A:Answer You need a little over 0.5 inches clearance on the door hinge otherwise you will not be able to open the door if the unit is flush against a wall on the left side. I have 0.5 inches of clearance and it is not really enough, but it can be forced open accompanied by a loud cracking noise. The door is not against the edge of the microwave, it is in about 0.3 inches. So you need at least 0.2 inches clearance on the body of the microwave from the wall on the left which results in about 0.5 inches on the door itself. You really should have a little more clearance, maybe another 0.2 inches to be safe.