Posted on February 21st, 2023.

When it comes to outfitting a kitchen, most folks choose a beefy range or snazzy refrigerator as the focal point. The microwave—even if it’s a built-in model taking pride of place over the cooktop—is likely an afterthought. But choosing an over-the-range microwave that will give you years of solid service is definitely worth the attention.

As kitchen appliances go, the price of an over-the-range microwave can range from downright cheap to on a par with a feature-packed refrigerator. The dozens of over-the-range microwaves in Consumer Reports’ tests range in price from $200 to $2,000, and you may also need to pay to have it installed. Buying a reliable brand is one way to make sure you aren’t tearing your built-in OTR off the wall every few years. But even reliable brands can quit, and if that happens, you’ll need to decide whether to replace your microwave or try to get it repaired.

Often, the decision comes down to how much you paid for your microwave in the first place, and whether its age warrants a replacement. That’s what our members told us when we surveyed 64,000 of them who purchased a new OTR microwave between 2011 and 2021.

To help you make the repair vs. replace decision for your own over-the-range microwave, we’ve created this interactive tool, below. Use the sliders to enter the age of your microwave, what you paid for it, and any estimate you have for a repair. The color bar on the right will indicate whether you should definitely repair your microwave, consider a repair, or just replace it.

Should You Replace Your Over-the-Range Microwave?

Following a trend we’ve seen with other major appliances, the calculation on whether to repair or replace an over-the-range microwave often depends on what you paid for it in the first place. As a rule of thumb, the more someone pays for a major appliance, the more they weigh a repair versus a replacement. In the case of OTR microwaves, our survey analysis, which is based on the depreciation of the existing microwave and the cost of a replacement, determined that a broken OTR microwave that costs $300 or less should be replaced if it’s no longer on warranty—typically one year.

So what if you paid a little more, maybe from $300 to $499? Our survey results suggest you might consider repairing a broken microwave in that price range if it’s still on warranty, and consider a repair if it’s two years old or less, but you’ll definitely want to replace it if it’s three years old or older. Once you spend $500 or more on an OTR microwave, there are more decision points. Our survey team recommends repairing any higher-end OTR microwave that’s four years old or less, but suggests considering replacing one that’s five to eight years old, and recommends definitely replacing any OTR microwave that’s nine years or older. You can see those generalizations in the chart below.

Repair or Replace: Over-the-Range Microwaves

One more point about replacing an over-the-range microwave. Unless you’re an accomplished carpenter and electrician, you’ll need to factor in the cost of installing the new one. A simple replacement could cost $100 to $200 to install, but if the new model requires electrical, venting, or cabinet modifications, the installation could cost hundreds more. In that case, replacing an OTR microwave could end up costing you much more than the price of an inexpensive new model—just one more thing to keep in mind in your repair-vs.-replace calculations.

Should You Fix Your Microwave Yourself, or Call a Pro?

The thing about microwaves is that while they may look like simple boxes, they have some complicated electronics and aren’t a candidate for most DIY fixes. That’s because a microwave can hold an electrical charge of thousands of volts in its capacitors for hours or even days after it has been unplugged. The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that people have been electrocuted trying to repair their microwaves. So don’t try it.

While some microwave issues render them inoperable, not every problem requires an immediate repair. The chief complaint our members reported about their microwaves was that they are too noisy. That’s not something you can fix, and microwaves run in such short bursts that it’s likely you can tolerate the brief interruption. If the turntable stops turning, you can live with that for a while and rotate the food yourself so it heats evenly. But if the door won’t shut or the control panel breaks (two of the top three most common problems), you’ll need a repair.

Finding the right person to repair your microwave isn’t easy, perhaps because there are so many options. You can call the retailer where you bought it, call the manufacturer, or find an independent repair service in your area. Before reaching out, check to see if your microwave is under warranty—most manufacturers offer a one-year warranty. If it’s covered, the repair may cost less or even be free. In our survey, more than two-thirds of the OTR microwaves that were professionally repaired were covered by a warranty.

In our member survey, we found that owners of OTR microwaves were roughly divided between having the repairs performed by manufacturers, independent repair shops, and DIYers, with a smaller number (16 percent) reaching out to retailers for help. When a repair was attempted, 95 percent were successful.

The best way to avoid a costly repair is to maintain your microwave to begin with. Keep it clean (including the filters underneath, which can get gunky with cooking grease), don’t mistakenly run it on empty, don’t put anything other than food and microwave-safe dishware inside, and don’t slam the door. (The door latches have to align for the microwave to work correctly.)

Source: Consumer Reports

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