Appliances & Heat

Range Hood

An overhead vent that captures smoke, grease, and steam rising from the cooktop.

A range hood is a ventilation appliance mounted above the stove that draws up smoke, grease-laden vapor, heat, and cooking odors, then either exhausts them outside or filters and recirculates the air. It keeps the kitchen clear during high-heat cooking like wok frying and searing. Powerful suction is especially valued in Chinese kitchens for intense stir-frying.

A range hood is the unsung workhorse of a well-functioning kitchen: an overhead ventilation unit that captures the rising plume of grease, smoke, steam, and heat that every cooking session produces, and either vents it outside or filters and returns it to the room. Beyond keeping cooking smells from permeating curtains and upholstery, it pulls combustion byproducts (carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide in particular) out of the air when a gas range is running, which makes it as much a safety device as a comfort one. Its effectiveness depends on a chain of variables: the unit's airflow (CFM), the type of filter, the mounting height, and especially the ductwork on a vented installation. A 600 CFM hood on long, undersized, kinked flex duct can underperform a 300 CFM unit on a short, straight run.

The decision between ducted and ductless is fundamental. Ducted hoods, which exhaust air outside, are far more effective at removing heat, moisture, and combustion gases — the only sensible choice for gas ranges and for serious high-heat cooking. Recirculating hoods filter particulates and odor through mesh and charcoal but cannot meaningfully remove water vapor, CO, NO₂, or the bulk of heat, and they grow less effective as the charcoal filter loads. Capture also depends on geometry: overhead hoods pull rising air straight up and are far more effective than downdraft systems, which have to fight the natural buoyancy of hot gases.

In most of the U.S., a vented hood is required by code for any new gas-range installation, and good practice calls for one over electric ranges as well. If you can vent, vent. If you cannot, choose the highest-CFM recirculating unit you can afford and plan on replacing its charcoal filter on a schedule, not when it smells bad.

Alternatives

Open Window With FanPortable Air Purifier

Types & varieties

Under-cabinet (slide-out)

Mounts beneath upper cabinets; the most common and affordable residential style

Wall-mount chimney

Visible stainless or painted chimney rising against the wall above the cooktop; a statement piece in many kitchens

Island hood

Suspended from the ceiling over an island cooktop; must capture from four sides, so needs higher CFM

Downdraft

Pulls air down and rearward through a slot behind or beside the cooktop; used where overhead hoods aren't possible, but markedly less effective

Insert / liner

A blower unit hidden inside a custom or cabinetry-built hood; chosen for built-in looks

Microwave combination

Combines an over-range microwave with a vent fan; weak capture compared to a dedicated hood

Retractable / pop-up

Rises from the countertop behind the cooktop when in use, otherwise flush; common in minimalist kitchens

Pro-style / commercial canopy

Large stainless canopy with a high-CFM blower, baffle filters, and often heat lamps; mimics restaurant line equipment

Recirculating (ductless)

No ductwork; filters air through charcoal and returns it to the room; does not remove moisture, heat, or CO₂

Ducted vs Recirculating

This is the single most important choice when buying or installing a range hood, and in most houses it is made by the building rather than the cook. The trade-off is straightforward: venting outside is better in every measurable way, but it requires a path through a wall or roof, which apartments, condos, and many interior kitchens simply don't have.

A ducted (vented) hood exhausts air to the outside through rigid or flexible duct and a backdraft damper. It is the only option that actually removes heat, moisture, and combustion gases from the room.
A recirculating (ductless) hood pulls air through a metal grease filter and a charcoal odor filter, then returns the air to the kitchen. It needs no ductwork — which is why it is sometimes the only choice in apartments or buildings where exterior venting isn't possible — but it cannot remove water vapor, CO, NO₂, or most heat.
For electric ranges with light cooking, a recirculating hood is acceptable if you understand its limits. For gas ranges, for serious searing, for wok cooking, and for any kitchen that runs hot and steamy, ducted is essentially mandatory.
Charcoal filters in recirculating hoods are consumables; replace them every 6–12 months or odor removal becomes negligible. Grease mesh filters, by contrast, are reusable and should be cleaned monthly.

