Countertop Microwave Rack, Expandable Steel, 16.5-23.6 in

Where the microwave eats your counter

A countertop microwave takes about a third of the worktop and the wall above it does nothing. So the jars end up stacked on top of the microwave itself, and you move them every time you want to heat something up.

This is a steel frame that stands over the microwave on its own four feet. Nothing is drilled and nothing hangs off the cabinet. The two side frames stand on the counter, one either side of the microwave, and the top shelf spans between them.

Slide the frames wider or narrower until they sit just outside the microwave, then tighten the bolts by hand. The shelf above it adjusts from 12.6 to 16.5 inches of clearance, so a tall jug or a stack of bowls still fits under it.

Jars, bowls and the coffee tin go up top. The microwave stays on the counter underneath, still at working height, still where you always reach for it. Six hooks hang off the side rails for a spatula, a whisk and a set of measuring spoons, and four rubber feet keep the frame from sliding around on tile.

The frame is powder-coated carbon steel with an X-brace between the two sides. Two versions: the frame on its own, or the frame with a board rack, a knife holder and a chopstick holder.

The factory rates the top shelf at 165 lb (75 kg) with the weight spread evenly. That is a shelf rating - bowls and jars, not a stockpot collection.

What you get: one frame set, six hooks, four rubber feet and the bolts. Choose the frame on its own, or the version with the board, knife and chopstick racks.