarnDave]

KWyer , am considering this also; was surprised our Solitude didn't come with convection since not an option (Megan?). Am leaning toward the Whirlpool for its non stick interior.

[KWyer]

KWyer , am considering this also; was surprised our Solitude didn't come with convection since not an option (Megan?). Am leaning toward the Whirlpool for its non stick interior.

I am not familiar with the Whirlpool and I am sure its a good unit, but we have just spent a month in Colorado wearing this new KitchenAid Micro/Con setup out and could not be more happy or recommend it high enough. Biscuits, rolls, chocolate cookies, cinnamon rolls all coming out fantastic. Microwave controls are so intuitive and simple to execute and the controls being lower on the door and easier to reach and view are just fantastic for adults and youth.

Having the baking at eye level where you can easily see and keep tabs on desired browning level is also a fabulous bonus vs having to bend over and try to to in the regular lower oven. No one wants to use the lower oven that came with the unit anymore and it's not to bad of a unit.

Good luck whichever way you go and I think you will be very happy with the results.

KWyer

[KWyer]

KWyer , am considering this also; was surprised our Solitude didn't come with convection since not an option (Megan?). Am leaning toward the Whirlpool for its non stick interior.

OK, so I took a look at the Whirlpool Micro/Con units at Lowes and also looked at the floorplan of your unit and I am afraid that you may be in the same predicament that we were. It appears the right side of the microwave slams up against a wall like ours did and almost all of the nice new microwaves do not have a grab handle that sticks out and you must reach around the right side to open the door up. This is one of the reasons that I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the KitchenAid now as I was quickly running out of options as the new high-end models get refreshed to the new design that everyone seems to be going with that does not have an exposed handle.

I recommend that you take a good look at your situation and see if you have the same constraint.

KWyer

[DarnDave]

KWyer , Keith, you are correct in that they slammed that thing right up against the wall. We cuss at it constantly. When you are trying to remove something hot, the open door "traps" you from the left, and the vertical slideout fascia and adjacent barstool "trap" you from the right. Very awkward. Seems they could have centered it in the upper cabinets; it is a large slideout. The other interesting thing in this floorplan with this otherwise awesome, large kitchen is no dishwasher prep. We have a plan to redo the island cabinet to accommodate.

Hadn't thought about the handle situation, thank you for pointing that out as I don't want to also redo those upper cabinets due to the shape of the counter top.

[DarnDave]

...cookies look awesome, lol

[SolitudeAtLast]

Is you new Kitchen Aid vented to outside. If so, did the vent line up on on the exterior properly without modifications? Our 2020 Solitude has the convection feature, is vented to outside, but is smaller and can’t take the 12.5” pizza. Won’t be back to it until Nov, but DW assures me it’s not big enough for 12.5. Otherwise works well.

[KWyer]

Yes, vent lined up great and it is vented to the outside. KitchenAid unit has a great fan with 6 speeds and can really get the job done!

[howson]

Yes, vent lined up great and it is vented to the outside. KitchenAid unit has a great fan with 6 speeds and can really get the job done!

I read the instructions on that model and the fans can be left as installed (internal venting) or rotated to vent outwards or upwards. Nice to have all these options. (Google the model # and the instruction manual is on the Home Depot website.)

[Dennis66]

Looks great something we have thought about thanks for sharring

[KWyer]

Biscuit perfection!!