We have reviewed the best ADA compliant microwave. If you are in a hurry, the table below gives a quick snapshot of the top ones.
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Top Choice
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Second Choice
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Best Value
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What's great?:
Sensor Cooking Controls, Control Lockout, Optional Hanging Kit
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What's great?:
One-Touch Auto-Cook Preset, Led Digital Display, Defrost Cooking
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What's great?:
6 Cooking Functions, Push Button Door, Led Lighting
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What could be better?:
The buttons can come loose over time
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What could be better?:
Door mechanism becomes suspect after few years
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What could be better?:
Not much
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Contents
We all want to show off our culinary skills at least once in our life, irrespective of who we are and our capability.
But when you are differently-abled, Operating a simple microwave can be a harrowing ordeal! The controls are difficult to operate and too far to reach.
The Standards for Accessible Design were published by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in September 2010. This is the origin of “ADA compliance”. ADA compliant devices are designed so that the differently able can operate them with ease.
Let us have a look at the best ADA compliant microwaves.
What Are The ADA Compliance Norms For Microwaves?
An ADA compliant microwave must follow the same rules as that of an ADA compliant microwave. These rules are:
- Max High forward reach for operating controls = 48 inches.
- Max Low forward reach for operating controls =15 inches.
- All controls have to be operable with a single hand.
- Controls should not require more than 5 pounds of force.
- Controls should not need any twisting, grasping, or pinching of the wrist.
Our Top Choice – GE Profile PEM31DFBB Microwave
The GE Profile PEM31DFBB 24" 1.1 cu. ft. Capacity counter top Microwave Oven in Black is our top choice for “best ADA compliant microwave” because:
- Sensor cooking controls
- Automatic setting of defrosting time
- Optional hanging kit
- Control lockout
Best ADA Compliant Microwave
#1 Kenmore 70923 Countertop Microwave
This microwave is designed as an ADA compliant model with a capacity of 0.9 cubic feet, perfect for a small office kitchen, apartments and RVs. This countertop microwave is equipped with a power rating of 900 watts.
Features and Benefits
- Power And Convenience: Built with power settings at 900 watts, including an additional button option of 30 seconds, and has a safety lock to keep the kids safe.
- Heating Presets: Auto-Cook preset programs can be accessed with one-touch which will provide the ideal heating temperature for any favorite foods, like potatoes, pizza, frozen vegetables, popcorn, & beverages.
- Express Cooking: Fitted with express heating settings that can be accessed with one touch, you can start cooking for 1-6 minutes quickly.
- Defrost Quickly: Weight or time defrost settings help you to defrost the Frozen foods quickly.
- Led Digital Display: Touchpad display panel is illuminated with LED lighting for ease of reading. It also features clock and timer functions.
- ADA Compliant: Complies with the requirements for ADA-compliance based on Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards.
Why should you buy it?
This microwave is ideal for the small kitchen and comes equipped with a child safety lock, thus keeping the kids safe and sound. The quick defrosts, and one-touch auto cook presets lets you to cook or heat food instantly.
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#2 GE Profile PEM31DFBB Microwave
This microwave oven is powered by 800 watts and built with electronic touch controls, 10 power levels, and complies with ADA standards. Capable of automatically adjusting time and power. Comes loaded with custom appearance and built-in convenience features, which helps to Free up counter space.
Features and Benefits
- In-built capable microwave Comes in-built with a sleek matching trim kit.
- Optional hanging kit: This feature helps in freeing up the counter space.
- Sensor cooking controls: Automatically adjusting time and power capability for delicious cooking foods.
- Weight and time defrost: Unique capability to automatically set the optimal defrosting time and power level after you enter the food’s weight.
- Control lockout: Reduces the chance of accidental activation.
- Kitchen timer: Minute timer lets you track time.
- ADA Compliant: Complies with the requirements for ADA-compliance based on Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards.
Why should you buy it?
