The thing about cooking—especially frying and grilling—is that it can kick up a lot of smoke, grease, and lingering food smells.
A flush, ceiling-mounted range hood looks seamless in a North Vancouver kitchen by Scott & Scott Architects.
1. Range Hoods
Range hoods come in several styles: Under-cabinet hoods are mounted on the bottom of a kitchen cabinet that’s directly over the stove. A wall chimney hood (or wall-mounted hood) is installed on the wall when there’s no cabinet over the stove.
2. Downdraft Systems
Another type of range ventilation is the downdraft system, which sits beside or behind the stovetop and sucks air down to a duct that runs under the floor.
And lastly, while they’re not strictly range hoods, microwave ovens designed to be mounted over the range generally come with a hood, either vented or unvented, to recirculate air from the cooktop.
3. Microwaves with Build-In Hoods
The ceiling-mounted range hood is disguised by a linoleum-fronted box in Kitchen of the Week: A Copenhagen Stylist Reinvents her Kitchen, Ikea Hack Included.
Vented Range Hoods: The fan in a vented range hood is attached to a duct, so it moves air from the kitchen to the outdoors. Instead, it uses several types of filters to clean the air, and then recirculates the air into the kitchen (these models are sometimes called recirculating hoods).
What’s the difference between a vented range hood and an unvented one?
It’s far preferable to vent the air outdoors than to recirculate it into the room. Unvented range hoods do filter some grease and cooking odors from the air, but the general consensus is that they’re nowhere near as effective.
Is a vented range hood better than an unvented one?
An industrial-style vent (made of ducting) draws air up and out.
Why would I ever want to install an unvented range hood?
Sometimes, installing a vented range hood isn’t possible because of the layout of the kitchen, especially if it’s in a condo or apartment. If you don’t already have the duct in your kitchen, it can be expensive (or sometimes impossible) to install one.
A wall-mounted range hood in Kitchen of the Week: A Greek Architect’s Ode to Minimalism.
There are a number of factors to weigh, depending on the size and layout of your kitchen, and the type of cooking you do. As always, look for product reviews on consumer websites, and read user comments on the retail sites before you buy.
What do I need to consider when I’m buying a range hood (unvented or vented)?
This Brooklyn kitchen features a downdraft vent tucked out of sight behind the range.
Is there a cost difference between vented and unvented range hoods?
Prices for range hoods vary anywhere from around $80 to more than $2,000, depending on the size, manufacturer, and design.
An under-cabinet range hood in Kitchen of the Week: A Small Kitchen with Big Personality for Comedian Seth Meyers.
To be sure, an unvented hood is better than no kitchen ventilation system at all. If you only cook vegetarian food and never deep-fry, you won’t have a lot of grease and smelly odors to contend with.
What if I have no other choice but an unvented range hood?