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Old 10-30-2020, 11:43 AM   #1
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Who cooks with their knees????

So I’m just curious. Has anyone ever heard a reason why Forest River thought it was a good idea to put the microwave/convection at knee level???
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Old 10-30-2020, 11:44 AM   #2
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It's a huge blunder on the part of FR
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Old 10-30-2020, 11:51 AM   #3
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When River Stone was planning a front kitchen they asked us to come in to give our thoughts, they were going to do that until we told them no woman would think that was a good idea, I can not believe they listened to a user and raised it up to eye level
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Old 10-30-2020, 12:41 PM   #4
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So I’m just curious. Has anyone ever heard a reason why Forest River thought it was a good idea to put the microwave/convection at knee level???
It would help if you posted which Forester/Sunseeker model you're referring to.
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Old 10-30-2020, 12:51 PM   #5
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well my wife is 5 feet 4 inches and the microwave in our 2016 Shasta 25rs in too high for her to use without a step stool. I don't know which is more inconvenient but she is glad she has the microwave.. By the way the Shasta has very little counter space so the so the breakfast table doubles as the counter.
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Old 10-30-2020, 01:31 PM   #6
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It would help if you posted which Forester/Sunseeker model you're referring to.
Nearly all of them. According to the Forest River website floor plans, all Forester and Sunseeker Classic, LE, and MBS floor plans have now gone to an undermount microwave oven, except for models 2150 and 2151. Transit models appear to still be high mount.

My wife is just under 5’ tall and she is fine using the microwave mounted above the range in our unit. I don’t know what Forest River’s motive was for putting the microwave down at thigh level n new models, where you need to squat or kneel to use it or read the display.
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Old 10-30-2020, 02:01 PM   #7
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I've been told that my knees are hot...but not that hot.

As for the location of the convection/microwave, it's a heavy appliance that's also deeper than the tiny stand-alone microwaves that can be mounted in upper cabinets. It needs a "full depth" cabinet that's well supported, and upper cabinets are neither.
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Old 10-30-2020, 02:04 PM   #8
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Is it a conventional microwave at knee level?

They are making/installing some really nice knee level microwaves in sticks & bricks homes that pull out like a drawer and are top load. From the front they look pretty much like a regular microwave but they aren't

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Old 10-30-2020, 02:07 PM   #9
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They figure it's an Oven sooo, should be knee high.
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Old 10-30-2020, 02:11 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by jimmoore13 View Post
I've been told that my knees are hot...but not that hot.

As for the location of the convection/microwave, it's a heavy appliance that's also deeper than the tiny stand-alone microwaves that can be mounted in upper cabinets. It needs a "full depth" cabinet that's well supported, and upper cabinets are neither.
That reasoning might not apply here.

2019 Sunseeker/Forester Classic models were available with an optional convection/microwave oven. It was mounted above the range. It worked then; I don’t see why it wouldn’t work now. The over-the-range microwave cabinet in 2019 models was deep, deep enough for the convection/microwave, and there was a deep cabinet above it useful for large items. The deep overhead cabinet is all gone now with the change to the undermount microwave, another loss of functionality. .
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Old 10-30-2020, 02:16 PM   #11
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Is it a conventional microwave at knee level?

They are making/installing some really nice knee level microwaves in sticks & bricks homes that pull out like a drawer and are top load. From the front they look pretty much like a regular microwave but they aren't

A knee level microwave would be good if Forest River was using a pull-out microwave, but they’re not.
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Old 10-30-2020, 02:19 PM   #12
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P.S. Since the convection micro typically replaces an oven in a larger range, this is where the oven is located...right under the stove top.

I love, Love, LOVE our conventional oven, because...wait for it...it runs on propane. We boondock exclusively, so the idea of firing up the generator to make some tater-tots has exactly ZERO appeal. We refused to buy several campers that thought a convection micro was a suitable replacement for a conventional oven. A personal preference.

But, I'm 6'6" tall, and I'm in charge of lighting the oven ('cuz I'm the guy doncha know)...you know, get the pilot going, then, once the pilot's stable, firing up the oven. It just ain't that hard. At age 71, I'm still capable of bending a bit. We had the same range in my old high-wall popup, but it didn't have an igniter for the pilot...I had to get on my knees and simultaneously use a long lighter and hold in the pilot "lite" position on the oven knob. Now THAT was a bit inconvenient. And guess what. In my HW PUP, the micro was in the lower cabinets, because...again wait for it...that's all there were. No uppers in a PUP. When I operated the micro, in our rig, I'd sit on the dinette seat so I could see the display and controls. Believe me, it was ROUGH!! And I had to don my reading glasses so I could see!!

