Description
The GE Profile PEM31SFSS is a countertop microwave with an unusual selling point: it is designed to be installed into cabinetry with a matching trim kit, so it can be bought as a countertop unit now and built in later. GE lists it at 800 watts with a stainless steel finish, and the listing puts the exterior at 24 inches wide, 12.8 inches deep and 12.2 inches high, weighing 29 pounds.
That flexibility is genuinely useful in a kitchen that is being renovated in stages, or in a rental where a built in look is wanted without permanent modification. It also means the specification has to be read carefully, because a microwave that can be built in has clearance requirements that a purely countertop unit does not.
The Capacity Question
The listing gives the capacity two different ways. The specification table states 1 cubic foot, while a feature bullet describes the unit as “GE 1. 1 cuft 800W Turntable MWO SS”. The published cavity dimensions of 17 3/8 inches wide by 9 inches high by 12 1/4 inches deep work out to roughly 1.1 cubic feet, which suggests the bullet is closer to correct, but the listing itself does not resolve the contradiction and it is not the place of a review to pick a side silently. Treat this as an oven of approximately 1.1 cubic feet and verify against the printed specification sheet if the exact figure matters.
The cavity shape is more informative than the volume. At 17 3/8 inches wide but only 9 inches high, this is a wide and shallow interior. Wide plates fit comfortably. Tall items, a large stockpot or a covered casserole with a domed lid, may not. That is a real constraint and it is the sort of thing the cubic foot number hides completely.
800 Watts and What It Means
At 800 watts this oven sits between the 700 watt compacts and the 1000 watt mainstream. Frozen food packaging is generally written for 1000 to 1100 watt ovens, so cooking times printed on packages will run short here and dishes will need extra time. For a household that mainly reheats coffee, soup and leftovers this is a non issue. For a household that lives on frozen entrees it is a daily inconvenience, and a 1000 watt unit such as the Farberware Classic 1.1 cubic foot model would be the better fit.
The oven runs on 120 volts, a standard household outlet. GE does not publish an amperage draw or a dedicated circuit requirement in this listing, and that omission matters more than usual here, because a built in installation makes it harder to move the appliance to a different outlet later.
The Trim Kit and Built-In Installation
The listing describes the unit as built in capable with a sleek matching trim kit, and the specification field states plainly that the trim kit is not included. That is a separate purchase and it must be the correct GE kit for this model, since trim kits are model specific and are what provide the airflow path around a built in microwave. Installing a countertop microwave into a cabinet without its designed trim kit blocks the vents and is a fire risk, not merely a cosmetic shortcut.
The listing also carries a confusing field: “Installation Type” reads “Built-In” even though this is sold and shipped as a countertop appliance. Both uses are supported, but the listing states it as though built in were the only option. Anyone planning a cabinet installation should obtain the trim kit specification and the cutout dimensions from GE directly, because those figures are not in this listing.
Highlights
- Countertop microwave that is built in capable with a matching GE trim kit, sold separately.
- 800 watts of output power on a 120 volt household outlet.
- Cavity listed at 17 3/8 inches wide by 9 inches high by 12 1/4 inches deep.
- Turntable cooking with a stainless steel exterior.
- Exterior listed at 24 by 12.8 by 12.2 inches and 29 pounds.
- Long running model, first listed in 2013, so parts and trim kits remain findable.
Things To Consider
The listing is thin. The written description is a single line of shorthand, and there is no published information on power levels, presets, defrost modes, sensor cooking, turntable diameter or noise. A shopper comparing this against a fully documented competitor is comparing unequal amounts of information, and the absence of a feature in this listing is not proof the oven lacks it.
Customer ratings for this model average 3.9 out of 5 across more than 1,300 ratings, which is lower than most of the countertop ovens around it. That is the aggregate opinion of buyers rather than a measured result, but it is a lower score than the 4.4 averages common in this category and it is worth weighing.
The capacity contradiction described above is unresolved in the listing. The 800 watt output is genuinely lower than the mainstream. The 9 inch cavity height restricts tall dishes. And the trim kit cost has to be added to any built in plan.
Anyone whose real goal is to clear the counter permanently should compare this against a proper built in or drawer style unit such as the GE PEB7227ANDD or the Sharp microwave drawer, both of which are designed for installation from the outset rather than adapted to it.
Who It Suits and Who Should Look Elsewhere
This suits a kitchen being renovated in phases, where a microwave is needed on the counter now and in a cabinet later, and where the cooking load is reheating rather than cooking from frozen. The wide, shallow cavity is well matched to plates and flat dishes. GE parts availability on a model this long lived is a practical advantage.
It is not the right choice for anyone who needs 1000 watts, who cooks tall dishes, or who wants documented preset and sensor features before buying. For those, the broader countertop microwave oven selection has better documented options, and anyone with a cooktop below a suitable cabinet should also weigh the over the range microwave alternative.
