Eric and Michelle Brown wanted an open, professional-style cook’s kitchen in their Sandy Springs home. After a recent kitchen and first-floor renovation, they have it.
For a couple who likes to cook and entertain, appliances were important. The 48-inch Wolf gas cook top was a must. So was the stainless-steel range hood by Vent-A-Hood above it.
“The range hood is simple,” said Michelle. “But it makes a statement and fits with the kitchen’s clean design.”
Over the years, range hoods in modern and custom designs have become a visual centerpiece in many kitchens as homeowners choose larger, professional-style cook tops, according to Shelley Giles of Atlanta Classic Kitchens.
“A well designed, attractive range hood is important even if you do not want it to be the focal point of the kitchen,” said Giles who designed the Brown’s kitchen.
While today’s range hoods come in a variety of attractive designs, materials and colors, their function remains unchanged: to capture and filter odors, gases, steam and smoke outside the home.
When choosing a range hood, consider these tips from Consumer Reports magazine, Vent-A-Hood and the Home Ventilating Institute, a trade group.
Types
Range hoods come in four basic configurations, each designed for a specific application: under cabinet (vented and non-vented), wall chimney, downdraft and island location. They range from 33 inches to 66 inches in width.
But unless you are remodeling, the layout of your kitchen will usually dictate the type of range hood you can use. Here are the types of range hoods.
Wall-chimney hoods. Wall-chimney hoods work where there are no cabinets over the range and mount with exposed vent stacks on the wall to vent to the outside.
Island hoods. Island hoods, which also work above a peninsular, are mounted to and vented through ductwork in the ceiling. They lack a wall of cabinets alongside them to help filter fumes and should be wider (at least six inches wider) than the cooking surface.
Under-cabinet hoods. These mount under the bottom of a wall cabinet. Ductwork inside an adjoining wall, soffit or ceiling can exhaust smoke and fumes to the outside. Typical kitchen cabinets extend only about halfway across the stove, so this extension routes steam and smoke away from cabinet faces and back toward the suction end of the range hood. This design steals cabinet space, but might be the only choice if you can't achieve the recommended stove-to-hood clearance with a standard under-cabinet-hood design.
Downdraft hoods. These try to reverse the direction of rising smoke and fumes and exhaust them through ducts running beneath the floor. Consumer Reports' tests showed them to be among the least effective at removing smoke and steam. While they can be used anywhere in the kitchen, their main application is in islands, where it might not be possible to route ductwork through the ceiling.
Ductless hoods. This is typically an option on some hoods, whether under-cabinet, wall or island. This type of installation directs steam, heat, and smoke away from the stovetop, but back into the kitchen. Its main filters can trap oil and grease droplets dispersed into the air above the range, and in most cases an optional carbon filter is available to reduce odors. Consumer Reports does not recommend a ductless hood, as it will take the smoke and odors being generated by the stove and disperse them throughout the kitchen and the rest of the home.
Features
Airflow. Manufacturers talk about the cubic feet per minute (CFM) of exhausted air. Venting power could be 300, 600 or 1200 CF. More airflow means faster ventilation, but it doesn't guarantee better smoke capture and removal in your kitchen. If it often recommended that you should correlate with the BTUs of your cooking surface. A commercial gas range requires higher CFM higher CFM than an electric four-burner range.
Size. Bigger is better. A range hood should be as wide as the cooking surface it goes above. Some manufacturers, like Vent-A-Hood, recommend that the hood extend three inches wider than each side of the range.
Fan speeds. Many hoods offer from three to six fan speeds. Consumer Reports recommend a minimum of two speeds: a high-speed setting to use when cooking and a very low and very quiet setting to use after cooking to continue to ventilate the space while eating. Any more than three set speeds are too many.
Styles. Range hoods come in a variety of styles, colors, finishes and materials to suit any décor. They can be stainless steel or wrapped in glass, metal or wood to match your cabinets. Some resemble a hanging chandelier or piece of modern sculpture.
Standards and certification. There are no government standards for rating range hood performance. A good way to choose a hood is to look for the "HVI" certified label. Products with the label have been independently tested and certified that they meet the stated ratings for airflow, sound and energy.
Other. Electronic controls, food-warming capabilities, filter-maintenance indicators and halogen lights.
Brands
Lower to midrange: GE’s Profile and Monogram, Kenmore, Nutone and Whirlpool
Higher-end: BEST by Broan, Kenmore’s Elite line, Vent-A-Hood, Viking, Wolf and Zephyr
Install & maintain
- Install hood according to the manufacturer’s directions, typically 18 to 30 inches above the burners or elements. For some hoods, the height is 27 to 30 inches about the range.
- Vent outdoors, if possible, using the largest-size solid, smooth-walled metal ducting that fits.
- Keep duct runs short and with few turns and curves as possible to maximize airflow.
- Wash or replace the filters every one to three months — or more often if you cook frequently.
For help
- National Kitchen and Bath Association (nkba.org)
- Home Ventilating Institute (www.hvi.org)
- Many range hood manufacturers have information on their website about range hoods and picture galleries.
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