Anyway, the convection micro replaces the oven. In addition to requiring a larger, more substantial cabinet, these appliances are usually mounted where the oven belongs...right under the stove top. Go figure.

So it's not a blunder or oversight. It's a way to ensure that your very expensive convection micro doesn't end up on the floor along with some or all of your upper cabinets.

I've been saying this a lot lately...YOU'RE CAMPING...or some facsimile thereof. There are a few compromises to the comforts of home required.

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Old 10-30-2020, 02:42 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by jimmoore13 View Post
P.S. Since the convection micro typically replaces an oven in a larger range, this is where the oven is located...right under the stove top.

I love, Love, LOVE our conventional oven, because...wait for it...it runs on propane. We boondock exclusively, so the idea of firing up the generator to make some tater-tots has exactly ZERO appeal. We refused to buy several campers that thought a convection micro was a suitable replacement for a conventional oven. A personal preference.

But, I'm 6'6" tall, and I'm in charge of lighting the oven ('cuz I'm the guy doncha know)...you know, get the pilot going, then, once the pilot's stable, firing up the oven. It just ain't that hard. At age 71, I'm still capable of bending a bit. We had the same range in my old high-wall popup, but it didn't have an igniter for the pilot...I had to get on my knees and simultaneously use a long lighter and hold in the pilot "lite" position on the oven knob. Now THAT was a bit inconvenient. And guess what. In my HW PUP, the micro was in the lower cabinets, because...again wait for it...that's all there were. No uppers in a PUP. When I operated the micro, in our rig, I'd sit on the dinette seat so I could see the display and controls. Believe me, it was ROUGH!! And I had to don my reading glasses so I could see!!

Anyway, the convection micro replaces the oven. In addition to requiring a larger, more substantial cabinet, these appliances are usually mounted where the oven belongs...right under the stove top. Go figure.

So it's not a blunder or oversight. It's a way to ensure that your very expensive convection micro doesn't end up on the floor along with some or all of your upper cabinets.

I've been saying this a lot lately...YOU'RE CAMPING...or some facsimile thereof. There are a few compromises to the comforts of home required.

So do you think owners of 2019 Sunseeker/Foresters with the optional convection/microwave oven mounted oven above the range should be concerned that said oven might someday end up on the floor?
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Old 10-30-2020, 04:58 PM   #14
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Doing away with the oven and placing the microwave at knee level is just one more item that if my 2019 Forester had to be replaced with the latest model, I would seriously consider another brand. Look at the list of things they have cheapened on another thread within the last two days. The price keeps going up as things keep going away. I'm totally disgusted with that long list. I would never pay for what is being offered today on the 2021 Forester.
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Old 10-30-2020, 05:35 PM   #15
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It would help if you posted which Forester/Sunseeker model you're referring to.
Dan unless he bought one this month he does not have a forester/sunseeker.
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Old 10-30-2020, 05:43 PM   #16
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some like it

My son flips and remodels houses and if you put one of those in a newly remodeled kitchen, you might as well consider it sold. If you notice, the controls is on the top of the drawer. People love them. It allows you to have more countertop and lets you have on of those stainless steel exhaust fan. Yes ,,, its not for everyone
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Old 10-30-2020, 06:53 PM   #17
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Considering all the "I wants" that the manufacturers have to deal with they put them where they have room. Room in an RV is something that is far more scarce than in a House.
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Old 10-30-2020, 07:03 PM   #18
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So I’m just curious. Has anyone ever heard a reason why Forest River thought it was a good idea to put the microwave/convection at knee level???
Obviously someone who doesn't cook.
The one overhead isn't great either. Unless you're 6' something, getting a hot dinner out safely becomes a challenge. Now if it were placed in our cabinet above the sink, you could actually read the controls and the it would be easy to get the food out safely. But that wouldn't ' look good' and we must conform to the traditional kitchen design.
Someone needs to tell them that the average height of an American woman is 5'4" and a man is 5'9".
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Old 10-30-2020, 09:34 PM   #19
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Our trailer has a microwave mounted over the stove so I have no first hand knowledge of using an under counter model.
However, in many home shows on TV, both new houses and remodel shows, the hot item is under counter microwave.
Most of the ones we have seen are the standard models with the controls on the front.
I must say I do like the looks of the models that are drawers with the controls on the top.
I have not seen that option until reading this post.
Unfortunately it seems to be a sign of the kitchen designer times.
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Old 10-31-2020, 06:09 AM   #20
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With the convection microwave is mounted under the stove your 6 year old can program it when you can't figure out the many functions.
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