Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Unit design for efficiency

[Bob Morrison (bomorris]

  On 3/1/02, Elizabeth Stevenson <tamgoddess [at] attbi.com> wrote:

Have super efficient appliances, both in terms of energy use and space.
A
small, front loading washer/dryer(not everyone will want/be able to go
to
the CH), on-demand hot water heater, super-efficient refrigerator,
microwave
over the stove, dishwasher in a drawer, etc., would be cheaper to buy as
a
group and make better use of space. [end quote]

  I don't recommend putting the microwave over the stove, for these
reasons:
1. If there are two or more people using the kitchen and one person is
using the stove, the other person doesn't have access to the microwave.
(This actually happened to me when I was a guest at a home for a
cohousing meeting, and wanted to reheat a dish in the microwave.)
2. If you are cooking something on the stove that is putting out a lot
of steam or spatter, your arms and hands could get uncomfortably hot
while using the microwave.
  For these reasons, I would recommend putting a "hanging" microwave
someplace other than over the stove.
  I do think a hanging microwave is a good way to save space, because
the counter space under the microwave is more useful than the space on
top of a counter-top microwave. With one exception: If you ever want or
need to make your unit handicapped accessible, you will have to put the
microwave on the counter.
  I also agree with Ann Z: I never use a conventional oven and would not
want one in my kitchen, if I could save anything on capital costs by
omitting it.

Bob Morrison
Salem, NH
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