Sizing and Siting

Range hood performance is determined less by the badge on the front than by three installation variables: capture area, mounting height, and duct design. Get any of them wrong and the most expensive hood on the market will underwhelm.

Capture area: the hood should be at least as wide as the cooktop, and ideally 3–6 in. wider on each side. Island hoods need even more overhang because air escapes on all four sides.
Mounting height: stay in the manufacturer's specified range — 20–24 in. above electric/radiant, 24–30 in. above gas. Higher and capture efficiency falls off quickly; lower and you risk flames licking the filter or contact with hot cookware.
Duct design: keep the run short, straight, and as large in diameter as the hood outlet. Every elbow costs roughly 5–10 ft of equivalent duct length. Flexible aluminum duct kinks easily and robs performance — use rigid metal duct wherever you can.
Makeup air: in tightly sealed modern homes, a high-CFM hood can depressurize the house and pull flue gases from a nearby water heater or furnace back down the chimney. If your hood exceeds 400 CFM, plan for a makeup air damper or inlet.
Termination: vent only to the outside, through a backdraft damper, with a cap that prevents rain and rodent entry. Never vent into an attic, crawlspace, or interior wall cavity — trapped moisture will rot framing and combustion gases will sicken the household.

Common uses

Capturing grease-laden vapor before it settles on cabinets, walls, and ceilingsVenting combustion byproducts (CO₂, NO₂, water vapor) when cooking with gasRemoving smoke and odor during high-heat searing, stir-frying, or blackeningPulling steam and humidity from the kitchen to protect finishes and reduce condensationProviding focused task lighting over the cooktopReducing airborne particulates and odors that trigger smoke detectors in open-plan homesActing as a heat extractor to keep the cook comfortable at a hot range

Tips & pitfalls

Run the hood 5–10 minutes AFTER finishing cooking, not just during — this clears the residual smoke and grease aerosols that would otherwise settle once the burner is off.
Match CFM to cooking style: 300–400 CFM suits most home cooks; high-heat wok work or a gas range with BTU output above 40,000 needs 600+ CFM. Buying more CFM than your duct and makeup air can support is wasted money.
For gas ranges, ducted venting is strongly preferred — recirculating hoods do not remove CO or NO₂, only odor and some grease. A charcoal filter will not save you from incomplete combustion.
Clean aluminum mesh filters monthly in hot soapy water or run them through the dishwasher; baffle filters can also go in the dishwasher. A grease-saturated filter chokes airflow, drives up noise, and is a genuine fire risk.
Mount at the correct height: too high and capture efficiency drops dramatically, too low and you risk fire or contact with flames on gas burners. Resist the urge to gain headroom by raising the hood.
Choose baffle filters if you do any serious searing, wok cooking, or cook over gas — mesh filters clog fast under heavy grease loads and have been known to ignite.
Use the lowest fan speed that still captures effectively. Many home hoods are run on high constantly because they were never properly sized for the duct run; fix the duct, not the volume knob.

Good to know

Also called: Exhaust hood, extractor hood, cooker hood, vent hood, overhead vent
Airflow rating: Measured in CFM (cubic feet per minute); residential units typically 200–600 CFM, prosumer/commercial 600–1500+ CFM
Noise rating: Measured in sones; ~1 sone is a quiet refrigerator hum, 6–7 sones is roughly loud conversation
Standard mounting height: 20–24 in. above electric/radiant cooktops; 24–30 in. above gas cooktops
Ventilation modes: Ducted (vents to outside) or ductless/recirculating (filters and returns air to room)
Filter types: Aluminum mesh (washable, residential standard); stainless baffle (dishwasher-safe, commercial grade); activated charcoal (recirculating only, typically non-reusable)
Code status: Required by most U.S. building codes for new gas-range installations under IRC M1503; local jurisdictions vary
Makeup air: Hoods over ~400 CFM typically require a makeup air damper in tightly sealed homes to avoid backdrafting combustion appliances