Automatically adjusting time and power capability for delicious cooking results. Built with optimal defrosting time and power level setting capability after you enter the weight of the food. Features included preventing accidental activation.
Here we have a video featuring GE Profile PEM31DFBB Microwave.
#3 Toshiba ML-EM45PIT(BS) Microwave Oven
This microwave oven is capable of matching different kitchen styles with its Stainless Steel finish. It is also built for quick cooking with Inverter technology, a one-touch popcorn button, an easy-to-handle defrost function, microwave cooking with upto 10 power levels, and an an express cook button.
Features and Benefits
- Inverter technology: The technology will help in faster cooking features, even defrosting and heating, and gives the best experience for the user.
- Pre-programmed sensor menu: This will help in the ideal heating of popularly eaten foods like pizza, potato, vegetables, and more.
- One-touch popcorn button: Let’s you start the microwave from 1 to 3 minutes cooking at full power capacity.
- Position Memory Turntable: Includes Innovative position-memory technology that resets the turntable to the initial position for your convenient and safer use.
- Facility Features: Auto defrost, fast cooking, multi-stage cooking, clock, child safety lock, kitchen timer, and memory function are the convenience facilities.
- Fit & Finish: The microwave is stylish and has a finishing of stainless steel to give a perfect look for your kitchen.
- ADA Compliant: Complies with the requirements for ADA compliance based on Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards.
Why should you buy it?
Intertechnology provides auto-adjustment of microwave power to suitably match different heating durations and thus enabling lower energy consumption in less time. It also helps in a more uniform distribution of heat in food, reducing overcooking on the edges and undercooking in the center.
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#4 Nostalgia RMO4AQ Retro Large Microwave
Built with a retro design giving a classic and beautiful look, this microwave will come out as the winner. The LED display and cooking settings that are pre-programmed make it easy to use. To reheat the food, the power of 800-watts helps in giving different power levels and work the best.
Features and Benefits
- 800-watts Cooking Power: At 0.9 cubic foot capacity, this microwave gives the best cooking power required to cook and reheat foods quickly
- Convenient Cooking Controls:To properly cook any type of food like potatoes, pizza, popcorn and more you can use the features like delay timer, and also 12 pre-programmed cooking settings.
- Digital Clock: The LED lights will help in reading the display easily and also will light up the digital clock.
- Even Cooking: The food is cooked evenly with the help of glass carousel that rotates.
- Retro Accents: The retro-styled appliance will look more appealing as it comes with control panels, chrome door handle, and accents that look unique.
- Simple Program Dial: The dial will help in navigating through the cooking settings easily.
- Ada Compliant: Complies with the requirements for ADA-compliance based on Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards.
Why should you buy it?
This microwave is designed with vintage style but with a touch of modernity. Designed as a Compact & small footprint, which can be fitted easily into limited counter space. One of its only kinds in the market offering12 pre-programmed cooking settings.
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#5 Walsh WSCMSR09BK-09 Countertop Microwave
This Microwave Oven comes coated with a black finish that can give a classic look to kitchens with different styles. It offers six one-touch cooking options to warm up or cook various culinary dishes such as potatoes, popcorn, pizzas, beverages, etc.
Features and Benefits
- 900w & 11 Variable Power Level: This microwave oven with its sleek black look can give a glow to your kitchen with different styles. 11 different variable power levels enable you to adjust the cooking power from 0% to 100%. Multi-stage cooking capability at multiple power and automatic time settings.
- 6 Cooking Functions: Six one-touch start cooking programs lets you quickly start the Potato, Popcorn, Pizza, Beverage, Frozen Food, Reheat simultaneously. Offers easily defrosted by weight, cook by weight as well as speed defrost features.
- Push Button Door: Push-button door facility lets you access and open the door with ease. The safety lock function reduces the risk of unsupervised operation by children.
- Interior Light & Led Lighting: Interior is brightly illuminated with light to know the status of food during the cooking time without any need to open the door. Better visibility facility for the cooking time purpose.
