Find the Best Range Hood for Your Home
The kitchen is the hub of your home. It’s where you have a bowl of cereal for breakfast, socialize with friends on the weekends and spend lots of time cooking. It’s also the room where odors, steam and fumes occur. A range hood helps vent out or filter the odors, grease and steam that can build up in a kitchen.
With a wide variety of range hoods available, it may be a daunting task to pick just one. There are many factors to consider before making your choice. Do you want a downdraft hood or will a wall-mount hood work better? How important is auto-shutoff to you? Vented, nonvented or convertible? These are all things to think about before buying a hood. This guide will help you find the best range hood for your home.
Best Range Hood Exhaust Types
When replacing or installing a kitchen hood vent, take note of the size, shape and mounting type before you shop. The new hood should be at least as wide as the range or cooktop and preferably 3 inches longer on each side. The most common widths are 30 and 36 inches. For optimal performance, install a hood 20 to 24 inches away from an electric cooktop and 24 to 30 inches from a gas cooktop. Always read the specified requirements for the proper mounting height of the range hood.
The most important decision you’ll make when buying a stove hood vent is how you duct your hood. There are three options for exhaust:
Ducted Range Hood
You can duct the hood to the outside, which is recommended to completely remove irritants. If your range hood mounts to an exterior wall, the exhaust ducts will be shorter and therefore more efficient. If your ducted range hood mounts to an interior wall or island, consider a more powerful unit because the air needs to be forced further away. Proper installation of ductwork is critical to the efficiency and overall performance of the range hood.
While many people hire a professional to install their ductwork, experienced DIYers can purchase materials and accessories to do it. Exhaust should never be ducted to an attic or basement. Make sure the size of the duct is the same as the duct attachment at the hood. Always read the manufacturer’s specifications carefully.
Ductless Range Hood (also known as Nonvented or Recirculated)
These three terms are interchangeable. They mean that the air is pulled through a charcoal filter to trap irritants and flows back into the kitchen. With this option, it's important to change your filters every few months to ensure the hood performs effectively. This option requires no ducting.
Convertible Range Hood
These are hoods that allow either ducted or nonducted. For the best ventilation results, duct to the outside.
If venting outside, it’s a good idea to install a backdraft damper to prevent air from leaking back into the home through ductwork. Some range hoods come already equipped with backdraft dampers, so be sure to check with manufacturer specs before purchasing one.
Types of Range Hoods
Undercabinet Hoods
These attach to the underside of the cabinet above your range and could be called wall-mount if they mount to the wall instead of the cabinets. Undercabinet hoods come in many styles and strengths, and can be ducted or nonducted.
Wall-Mount Hoods
These hoods are similar in appearance to undercabinet hoods, except that they mount to the wall instead of the cabinets above.
Chimney Hoods
Chimney hoods can mount to the wall above your range or on the ceiling above an island but have a flue that goes up the wall to the ceiling. If you have cabinets above the range, you'll need to remove them for this type of hood to fit and function properly.
Island Hoods
Island hoods hang from the ceiling over an island and are the best way to ventilate when you have an island cooktop. Many styles are available such as glass canopies, curved metal and traditionally styled hoods.
Over-the-Range Microwaves
An
over-the-range microwave
is a kitchen space saver that’s typically used in place of or in conjunction with a traditional hood fan. When using in place of a hood, for best ventilation results, duct to the outside rather than having the air recirculate. Learn how to
Replace an Over-the-Range Microwave Oven.
Downdraft Hoods
These hoods are hidden in the cooktop and pop up when in use to pull the steam and smoke horizontally across the range. They're a popular choice for islands since they don't require traditional installation that may block lines of vision.
Range Hood Inserts
Power packs or inserts are hoods that are hidden. They're built into the cabinetry above the cooktop for a custom approach to venting. There are many options, so speak with a professional to find out which one would work best with your cabinets.
Pro Hoods
Pro hoods look like undercabinet hoods but are larger, more professional-looking and have more power than a typical undercabinet model. These are great for people who cook a lot and prefer the look of a bigger hood. They can be ducted or nonducted and come in a variety of styles to support the exhaust choice.
Custom Range Hoods
Personalize your look and experience with custom range hoods. From finish and color to performance, you can outfit your kitchen with the perfect hood for your cooktop or range.
Range Hood Features
Range Hood Strength
The power or air movement for range hoods is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM). If you do a lot of heavy cooking that involves steam or strong odors, get a range hood with at least 350 CFM. For high-output gas ranges or cooktops, the minimum rate of 1 CFM of ventilation per 100 British thermal units (BTU) is recommended. For example, if your high-output burner output is 45,000 BTU, look for a range hood that provides 450 CFM to best clear the air. However, the higher the CFM, the louder the hood will be.
Some cities have restrictions on how powerful your blower can be. Check to see if such codes are applicable to your city before purchasing a range hood.
Filters for Range Hoods
A ducted hood uses aluminum filters to trap grease before smoke and odors are forced outside. Wash the aluminum mesh grease filters in your dishwasher every month depending on usage. Wash them more often if you cook with a lot of grease (such as in a fryer or wok). A non-duct hood uses charcoal filters to trap grease and other smaller molecules so they don't blow back into the kitchen. These charcoal filters aren't washable and need to be replaced every few months (depending on cooking frequency). Some hoods have filter indicator lights that'll alert you when it's time to change your filters.
Range Hood Sound Levels
The sound that a range hood makes is measured in sones. One sone is roughly equal to the sound of a refrigerator running. Normal conversations take place at about 4 sones and light traffic rates up to around 8. Use sones to compare units, but be aware that the higher the range hood's CFM, the higher its sone rating is likely to be. The best hoods for all-purpose use are the quietest at normal operating levels.
Other Range Hood Features
- Automatic shutoff can be preset to shut the fan off after a specific time.
- Change filter indicator lights alert the need for cleaning or changing the filter.
- Heat Sentry™ or a heat sensor will automatically adjust the blower to high speed when the range hood detects excessive heat.
- Lighting is included in most hoods, with options that include incandescent, fluorescent, halogen or light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs. Your range hood may have one to four lights to illuminate your cooking area. Hoods with a low-light-level setting are useful for nighttime operation.
- Wi-Fi capability allows you to access and control the unit from your smart device.
- ENERGY STAR® certified range hoods are available in several hood styles.