A range hood is an essential kitchen appliance designed to extract cooking fumes, smoke, and grease from the air in your kitchen. Your choice of type, design, and dimensions could be affected by the layout of your kitchen and the available ventilation options.
FRANKE Range hood with screen
When choosing a range hood for your kitchen you need to consider how your kitchen layout, ventilation, and cooking habits could influence your choice. Here are some key points to consider while making your selection:
FALMEC Downdraft Extractor
The type of range hood you choose will depend on the layout of your kitchen and your personal preferences. The different types of range hoods include wall-mounted, ceiling-mounted, island, and countertop.
Wall-mounted range hoods are the most common and can be fixed directly to the wall or built into a kitchen cabinet located above the stovetop. Some built-in range hoods have a retractable design to optimize extraction during cooking.
Ceiling-mounted range hoods are either designed to be secured to the ceiling or integrated directly into it, offering a more minimalist appearance. They tend to be more difficult to install than wall-mounted kitchen hoods. Island range hoods are suspended from the ceiling and designed to go directly over a kitchen island. It is important to make sure that they are installed at the right height.
Downdraft extractors, also known as countertop extractors, extract the fumes downwards. They are usually built into the countertop either beside or behind the stove. Many designs are minimalist and retractable. Downdraft extractors are ideal if you want to free up wall space or avoid overhead installations. However, they tend to be less effective than overhead installations because more power is required to extract the fumes downwards.
The purpose of a range hood is to evacuate fumes coming from a cooking range or stovetop while in use, so many hoods come in standard sizes in order to easily pair them with existing kitchen appliances. Consider selecting a range hood that is wider than the range cooker to optimize the evacuation of cooking fumes. Common range hood widths for Europe and the US are as follows:
| EU | 50cm | 60cm | 70cm | 80cm | 90cm | 110cm | 120cm | 160cm |
| US | 24” | 30” | 36” | 42” | 48” | 54” | 60” |
The size of your kitchen, cooking range type, and cooking habits will have an impact on the level of ventilation you will need. For instance, induction ranges require less ventilation than gas ranges since they produce less heat and fumes. Local regulations can also have an impact on the ventilation type and power required. In order to calculate the amount of ventilation power you’ll need, here’s a quick tip:
The ventilation power of a range hood is normally given in cubic meters per hour (m3/hr) or cubic feet per minute (CFM)—a higher CFM rating means the hood can ventilate a larger space more effectively. When choosing a range hood, you will want a model that can filter or extract the air 10-15 times per hour.
SIEMENS Ducted Range Hood
The two main types of range hood ventilation systems are ducted and ductless. Many range hoods have the option to be used in both ducted and ductless kitchens by using adapters or filter kits.
Ducted range hoods can be connected to an existing wall, ceiling, or floor ducts to extract air outside. A ducted exhaust system, also called a vented system, uses ducts to channel air away and out of the home. While they extract cooking fumes and smells from the kitchen more effectively than ductless systems, the diameter of the duct for the appliance and the kitchen evacuation must be compatible. A shorter duct with fewer bends to the exterior outlet can also help extract air more efficiently.
Ductless range hoods have no extraction duct but use filters to extract odors and particles. The air is then recirculated back into the same room. While they tend to be less effective than ducted range hoods, they are ideal for kitchens where outdoor air evacuations are not possible.
Certain technical features will drive your decision on which range hood best suits the needs of your kitchen. Here are some of the main ones to consider:
FABER Original Design Range Hood
Range hoods not only come in a wide variety of designs and colors but also incorporate additional features such as remote controls or special ionizing systems for air purification. Some ductless island hoods come in original designs or double as decorative hanging lamps, which are ideal for open-plan kitchens.
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