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How To Decide Which Range Hood Is Best for Your Kitchen?

When remodeling your kitchen or building it, one essential appliance to keep in mind is the range hood. If you’re someone who can’t stand foul smells or smoke in their kitchen and needs proper ventilation all the time, you’re better off with a nice range hood.

Even if you’re a cooking enthusiast, don’t overlook a range hood. It helps regulate air in your kitchen properly. Choosing the best range hood varies from person to person. It depends on their requirements and needs.

However, here are some of the most important and common things to look out for a while doing your search:

1. Kitchen Layout

Planning things out allows you to judge how much space you’ll have in your kitchen to work with. So, you’ll be able to choose a range hood that fits your kitchen space likewise. It’s advisable to install a range hood 24-30 inches above your stove.

You can mount them on your wall or in your cabinets too. You can even have a chimney hood for a vintage look.

beautiful kitchen design with custom range hood

Another smart choice that’s a space saver is a downdraft kitchen hood. It’s specially designed to rise from a slot and go down when the cooktop is not used.

2. The Exhaust System

A vented system, also often called a ducted exhaust system, uses its duct to pull the air away and out of your home. If you have this system, you should mount your range hood to an exterior kitchen wall. It makes ducting efficient and easy.

If you get a duct-free exhaust system, it won’t pull out the air all the way outside your home. It would filter and clean the air and bring it back inside your kitchen. That’s why it’s considered less efficient.

3. What’s the Fan Power?

The size of your kitchen space will determine how strong the exhaust range hood fan should be, to clear the odors and keep the smoke away. To conclude the decision, multiply the width or the room into the height of the Kitchen ceiling. That will give you the volume of the kitchen and help you know what’s your ideal space.

4. Range Hood Energy

The Home Ventilating Institute suggests, looking out for at least 100 CFM per linear foot for kitchen hood mounted against a wall and 150 CFM for island vent hoods.

You can work out your requirements by doing this simple math of how much air can your range hood pull out per hour. CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) is the measurement that will help you determine it.

5. Styles of Range Hood

It’s natural to desire a range hood that goes well with the interior of your kitchen. You can opt for a stylish as well as a convenient range hood. Lustrous ones would look the best. You have various material options as well such as stainless steel, brass, and much more. Apart from its design you need to keep in mind, it fits your kitchen’s architectural style.

Lastly, you should focus on what statement you want to give out when someone looks at your range hood. If you want something bold and loud you can go for expensive ones. The affordable ones work just as fine, but it depends on everyone’s personal requirements.

6. Noise Emitted by Range Hood

Go for powerful range hoods if you have big kitchens but that would produce sound like an aircraft every time you turn it on. Instead, choose a range hood that works based on pulling out air instead of moving it.

Not only can it make your range hood more convenient and efficient but also help reduce the noise level that might overwhelm your ears.

The other note – always test run the range hood before you buy it.

7. Installation Efficiency is Important

Ducted Range hoods require a very complex type of installation, for which you will have to hire a professional that can charge you a fortune. Instead, go for simple ductless range hoods that are easy to install and you can do it all by yourself without seeking any professional help. You can also use the internet or their manual if you get lost during the process.

Owning the right choice of range hood can save you from wasting your time cleaning it, and trying to ventilate your kitchen area all by yourself. It’s a one-time and worthwhile investment to make for anyone that is either a professional cook or a normal family man.