Our Picks:
Best Range Hood: Signature Kitchen Suite 47.88" Stainless Steel Pro Style Wall Hood (SKSPH4802S):
“This Wi-Fi enabled Signature Kitchen Suite range hood makes a smooth transition into the smart kitchen and our overall favorite range hood pick.”
Best Budget Range Hood: Zephyr Core Collection Breeze I Series 24" Under Cabinet Range Hood-Stainless Steel (AK1124S)
“Modestly priced with a low-profile design, this best budget range hood from Broan is an ideal choice for apartments, condos, or cozy kitchens.”
Best Luxury Range Hood: La Cornue Cornufe 110 43.3" Royal Blue Wall Mounted Chimney Hood (C1RC)
“Full of quality engineering, the Cornue Conufe 110 high-end range hood will have you celebrating French excellence more than one way in your aspiration kitchen.”
Best Range Hood for Gas Cooking: Bosch 500 Series 36" Pull-Out Hood (HUI56551UC)
“A convertible design gives this Bosch range hood an extended scope of performance that’s ideal for the high-heat output of gas cooking appliances.”
Best Under the Cabinet Range Hood: Zephyr Pro Collection Tempest II 30" Pro Style Wall Ventilation (AK7500BS)
“Just because this best under-the-cabinet range hood from Zephyr is sleek doesn’t mean its performance goes unnoticed.”
Best Ductless Range Hood: Broan® 41000 Series 30" Stainless Steel Ductless Under Cabinet Range Hood (413004)
“With a ductless design, this Broan under the cabinet range hood can be installed in a variety of places — will your kitchen be one?”
Best Ducted Range Hood: KitchenAid® 36" Black Stainless Steel with PrintShield™ Finish Wall Mount Canopy Range Hood (KVWB606HBS)
“This best KitchenAid ducted range hood gives home cooks a powerful ventilation setup that’s also full of style.”
Best Wall Mounted Range Hood: ZEPHYR Pro Collection Titan Wall 48” Por Style Ventilation (AK7648AS)
“Not your ordinary wallflower — this best Zephyr wall-mounted range hood is a serious performer with a long list of add-ons that provide even more utility.
Best Island Range Hood: Thermador® Professional 54" Island Hood-Stainless Steel (HPIN54WS)
“Whether or not your island kitchen features the unparalleled power of a Thermador cooktop, this best Thermador island range hood quickly takes care of unwanted air pollutants in the kitchen.”
Why You Need a Range Hood
Kitchen ventilation is easy to take for granted. That is, until an unsuccessful recipe fills the kitchen with less-than-appetizing smoke and grease. That’s when the importance of a powerful range hood becomes more apparent than ever. However, not all hood vents are made for every kitchen.
There are many factors that will determine which kind of ventilation your kitchen needs, including kitchen size, the power of your kitchen’s cooking appliance, and whether your household is equipped for ducted or ductless ventilation. With that said, we’ve broken down these considerations to give you the best range hood from each category.
Best Range Hood: Signature Kitchen Suite 47.88" Stainless Steel Pro Style Wall Hood
It’s not often words like “useful,” or “innovate” come to mind when describing kitchen ventilation, but this Signature Kitchen Suite range hood is worthy of these titles. From turning on the ventilation, to boosting fan speed to flipping on the LED lights — with SmartThinQ® Technology, this wall-mounted exhaust hood lets users do it all from a smart virtually anywhere in the home, right from a smart device. This range hood can even communicate with compatible Signature Kitchen Suite ranges, so there’s no guesswork when the range is on and burners are high.
Other features we love:
- Dual-level LED lights are ideal for food preparation or ambiance
- Professional-style baffles that are more durable and effective that mesh filters, and are also dishwasher-safe
- Variable Maximum CFM Technology lets users decide the best ventilation needs based on local requirements, kitchen size, or cooking appliances
Best Budget Range Hood: Zephyr Core Collection Breeze I Series 24" Under Cabinet Range Hood
The under-the-cabinet design of this Zephyr range hood is easy on kitchen space, while convertible venting allows for even greater installation flexibility. Affordably priced, this best budget range hood features 250 cubic feet of ventilation per minute with a three-speed fan, ideal for smaller kitchens. For added convenience, this value pick also comes with two dual-level halogen lights and dishwasher-safe mesh filters.
