THE PROBLEM:

This kitchen was updated in 2000, but a conventional electric stove with vent hood over, remained, and a microwave was sitting out on the counter. No induction and no convection ! Ugh.. My wife is a good cook and even in our RV we use and enjoy these more efficient and improved cooking methods. The stove had to go, but how can we use the stove space and still get up to date without breaking the bank?

OUR SOLUTION:

Overall the cabinets (hickory) were fine, but the old counters had to go. We wanted induction surface cooking, a convection microwave plus a regular oven for holidays and parties. After lots of study and shopping here is what we elected to do that had a reasonable cost.

For starters we recognized that the 50 (or 40) Amp 220 Volt power that was provided to power the stove could supply several 110V circuits and a smaller 220V service. Using stove power connected to a new local (stove area) sub-panel could give power options, without having to wire from the main panel; a big job !

Fortunately, the old vent hood was 30" wide and a convection micro would fit in that width. If we raised the cabinet above the vent hood 3 inches, we would have the vertical clearance for the micro plus counter top cooking space below. The micro includes both a vent fan and cooking lighting!

Several manufacturers produce an oven that will fit below a typical kitchen counter. We found one on sale, 27 inch, that would easily fit within the 30 inch stove space and required 20A 220V power.

Then trouble! A multi-burner induction cooktop was far too expensive. It was more than everything and then some ! We had to find a different answer. Hmm. I started over, reviewing proven induction burner units like Nu-Wave, which sell for less than $100. and that's when I discovered DuxTop ! They too offer counter-top units that simply plug in to an electrical outlet, but... and, here’s the really big one... this shape or configuration could sit through a counter top just like the over priced cooktops. It wasn’t designed for that they disclaim, but with care in installation, it works beautifully ! (details further on)

WE BUILD IT:

We were on our way. We had resolved how to provide electric power. We could fit both a convection micro and oven in the old stove-hood spaces, and we found affordable induction units we could install “in” new counters. We were ready to design and build.

We began “electrical” with a six breaker position sub-panel for breakers as follows; (2) 20A 220V oven, (1) 15A110V micro, (1) 15A110V DuxTop1, and (1) 15A110V DuxTop2. It was installed in the wall behind the cabinet above the micro. An access cutout in the back of the cabinet was located and framed to close up the edges. The stove’s receptacle box became a junction box, and 220V wiring was snaked in the wall up to the new panel. Similarly, two single gang boxes were mounted below counter height and above the oven body on the wall and wired down from the panel, one for the oven, and one a duplex receptacle (individual power) for both DuxTops. A third box with duplex receptacle was added in the raised cabinet for the micro.

Next we face framed the stove space for the new oven using prefinished hickory “pieces” from a cabinet maker. We built the oven base about an inch lower than other cabinets for added space over the oven, for DuxTop air movement.

Installing the micro, we elected to use a wall vent behind the micro, abandoning the roof vent. This improved air flow and gained cabinet space above. The micro’s fan was reset for rear air flow. We installed a latchable vent-damper outside.

Oven in, micro installed, it was counter time. I made a DuxTop cutout pattern for the fabricators of our 3cm quartz counters. The back of each cutout was to be undercut at 45 degrees for air flow, as the DuxTop units have cooling vents and cord along the back face.

While the counters were being built, I elected to add a muffin fan, switch and pilot light to the oven cavity shared with DuxTop units. I wanted no overheating from my in-counter install. I cut holes into the drawer cabinet right, for air-in and mounted the fan to blow into the dishwasher cavity left. Air flows out at the bottom of the dishwasher cabinet and in around the drawers and base. This has worked very well.

The counters were set and the crew was cleaning up a good job! It was time to try the DuxTop induction units. They fit perfectly, powered right up and ventilation air moved as designed!