A range hood, which is also known as a vent hood, will move all this stuff out of your room so that you do not have to worry about unhealthy smoke sticking around while you are cooking.
Benefits of Range Hoods
Additionally, to their main purpose of cleaning the air while you cook, vent hoods provide some other advantages.
- They provide more lighting to the space you cook in, which helps in safety.
- They contribute to keep your kitchen cleaner if smoke gathers and spreads, it’ll make your walls as well as countertops difficult for cleaning.
- They decrease the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which may build to dangerous levels if your cooking space is not appropriately ventilated.
- They help cool off hot kitchens. Additionally, to eliminating smoke and particles, they eliminate excess heat as well.
- Moving the smoke outside means you will not have to worry about the smoke detector going off because you are cooking.
- If you do not cook yourself, having a range hood can increase your property value. It is a thing that a future buyer will have to invest in.
Range Hood Ventilation
When installing and replacing a kitchen hood vent, take note of the size, shape, and mounting type before you shop. The new hood needs to be as wide as the range or cooktop and preferably 3” longer on all sides. Some common widths are 30” and 36”. For optimal performance, install a hood 20-24” away from an electric cooktop and 24-30” from a gas cooktop. Read the specified requirements for the appropriate mounting height. The decision you will make when purchasing a stove hood vent is how you duct your hood. There are 3 options for exhaust:
- Vented or Ducted
You can duct the hood to the outside, which is recommended to remove irritants. If your range hood mounts to an exterior wall, the exhaust ducts will be more effective. If your ducted range hood mounts to an interior wall, consider a powerful unit because the air requires to be forced more away. Appropriate installation of ductwork is crucial to the efficiency and overall performance of the range hood.
- Non-vented, Duct-Free or Recirculated
These 3 terms are interchangeable. They mean that the air is pulled via a charcoal filter to trap irritants and flows back into the kitchen. With this choice, it is essential to change the filters after some months to make sure that the hood performs efficiently. This option needs no ducting.
- Convertible
These are hoods that let either ducted or non-ducted. For the perfect ventilation results, duct to the outside.
Types of Best Range Hoods
Before selecting range hoods for the kitchen, you must know the various variations of range hoods from which to select.
Under-cabinet Hoods
These attach to the underside of the cabinet above your range and are known as wall-mount if they mount to the wall rather than the cabinets. Under-cabinet hoods come in several styles and strengths and are ducted or non-ducted.
Wall-Mount Hoods
These hoods are the same in appearance as under-cabinet hoods, except that they mount to the wall rather than the cabinets above.
Chimney Hoods
Chimney hoods can mount to the wall above your range and 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 should eliminate them for this hood to fit and function appropriately.
Island Hoods
Island hoods hang from the ceiling over an island and are the perfect way to ventilate when you have an island cooktop. Several styles are available like glass canopies, curved metal, and traditionally styled hoods.
Downdraft Hoods
These hoods are hidden in the cooktop and will pop up when they are in use to pull the steam and smoke horizontally across the range. They are a famous option for islands since they do not need a traditional installation that can block lines of vision.
Range Hood Inserts
These are hoods that are hidden. They are built into the cabinetry above the cooktop for a custom approach to venting. There are several choices, so speak with a professional to find out which one will work best with your cabinets.
Pro Hoods
These hoods are like under-cabinet hoods but are more professional-looking, and have more power than under-cabinet model. These are best for people who cook a lot and prefer the look of a large hood. They are ducted or non-ducted and come in a variety of styles for supporting the exhaust option.
Custom Range Hoods
You can personalize the look and experience with these range hoods. From color to performance, you can make your kitchen better with these hoods for cooktop or range.
Best Range Hood Features
Ease-of-Installation: If the installation is your concern, shop for range hoods that have ease-of-installation features. Easy-install range hoods are ductless range hoods designed to be installed with small difficulty. Other ducted range hoods come with chimney extensions involved so you will not worry about constructing your own to appropriately vent air out of your house.
Wireless Abilities: few range hoods are compatible with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, letting you take control from a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-connected device. Others come with a remote control so you do not have to reach too far to operate your range hood.
Heat-Sensing: Heat-sensing range hoods automatically set their fans to high speeds when they detect a rise in temperature. Few models even alert you when they detect dangerously higher temperatures.
Night-Light: No one likes cooking in the dark. Few range hoods have built-in night-lights, known as task lights, that illuminate the place beneath them. This handy aspect can make a huge difference in ease of cooking after dark, particularly during winter, when daylight hours are limited.
Digital Control: simple for reading and easy to control, range hoods with digital displays are next-level. If you are a fan of all things sleek and high-tech, a digital-control range hood is the range hood for you.