Best Luxury Range Hood: La Cornue Cornufe 110 43.3" Royal Blue Wall Mounted Chimney Hood
A stunning display of European design might highlight this best luxury range hood from La Cornue, but it’s the performance that really makes this a luxury. An impressive 600 CFM ventilation with four speed levels easily handles even the heaviest of cooking environments, while dishwasher-safe baffle filters help remove grease from the air. While the finish is already customizable, this in-wall chimney hood provides additional flexibility with remote management and a recirculation kit for ductless operation (sold separately).
Best Range Hood for Gas Cooking: Bosch 500 Series 36" Pull-Out Hood
Another European brand, this best Bosch exhaust hood features a smart pull-out design that extends for more ventilation when in use and then slides back in for a compact presentation when not in use. The extra reach is particularly important for keeping up with the high-heat output of gas cooking appliances, and with 500 CFM of ventilation, this pull-out hood is compatible with ranges and cooktops with up to 50,000 BTUs.
Other features that matter:
- Compatible with a recirculating kit for even more installation possibilities (sold separately)
- A customizable front panel gives buyers freedom to match their existing kitchen design or make a statement
Best Under Cabinet Range Hood: Zephyr Pro Collection Tempest II 30" Pro Style Wall Ventilation
Don’t let the sleek look of this best Zephyr canopy hood fool you — it’s named the Tempest II for a reason. That reason in particular is either 650 or 1,200 CFM of ventilation with six speed levels that deliver a “storm” of power that’s remarkable even by professional standards. On top of notable performance, this best under cabinet range hood is loaded with optional features, including:
- Backsplash with shelves
- 650-CFM recirculating kit (sold separately)
- A duct cover extension kit
- Wireless control
Users will also enjoy exclusives, like Airflow Control Technology™ that help easily abide by local code for maximum CFM, plus pro-style baffles filters and overhead halogen lighting, making this canopy hood a truly high-end experience.
Best Ductless Range Hood: Broan® 41000 Series 30" Stainless Steel Ductless Under Cabinet Range Hood
This best ductless range hood from Broan is simple yet effective. Without the need for ducting, this selection can be installed essentially anywhere in the kitchen, and with a minimalist design in a choice of four finishes (Bisque, Black, Stainless Steel, White), shoppers have even greater flexibility when it comes to customization.
Best Ducted Range Hood: KitchenAid® 36" Black Stainless Steel with PrintShield™ Finish Wall Mount Canopy Range Hood
This wall-mounted KitchenAid range hood is a prime example of what ducted exhaust hoods are capable of. Not only does it come with 585 CFM ventilation that can handle gas cooking surfaces with up to 65,000 BTUs, but perimeter ventilation technology also uses intelligent design to efficiently pull air in. Additionally, sensors automatically adjust fan speeds according to heat levels for easier operation that requires virtually no learning curve.
Check out these winning features, too:
- Quiet 49 dBA operation
- Dishwasher-safe grease filters
- 3-speed fan controls, plus a Boost Function
- Bright LED lighting and halogen night lights provide illumination for every setting
Best Wall-Mounted Range Hood: ZEPHYR Pro Collection Titan Wall 48” Por Style Ventilation
This third and final mention of Zephyr on this list is also the best performer with an astounding 750-CFM ventilation with one blower, and up to 1,300-CFM ventilation when installed with two blowers. Combined with its 48-inch width (also available in 60-inch options), this best wall-mounted range hood is a prime choice for gas-cooking purists.
Standout features include aerodynamic fan blades that reduce noise, professional baffle filters, exclusive PowerWave™ blower technology, plus a list of optional accessories from Zephyr.
Best Island Range Hood: Thermador® Professional 54" Island Hood-Stainless Steel
Given its reputation as a leader of professional cooking appliances, it makes sense that Thermador would also manufacture powerful range hoods to match that performance. Programmed to work with the Thermador Connected Experience by Home Connect, this best island range hood allows cooks to set custom settings, as well as manage and control the range, all from a smart device.
