Question Microwave convection oven replacement

[Lauriah]

What is the best replacement oven a microwave convection oven in an 2008 (gas) Allegro Open Road?

 

[Greg and Mary Brannon]

Welcome!

I think it unlikely that someone who doesn't know you, your cooking needs, or your style of camping could tell you what is 'best' for you in a cooking appliance. Since I just replaced my 2005 vintage GE micro/convection oven, I can offer you my experience that you may find helpful.

We decided to replace the GE micro/convection oven with a straight microwave, because we rarely used the convection oven and were always disappointed when we did. For an oven, we carry a separate countertop does-everything air fryer that fills our need for an oven and toaster oven. For the replacement microwave, my wife chose an LG unit, because it was on sale. It is a beautiful oven, and it has many features the old unit didn't have, but it's too soon to comment on it's ability to meet our needs. At it's heart, it's a microwave. I was concerned that a different brand would install differently. Thankfully, that was not the case.

What I learned during the replacement:

• Find the install instructions for the unit you have to learn how to remove it,
• The removal process you're expecting based on the above step may be different, because the installer may have modified the install,
• Removal and install may take 2 people, but some install locations may make it difficult for a 2nd person to contribute; you may have to develop a one-person install plan,
• Protect the counter below the microwave with a cushion on a hard surface; I used a couple towels on a piece of plywood; lowering the existing microwave to the protected countertop is not too difficult,
• The wall mounted microwaves are all nearly the same size and use similar brackets to hold the weight of the microwave at the wall,
• You may be able to use the existing wall bracket to install a new unit,
• While similar, the new microwave's wall bracket may be different enough (smaller, lighter, with fewer wall attachment points) that using the existing bracket may be necessary,
• The holes that attach the microwave to the cabinet above may be different; use the template provided with the new unit,
• Accessing the bottom of the cabinet above the microwave may be a challenge due to a false floor in that cabinet that is glued and/or stapled in place,
• The existing exhaust ducting should work for your new unit, but you may have to adjust the new unit to exhaust in the same way; instructions and needed parts should be included,
• For my one-person remove and install plan, I held the microwave in place while removing hardware to lower the existing unit, and then attached hardware with the new one in place; this required arm strength and having everything needed within reach;
• Positioning the new unit into the wall bracket (tilted forward, back raised, unit lifted) was the most difficult part of the install; I had to fall back, regroup, and reattack a few times.

Let me know if you have any questions, and may you find a 'best' replacement that meets your needs.

Greg.