Built an outdoor kitchen last summer. Spent a fortune on the grill, got beautiful countertops, nice cabinets. Then realized I had no idea what I was doing with the range hood.
Turns out you can’t just stick any kitchen range hood outside and hope for the best. Learned that the hard way after pricing out replacements for weather damage. Let me save you the headache.
Why Your Indoor Hood Won’t Cut It
Your indoor range hood is designed for, well, indoors. It’s not built to handle rain, snow, humidity, temperature swings, or that salty air we get here on the coast.
Outdoor Range Hood Requirements
I’ve seen people try to use regular hoods outside. Within a year, they’re rusting, motors are shot, and the whole thing looks like garbage. You’re basically throwing money away.
Outdoor hoods need to handle moisture constantly. Morning dew, afternoon thunderstorms, whatever. Even when it’s not raining, the humidity alone will destroy a regular hood pretty quickly.
Material Choices That Actually Last
Stainless steel is the standard for outdoor range hoods. But not all stainless is created equal. You want 304-grade stainless steel at a minimum. Some of the best American-made range hood manufacturers use 304 or even 316-grade for coastal areas.
316 has more corrosion resistance because of the added molybdenum. Sounds fancy but basically it means it won’t rust as fast near the ocean. Worth the extra money if you’re within a few miles of saltwater.
Avoid galvanized steel for outdoor hoods. I don’t care what the salesman tells you. It’ll rust. Maybe not right away, but it will.
Some custom range hood builders use copper, which looks incredible but needs maintenance. If you’re cool with the patina look as it ages, great. If not, you’re polishing it every few months.
Powder-coated finishes can work but the coating has to be marine-grade. Regular powder coating will chip and peel once water gets underneath. Then you’ve got rust starting from the inside out.
The Motor Situation
This is where a lot of outdoor hoods fail. The motor is the expensive part and it’s what usually dies first.
Better outdoor hoods have sealed motors or remote blower options. Remote blowers mount separately, usually on the roof or in an attic space, so they’re protected from the weather. The hood itself is just the capture area and ductwork.
My neighbor went cheap on his hood. The motor lasted eight months before it burned out from moisture. Replacement costs almost as much as buying a decent weather-resistant hood in the first place.
If you’re doing a custom range hood, talk to the fabricator about motor placement. Some guys will build a weatherproof housing for it. Others recommend the remote blower setup from the start.
CFM Ratings for Outdoor Cooking
Indoor hoods usually run 400-600 CFM for residential use. Outdoor kitchens need more because there are no walls to contain the smoke and grease.
Most outdoor setups need 1200 CFM minimum, especially if you’re running a serious grill or multiple burners. I’ve got a 1500 CFM hood over my grill island and on windy days, I wish I’d gone bigger.
Wind is the thing nobody warns you about. You’re trying to capture smoke and grease but the wind is blowing everything sideways. More CFM helps, but it’s not magic. Some days you just deal with smoke in your face.
Installation Headaches
Venting an outdoor range hood is trickier than an indoor one. You can’t always vent straight up through the roof like you would inside.
Ductwork has to be insulated and sealed perfectly. Any gaps and you’re inviting pests, water damage, all kinds of problems. I used rigid metal duct, not the flexible stuff. Costs more but lasts way longer.
Height matters too. Your hood should sit 30-36 inches above the cooking surface for gas grills. Too high and it won’t capture anything. Too low and it’s in your way.
Some outdoor kitchen designs put the hood under a pergola or roof overhang. That helps with rain but you’ve got to make sure there’s enough clearance for heat and proper ventilation.
Custom vs. Off-the-Shelf
Off-the-shelf outdoor hoods are fine if your setup is standard. But most outdoor kitchens aren’t standard dimensions.
I ended up going with a custom range hood because my grill island is wider than normal and I wanted it to match my aesthetic. Cost about 40% more than a prefab but it fits perfectly and looks like it belongs there.
Custom also means you can specify exactly what weather-resistant materials you want. My fabricator used 316 stainless with stainless welds (not just spot welds). The seams are fully welded and sealed so water can’t get in anywhere.
If you’re going custom, find someone who’s built outdoor hoods before. Not just someone who makes regular hoods and says they can do outdoor. There’s a difference.
Maintenance Nobody Tells You About
Even the best American-made range hood with premium weather-resistant materials needs maintenance.
I clean mine every few weeks during cooking season. Grease buildup is worse outside because you’re cooking at higher temperatures usually. That grease mixed with outdoor dust and pollen turns into cement.
Stainless cleaner and a soft cloth. That’s it. Don’t use abrasive pads or you’ll scratch it up. Once it’s scratched, corrosion starts in those scratches.
Check the motor housing and ductwork annually. Look for any gaps where water could get in. Reseal if needed. Check that the rain cap on your vent is secure.
Baffle filters need to come out and get degreased regularly. I throw mine in the dishwasher every month or so during heavy use.
What I’d Do Differently
I should’ve gone with a bigger hood. The standard advice is to have your hood extend 3 inches past your cooking surface on each side. I went exactly to spec and it’s barely adequate.
Would’ve also spent more on the blower system upfront. I cheaped out slightly and now I’m dealing with a motor that struggles on humid days. Probably looking at replacement in a year or two.
The custom route was 100% the right call, though. My neighbor’s prefab hood looks okay but it doesn’t quite fit his space right. There’s a gap on one side that bugs him every time he looks at it.
Finding Good Manufacturers
Most of the best American-made range hood companies can do outdoor models. You’re paying more but quality is worth it when the product is getting hammered by weather year-round.
Ask about warranties specifically for outdoor use. Some companies will warranty indoor hoods for 5-10 years but outdoor hoods only get 1-2 years. That tells you something about how confident they are in their weather-resistant materials.
Look at commercial kitchen suppliers too. Restaurant hoods are built tougher because they run constantly. Marine-grade commercial hoods are basically bulletproof.
Budget Reality Check
Plan on spending 2-3x what an equivalent indoor hood costs. Maybe more if you’re going fully custom.
A basic outdoor kitchen range hood starts around $800. Decent ones run $1500-3000. Custom with all the bells and whistles can hit $5000+ easily.
Compare that to a nice indoor hood at $400-1000. Yeah, it’s more expensive. But replacing a failed hood plus dealing with potential damage to your outdoor kitchen? Way more expensive.
Worth It or Not?
If you’re cooking outside more than a couple of times a month, you need a proper hood. The smoke, grease, and odors are worse outside because you’re running hotter equipment.
Without a hood, grease settles on everything – your ceiling, your cabinets, your furniture. It’s disgusting and hard to clean off once it’s baked on.
Plus, local codes might require it depending on your setup. Check before you build. Getting cited and having to retrofit a hood after everything is done is a nightmare.
Just get the right outdoor range hood from the start. Use proper weather-resistant materials. Don’t cheap out. Your future self will thank you when you’re not replacing corroded equipment in two years.