While a blower sold separately is required, this gives shoppers the flexibility to install a blower with 600, 1000, or 1,300 CFM of ventilation depending on blower type and model.
Types of Range Hoods
A range hood might have the look or design you have in mind for your kitchen design, but does that make it a good choice? Before making the final decision, consider the pros and cons for each type of exhaust hood.
Under Cabinet Hoods
Pros: On one hand, under-the-cabinet kitchen hoods are easy to install, relatively discreet, and do not require in-ceiling ductwork, making these options particularly affordable.
Cons: Still, under cabinet hoods cannot provide the necessary horsepower to properly ventilate large kitchens or kitchens with a gas range or cooktop. Additionally, since the air gets filtered and recirculated rather than being removed entirely from the kitchen, under-the-cabinet vents do not eliminate humidity or heat.
Wall Mount Range Hoods
Pros: This style of kitchen ventilation is stylish and reminiscent of professional restaurants. While design counts, the biggest benefit of a wall-mount range hood is its exterior ducting that allows for smoke, odors, moisture, and heat to be filtered out the air.
Cons: At the same time, wall-mounted range hoods are not as cheap as under-the-cabinet hoods, and they also come with the extra cost of installation. And since they need to be attached to a wall, they should not be used in a kitchen with an island cooktop.
Island Range Hoods
Pros: Island range hoods provide a sophisticated solution for kitchens with an island cooktop. With no obstructions from nearby cabinetry or walls, these range hoods are able to cover larger areas, from a modest 30 inches and even up to 66 inches. This is especially beneficial when cooking with gas or in households that are big on Asian cuisine that use high cooking methods and oil.
Cons: Shoppers can expect to dish out a pretty penny when it comes to buying an island range hood, not to mention special ductwork through the ceiling will add to the cost. What’s more, island ventilation might not work with every kitchen, like those with low ceilings.
Ducted vs. Ductless Range Hoods
So, how exactly do ducted and ductless hoods work? The answers are in the name, but it’s not always clear what the benefits of each are.
Simply put, ductless exhaust hoods do not connect to existing ductwork in a home, and instead, use a built-in fan to push air into the appliance and out through a filter (hence the common name recirculating hood fan). Since there is no ductwork involved, ductless range hoods can virtually be installed anywhere in the kitchen. However, keep in mind that, while flexible when it comes to setup, the standard performance from this kind of kitchen ventilation is best suited for small kitchens. In addition, ductless range hoods provide the best results when installed right over a range or cooktop.
Ducted exhaust hoods equip a blower to suck air into the ventilation and the out through a series of ductwork. This does limit where a ducted range hood can be installed, but the tradeoff is the enhanced performance that ductless ventilation cannot deliver.
FAQ: Range Hoods
How much kitchen ventilation do I need?
Kitchen ventilation is measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM). Generally, experts suggest an efficient range hood is able to replace all the air in an entire kitchen every four minutes, or at least 15 times an hour. Here are a few ways to determine how many CFM of ventilation your kitchen will need:
- Measure and multiply the length, width, and height of the kitchen to get the cubic volume. Then, divide by four.
- Add up the total BTU output of a gas-powered range or cooktop and divide by 100.
- Measure the width of your electric cooktop and divide by 10.
Are range hoods noisy?
Not surprising, the more powerful a range hood is — that is, the more CFM — the louder it will typically be. For reference, an exhaust hood between 40 and 60 decibels is quiet enough to still have a conversation. Additionally, ducted kitchen exhaust vents with an inline blower also help to reduce noise.
How big of a range hood do I need?
The larger the area a range hood covers, the better the ventilation system will be at filtering kitchen air — but not every kitchen is built to accommodate the largest range hoods. With that said, the general rule of thumb is to purchase an exhaust vent that’s six inches wider than a cooktop or range. This will provide each side with three extra inches of ventilation to properly capture the entire output from a cooking appliance.
Shop Friedmans Quality Appliances
As the Trusted Name in the Bay Area Since 1922™, Friedmans Appliance has always been a leader of reliable appliances from a large catalog of brands. Whether it’s our in-stock inventory or luxury appliances from the largest Living Kitchen in the Country, we have something for every buyer. Shop online or our Pleasant Hill showroom today for something extraordinary.