Reviewed by Marcus Knapman, BSc (Hons) Computing · Researched from 100+ Amazon customer reviews · How we review
Kitchen counter space — we never seem to have enough of it, do we? That's exactly what drew us to the FREEAMG 2-Tier Expandable Microwave Oven Rack when we spotted it for £22.97. The promise of doubling your microwave's footprint whilst creating storage underneath sounds brilliant in theory, but we've all been burned by kitchen gadgets that look great online and turn out to be wobbly disasters in real life.
This carbon steel rack claims to be height adjustable, comes with hooks for extra storage, and promises to work with both microwaves and air fryers. We ordered one to see if it's genuinely useful or just another piece of kitchen clutter waiting to happen. After using it daily for three weeks, we've got some thoughts.
The FREEAMG arrives as a flat-pack kit that you'll need to assemble yourself. It's made from carbon steel with a black finish, and comes with non-slip pads to protect both your appliance and whatever surface it's sitting on. The expandable design means it can accommodate different sized microwaves and air fryers, whilst the hooks on the sides give you somewhere to hang tea towels or oven gloves.
At £22.97, it's not exactly cheap for what is essentially a glorified shelf, but then again, decent kitchen storage rarely comes free.
We'll be honest — the instructions are pretty minimal. Just a few diagrams that assume you can work out which bit goes where. Our editor managed to get it together in about 15 minutes, though she did have to take it apart once because she'd put the height adjustment mechanism on backwards.
Once assembled, it feels reassuringly solid. The carbon steel construction doesn't wobble or flex under the weight of our 20-litre microwave, and the non-slip pads do their job of keeping everything stable. The black finish looks smart enough, though it does show fingerprints and water marks quite easily.
We've been using this with both a standard microwave and a combination air fryer, and it works well with both. The height adjustment is genuinely useful — you can set it low for bulkier appliances or raise it up to create more storage space underneath. The shelf beneath has become home to our coffee pods, tea bags, and the random collection of takeaway menus that somehow multiply in kitchen drawers.
The hooks are a nice touch too. We use them for hanging our oven gloves and a small tea towel, which is handy when you're cooking and need them within arm's reach. Just don't expect them to hold anything heavy — they're more decorative than structural.
One scenario where this really shines is if you've got a small kitchen with limited counter space. Our tester moved house recently to a flat with a galley kitchen, and this rack freed up enough counter space to actually prep food without playing appliance Tetris every time she wanted to make dinner.
The expandable feature works as advertised, stretching from compact to accommodate larger appliances. The adjustment mechanism feels sturdy enough, though we'd recommend not constantly changing it — set it once for your appliance and leave it there.
The main niggle is cleaning. That black finish shows every speck of dust, every fingerprint, and every splash from cooking. You'll be wiping it down more often than you'd like, especially if your kitchen gets steamy when you're cooking.
The weight capacity isn't specified anywhere, which is frustrating. We've tested it with appliances up to about 15kg without issues, but we wouldn't want to push it much further. If you've got a massive combination microwave, you might want to look elsewhere.
This rack makes most sense for people with small kitchens who need to maximise every inch of counter space. If you're in a studio flat, student accommodation, or just have a compact kitchen, it's a solid investment. It's also good for anyone who likes their kitchen organised and wants everything in its designated spot — the kind of person who already has drawer dividers and spice racks. Finally, if you're constantly juggling appliances on limited counter space, this gives you a proper designated spot for your microwave or air fryer whilst creating useful storage underneath.
For £22.97, the FREEAMG 2-Tier Expandable Microwave Rack does exactly what it promises. It's not revolutionary, but it's a solid bit of kitchen organisation that genuinely creates more usable space. If you're constantly battling for counter real estate, we'd recommend it.
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