An oven hood (also called an exhaust hood) is actually one of the most important appliances in your kitchen. Did you know that? Do you know why?
Let’s back up…do you already know what an oven hood technically does?
Oven hoods hang over your stovetop range so that the hood “canopy” can collect smoke, food particles, smells and—most importantly—airborne grease while you cook. From inside the canopy all these things are sucked up, where the blower motor then extracts all that air pollution. If you’ve read about why you need to change HVAC filters regularly, think about the air in your kitchen where SO much smoke and air pollution is produced. Doesn’t it make sense to extract the bad stuff in the very room where so much of it starts?
But oven hoods aren’t just about breathing easy. Extracting smoke and grease from the air also makes it LOADS easier to clean the kitchen. Think about the last time you cleaned a kitchen that’s really, truly used for a lot of cooking…the accumulation of food residue (ESPECIALLY around the stove) is incredible. Wipe that surface with one wet towelette, and the thick, black grime is a sight to behold. Skip the hassle of that nasty, sticky film before it settles all over your cabinets and counter tops by investing in an oven hood, and your kitchen cleaning will be changed forever.
PRO TIP: The real payoff of this investment comes twice-over, because you’ll be saving your cabinets and counter tops the damage they would otherwise suffer from regular scrubbing and use of chemicals. Show them less wear and tear, and your oven hood can easily pay for itself with your other long-term home investments.
Now, let’s come back to those health benefits. It’s one thing to keep the air in your home fresher. And it’s another thing to breathe in less grease and smoke while you cook. But how about what comes with that sticky film? Surfaces with that layer of grease in your kitchen attract bacteria and mildew that you want nothing to do with. And, of course, the less of THAT you’re breathing in, the better!
So, wouldn’t you say those are reasonable benefits? Is it starting to come together?
Well…there’s more. Adding an oven hood to your kitchen also makes different kinds of cooking far more practical. There are plenty of stovetop dishes you would never DARE to attempt if it weren’t for grease and smoke control, let’s be serious! So, on top of the other perks, you can enjoy more cooking freedom with an oven hood.
OK—I’m convinced. But how do I choose the right oven hood for my kitchen?
Right—the benefits are MANY. We’re glad you’re still with us, because next comes the fun part: choosing the right exhaust hood for your kitchen. There are literally thousands of choices on the market, so you might think that picking the right one will be yet another feat. But it’s a task you can have fun with—trust us.
PRO TIP: When it comes to it, don’t let the number of options make you feel overwhelmed. The abundance of options is actually GREAT news because it means that the perfect option is out there for you…for your kitchen, your need, and your favorite look.
But you probably want help narrowing it down. Let’s start by talking about the three installation types of oven hoods:
- Hanging island hoods
- Wall-mount hoods
- Under-cabinet hoods
Obviously, the installation type depends on where in the kitchen your oven range is, whether it’s accessible to the microwave, etc. Hanging island hoods (also called ceiling-installation) are for island stove tops, while wall-mount (also called chimney-style are usually the most popular. Under-cabinet installations are also a good alternative for the tiny kitchen with a microwave over the oven.
And what’s next? Circulation type…you can:
- Send air out of the house, or
- Circulate filtered air back into the room
The benefits to oven hoods with an outside-facing duct are easily imagined…but to put it simply, these oven hoods come with better performance and (the bigger perk for many of us) less noise. Be sure to think long and hard about this option, because it changes the scope of installation and can make the difference in whether or not you even feel inclined to use the hood when you really should!
PRO TIP: Oven hoods that send filtered air back into the room a
re also called “ductless” hoods, so be sure to shop accordingly.
Last, but equally important, you’ll want to consider size. We’re talking about stove coverage! Oven hoods should be the same width or larger than your stove range, simple as that.
So…what’s next? Then comes colors, styles, and manufacturers…and this is where design consultation is key. We could talk about oven hoods for AGES, and we’ve only scratched the surface of all the benefits they offer. This type of consultation is EXACTLY why we expanded our services…because we love that meeting point of home performance, home maintenance, and interior design—and that is exactly the meeting point where you find the perfect exhaust hood.
Give us a call to pick the right oven hood for you!!
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