I've noticed that stacks of built-in/wall ovens and microwaves are almost always installed with the microwave on top and the oven at the bottom, regardless of whether they are single or separate appliances.
This seems counter-intuitive to me for at least these reasons:
- A lower hotter oven is more dangerous to roaming children than a lower colder microwave.
- When both appliances are operating, the colder microwave might be passively heated by the hotter oven, possibly shortening the microwave's life.
- When baking with oven's door partly open (for whatever reason), trying to operate a microwave right above it seems inconvenient with the hot air rising from the oven.
So what am I missing? Why are the appliances always stacked with the microwave on top?