- Ada Compliant: Complies with the requirements for ADA-compliance based on Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards.
Why should you buy it?
The multi-stage enabled cooking feature lets you cook at multiple power and time settings automatically. It can be smoothly defrosted by weight, cooked by weight, as well as speed-defrost foods in it.
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Buyer’s Guide: Best ADA Compliant Microwave
Microwaves need to meet specified criteria to achieve ADA certification. So, what makes ADA compliant microwaves special? The following parameters listed below will enable you to distinguish between standard microwaves and ADA compliant microwaves.
Unobstructed Forward Reach Distance
While manufacturing ADA compliant microwaves, the manufacturers think from a person sitting in a wheelchair. ADA compliant microwaves should ensure that the forward reach is not obstructed for the user in a wheelchair. It means that the highest forward reach distance is not over 48 inches. The lowest forward reach distance is not below 15 inches to enable convenience to the person with disabilities.
Safety Lock
While the ADA compliant microwaves should be accessible to a person in a wheelchair, it is also important that such appliances should ensure safety for the little ones around the house. Thus, a safety lock in ADA pull-out microwave drawers or ADA compliant microwaves caters to your children and you with utmost security measures.
Sensor Cooking
Technology has stepped up to add to your culinary skills. Microwaves are not an everyday buy of appliances. So if you at it, why not purchase the one with the upgraded version. A sensor cooking adjusts the time and power automatically to give you your desired results. The humidity and moisture of the food in the microwave decides the cooking time automatically.
Preprogrammed Cooking
A touch-screen control panel program cooks or heats your food automatically, assuring you of the desired output of your food. All you need is to place your food inside and select the ‘start’ button. The ADA compliant microwave functions accordingly. Thus, you do not need to punch various buttons to microwave your food.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Why should I choose ADA compliant microwaves over a standard one?
All microwaves’ basic aim is to reheat your food and cook up something delicious in a short span. However, an ADA compliant microwave keeps in mind the users’ needs from the wheelchair. It ensures accessibility without adding inconvenience to you.
Q2. How is an ADA compliant microwave different?
An ADA-compliant microwave provides a maximum of 48 inches and a minimum of 15 inches forward reach for a person sitting in a wheelchair. Furthermore, the control panels have a one-touch mechanism to facilitate a person with disabilities.
Q3. What is pre-programmed cooking in ADA compliant microwaves?
The humidity and the degree of moisture released from the food helps the sensor decide the cooking time. All you need to do is place the food in the ADA compliant microwave and press the ‘start’ button. Pre-programmed cooking in ADA compliant microwaves gives you the desired result you want for your food.
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Conclusion
American with Disability Act issues guidelines for ADA compliant microwaves available in the stores. They should carry a certificate stating the control and operating mechanism along with forwarding reach parameters. You should check the labels before purchasing an ADA compliant microwave. Let us hope that this article can help you in seeking the best ADA compliant microwave.
In our opinion, the GE Profile PEM31DFBB 24" 1.1 cu. ft. Capacity counter top Microwave Oven in Black is the best choice among the various options that we have considered because it comes with an optional hanging kit as well as a kitchen timer.
The Kenmore 70923 0.9 cu. ft Small Compact 900 Watts Countertop Microwave with 10 Power Settings, 12 Heating Presets, Removable Turntable ADA Compliant, Stainless Steel is our next best choice because it comes with a one-touch express heating setting as well as LED lighting.
If you are looking for a value for money option, you can also consider the Walsh WSCMSR09BK-09 Countertop Microwave Oven,6 Cooking Programs LED Lighting Push Button,0.9 Cu. Ft/900W,Black, which offers great value and features at a very reasonable price point.
Looking for ADA, compliant, high-quality products? Look no further:
- Best ADA Compliant Refrigerator
- Best ADA Compliant Dishwasher
- Best ADA Compliant Toilets
- Best Wheelchair Accessible Bathroom Sink
References:
[1] https://products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-support-search-content?contentId=35572