JXO, the NEC most certainly does define "Small appliance branch circuit." Look at 210.11(C)(1). OK, I'll admit that it's not a very good definition, as it includes the defined term in the definition. Sort of like saying 'running shoes' are shoes you run in; that's about as clear as mud.
210.11(C)(1) says "two or more 20-ampere small appliance branch circuits shall be provided for all receptacle outlets specified by 210.52(B)"
Mind you, the code is silent as to what is a 'small appliance,' and nowhere does the code say that only small appliances can be plugged into them. One can easily, and legally, plug a table lamp into one, or a night light, or even their tougue.
In my second post to this thread, I emphasized a few words;I emphasized
20 amp because if the circuit is not a 20-amp circuit, it does not meet the requirements of 210.11. You could run a dedicated 15-amp circuit to every receptacle, and place a receptacle in every stud bay, and still not meet the requirement, because they would not be 20-amp circuits.
(Sure, you'd have plenty of power, but the code panel decided to play designer.)
Now, let's look at 210.52(B):
This section, labled "Small Appliances," is somewhat misleading, as it has little to do with 'small appliances.' Instead, plenty of other specifications apply.
For starters, please note that there are several rooms, besides the kitchen, where you are required to have receptacles served by an SABC. Note I said 'to have receptacles.' I did
not say 'to have all receptacles.' We'll return to that point in a moment.
The rooms, apart from the kitchen, where you need SABC's, include dining rooms, breakfast nooks, and pantries. Someone asked where you might want additional SABC's if not to serve (say) the microwave; Let me give an example: since the counters must be served by at least two SABC's (see 210.53(C)(3)), one might consider it easier to just put the dining room on its' own 20-amp circuit.
Since 210.52(B)(2) says the SABC's can serve only the required receptacles ("no other outlets"), we need to ask what receptacles are
required to be on an SABC. Let's look at that.
210.51(B)(1) says the SABC's shall serve
all wall and floor receptacles
required by 210.52(A). These are the 'usual' receptacles spaced along the walls. The SABC's are also to serve the receptacles
required for the countertops by 210.52(C).
Did somone mention appliance garages? 210.52(C)(5) tells us that receptacles mounted in appliance garages
shall not be considered as among the required receptacles. You are forbidden to supply an appliance garace from an SABC. You can run a 20-amp circuit to the appliance garage, and all the appliances may be small, but the circuit is not an SABC- by definition.
That's an important point, because it establishes that there can be receptacles in a kitchen that cannot be served by an SABC. Those would be receptacles in addition to required receptacles. For example, there are no receptacles required on the wall more than 20" above the counter; but you can still have one there. You just can't feed it from an SABC.
Since our range hood is almost certain to be outside the areas served by the SABC's, this means that their power cannot come from an SABC. You may put in a dedicated 20-amp circuit, but it won't ba an SABC.
The same applies for a microwave mounted in a cabinet; you can power it, just not from an SABC. The SABC's are for the receptacles serving the countertop, not the cabinetry (though I wouldn't lose sleep over a cord dropping down from a cabinet to a counter receptacle!)
As an aside ... is everyone beginning to see why I like dedicated kitchen-area sub-panels? That, of course, is a design issue.
