We recently upgraded our kitchen and had an electrician put in additional outlets, special lighting, and a microwave oven. Now when we attempt to brew coffee and use the microwave the same time, it throws the breaker switch. I notice that the breaker is a 15 amp. If I change the breaker to a 20 amp will it cause problems or should I hire another electrician?

1. No you can't just change breakers unless the wiring is rated to 20 amps

2. and did you tell the electrician you wanted to operate several items at one time. Did you ask for the microwave to be on its own circuit.


It is not that your electrican did anything wrong unless you have them specific instructions of what you needed in amp usage

If you are in the US, and you had your kitchen "upgraded" (whatever that means), and you had an electrician add new receptacles in the kitchen, and he installed 15A circuits, HE is wrong and should come back to re-run the circuits in #12 wire on 20A breakers.
This is a major code violation.

Also, depending on the extent of this "upgrade", the WHOLE kitchen should have been brought up to code.
Were there permits and inspections??