Maytag OTR Microwave

I have a Maytag model MMV5208WS stainless steel microwave. I wanted as big a microwave as I could get OTR. I initially wanted a convection-microwave combo, but I couldn't find any with great reviews. Many people complain that an OTR microwave is not reachable. However, I don't have any problems and I am average height, 5'5". It is so worth having the extra counter space.

The microwave has worked fine for me so far. The only complaint I would have is that the sensor cooking has been a little off, sometimes things cook too long and other times too short. The microwave also had a small scratch when I first got it, but I buffed it out with barkeepers friend and stainless steel polish so that it is not very noticeable now. I use the stainless steel cleaner that comes in an aerosol spray. Pretty easy to use. And I really like the barkeepers friend. It removes rust and other stains from the stainless steel very easily. Yes, stainless steel can rust and stain, if something sits on it long enough. I also use the barkeepers friend to clean my porcelain fixtures. I used to use vinegar to clean almost everything, but I learned that it is not good for stainless steel or grout.

I have the vent recirculating, and it seems to do a decent job. They recommend changing the carbon filter every six months, but I only do that once a year, and it seems to be ok. You have to take out screws to replace it, which is a little annoying.

Here is a link to the owner's manual.

Inside the Pantry

This is the 80" high cabinet from ikea (pantry cabinet). It is full depth (24"). I have it on one end of the run of cabinets, next to the refrigerator. Most of the shelves pull out, which is nice. Ikea makes a bunch of different organizers and pull-outs for their cabinets.

Porcelain Tile Countertop Installation

I purchased a tilesaw from Harbor Freight to cut the tile, a Chicago brand bridge wet saw that could handle 24" tiles. I didn't use the included blade, instead I bought a more expensive diamond blade specifically designed for porcelain.

The tiles are through-bodied (color goes all the way through the tile, not just on the surface), and rectified (edges are exactly straight). Not all ceramic/porcelain tile has these properties. You cannot do the 1/16" grout lines without rectified tile. You must also use non sanded grout for the thin grout lines.

We had a problem cutting the tile. It seemed that no matter what we did, the cut curved slightly toward the end of the cut. The curve was very slight, but it was enough to mess up the cuts because we had such narrow grout lines. We thought the problem was with the saw, so we rented a wet saw from home depot, but we had the same problem. I think if I did this over again I would try a score and snap tile cutter. Also, maybe I would use smaller tiles and live with the extra grout lines. The large format tiles were very difficult to work with.

After the grout set, we had the efflorescence issue, which can arise with colored grout. We waited more than the 2 days recommended between tiling and grouting. I tried removing with sulfamic acid, and it helped some. I thought it looked pretty bad at first, but actually it is not noticeable because of the color variations in the tile. Here is a good website about causes of efflorescence. I think that my problem may have been prevented by using distilled water to mix the grout.