Picking a range hood material is a bigger decision than most people realize. This thing sits right over your stove, getting hit with grease, steam, and heat every time you cook. Five years from now, it either still looks great or it doesn’t, and the material you choose makes all the difference.
RangeCraft Manufacturing builds custom range hoods in stainless steel and copper. American-made, designed for your specific kitchen, built to actually last. But which one makes sense for your situation?
Here’s the real breakdown on stainless versus copper.
Stainless Steel: The Workhorse
Walk into any restaurant kitchen. Everything’s stainless. There’s a reason for that. Commercial kitchens destroy equipment. Stainless survives.
Stainless Steel or Copper Range Hood?
Maintenance Is Simple
Grease wipes off stainless steel easily. You can scrub it without worrying too much about the finish. Hot pans, splattered oil, steam from boiling pasta, none of it damages stainless steel.
Cleaning takes maybe five minutes. Wipe it down with a damp cloth and dish soap after cooking. Tougher grease needs a degreaser made for stainless steel. That’s it. No special treatments, no protective coatings to reapply.
Stainless steel doesn’t rust or corrode when you take care of it. That matters in kitchens where moisture is everywhere. Steam, humidity, and grease in the air. Stainless handles all of it without falling apart.
The Look
Stainless fits modern kitchens naturally. Professional look, clean lines, matches stainless steel appliances. If your fridge and dishwasher are already stainless, a stainless range hood makes visual sense.
The finish stays consistent. Unlike copper that changes color over time, stainless steel looks the same year after year. Some people like knowing exactly what they’re getting. Others think it’s boring.
Custom range hoods from RangeCraft Manufacturing come in different stainless finishes. Brushed, polished, commercial grade. Each reflects light differently. Brushed hides fingerprints and scratches better than polished, which matters if you’ve got kids touching everything.
What It Costs
Stainless steel costs less than copper for the same size custom range hood. The material itself is cheaper. Making it is more straightforward. Installation is basically the same either way.
If you’re working with a budget, stainless gives you professional quality without the copper price tag. You’re not sacrificing how well it works, just choosing a different look.
Copper: The Show-Off
Copper range hoods demand attention. They become the focal point, whether you plan for that or not. Either that’s exactly what you want, or it’s a problem.
Patina Happens
Copper changes color over time. The metal oxidizes. Brand new copper is shiny and orange. Over weeks, it darkens to brown. Eventually, it can turn greenish if you leave it completely alone.
Some people love this. They want that aged look. The patina shows the kitchen gets used. Every copper hood develops its own unique pattern based on how much you cook, how you clean it, and what’s in your air.
Other people hate patina. They want copper to stay bright and shiny forever. That’s possible, but you need to polish it regularly with copper cleaner. If you enjoy that kind of maintenance, great. If it sounds annoying, factor that in.
RangeCraft Manufacturing can put protective coatings on copper that slow down the patina. The coating needs redoing eventually, but it keeps the copper looking newer longer.
Copper Kills Germs
This is real. Copper has natural antimicrobial properties. Research shows copper surfaces kill bacteria and viruses faster than stainless steel. In a kitchen where food safety matters, that’s worth something.
The antimicrobial thing works even with patina. You don’t have to keep it polished. The properties are built into the metal itself.
Does this matter hugely in a home kitchen where you clean regularly anyway? Probably not life-changing. But it’s a genuine advantage copper has over stainless.
Design Gets Interesting
Copper bends and shapes more easily than stainless steel. That means custom range hoods can have more curves, patterns, and decorative details. Hand-hammered copper, embossed designs, shapes that would be tough to pull off in stainless.
If you want a range hood that’s genuinely one of a kind, copper gives you more options. RangeCraft Manufacturing works with designers and homeowners on custom copper pieces that are basically kitchen art.
The tradeoff is cost. Complex copper work needs skilled craftspeople and takes more time. American-made custom range hoods in copper with detailed work aren’t cheap.
It’s Heavy
Copper weighs more than stainless steel. A big custom copper range hood is seriously heavy. That affects how you install it.
Your wall or ceiling needs proper support. Installation requires more planning and maybe reinforcement. Not impossible, just something to discuss with your contractor before you order.
Performance Is The Same
Here’s what matters: the material doesn’t really affect how well your range hood works. CFM rating, duct size, fan quality, proper installation, that’s what determines whether it actually removes smoke and steam.
Both materials conduct heat similarly. Neither absorbs odors nor grease. Both can be made into whatever size and shape you need for proper ventilation.
RangeCraft Manufacturing puts the same quality fans and motors in every custom range hood, regardless of material. You’re choosing how it looks and how much maintenance you want to deal with, not how well it performs.
What Fits Your Kitchen
Your kitchen’s overall style should guide this decision.
Modern Kitchens
Stainless belongs here. Sleek, professional, minimalist. Works with quartz counters, flat cabinets, and contemporary lighting. The range hood fits the design without screaming for attention.
Traditional Kitchens
Copper shines in traditional settings. Pairs beautifully with wood cabinets, natural stone, and classic details. A copper range hood adds warmth and character that stainless steel just can’t match.
Transitional Styles
Either works when you’re mixing traditional and modern elements. Depends on which direction you’re leaning.
Stainless reads modern even in mixed styles. Copper reads traditional even when the rest of the kitchen is contemporary.
What About Resale Value
Both stainless and copper custom range hoods hold value. They’re permanent fixtures that last decades when maintained properly.
American-made hoods from RangeCraft Manufacturing outlast cheap imported stuff regardless of material. Build quality matters more than whether it’s stainless or copper.
Copper might edge ahead slightly for uniqueness and character in high-end markets. Stainless has a broader appeal and requires less explanation to buyers.
If you’re planning to sell eventually, think about your local market. Expensive neighborhoods often appreciate custom copper. Mid-range markets might prefer practical stainless.
Making The Call
Think about how you actually cook. Lots of high heat? Tons of grease? Both materials handle it fine, but stainless needs less fussing to keep looking good.
Be honest about maintenance. Like polishing things and seeing them shine? Copper rewards that effort. Prefer wiping something down and moving on? Stainless.
Look at your budget. Copper costs more upfront. Might be worth it for the right kitchen. Or that money might go further spent on better ventilation or a bigger hood.
Think about your kitchen’s personality. Showpiece or workhorse? Both can be either, but copper leans toward statement while stainless leans toward function.
Why RangeCraft Manufacturing
Whether you go stainless or copper, RangeCraft Manufacturing builds custom range hoods to your exact specs. American-made, not mass-produced overseas.
Every hood gets built for your kitchen specifically. Real measurements from your actual space, not standard sizes that sort of fit. Design based on what you want, not what’s in a catalog.
The difference between custom and mass-produced shows up in the details. Welds that disappear. Finishes that look handcrafted because they are. Ventilation that actually works because it’s sized right for your cooktop and kitchen.
Both stainless and copper from RangeCraft Manufacturing beat builder-grade ventilation by miles. Material choice matters, but quality construction matters more.
Ready to talk about custom range hood options? Contact RangeCraft Manufacturing to discuss stainless or copper designs that fit your space, style, and what you can spend.