Range hood started their lives from the restaurants at first as these have specific features like highly managed heavy-duty smoke-resistant and powerful venting system that removes grease, odours and moistures from the air; Range hoods are now present in every modern kitchen because they are not just highly functional, but also undoubtedly stylish and elegant in looks. Be it a small kitchen or a large one, indoor venting or outdoor one, range hoods have adapted to theneeds and have provided the same level of sophistication to all types.
If you are looking for a kitchen accessory, we’d suggest range hood for your kitchen this festive season. But before you get into buying one, there are a few do’s and don’ts you should be aware of.
| Do’s | Don’ts |
| o Check the exhaust system for ventilation and how the smoke will be vented out. If your kitchen is not connected to an outside wall, you’ll have to choose a non-vented option, even though it may prove to be a bit more on the maintenance. | o Don’t get too absorbed in the vented or non-vented debate. Choose the fit that will suit your space better and in a healthier way. |
| o Keep your kitchen layout in your mind while selecting your range hood. You need to keep it about 30 inches overhead of your cook top. If you don’t have that space, use a downdraft hood that can easily be useful from the surface of the cook top itself.
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o Avoid going for extravagant styles that might fit into your kitchen but end up looking out-of-place. A good rule of thumb is always going for the one which fits in to the place easily and enhances your cooking experience. |
| o Styles that are available in the kitchen hood range are unbelievable these days. From overhead large hoods to sleek and sly down-draft models, you can customize anything! Look at all the options, their practicalities for you and your family. | o Avoid sticking to only what you saw at someone’s place, a brochure or a magazine. There are a lot of customizations available for range hoods so check everything out before making the big decision. |
| o Check for fan strength of the hood as compared to your kitchen volume. Even good fan powers fail to drive out strong odours in large kitchen areas. Your kitchen volume can be calculated by multiplying your kitchen ceiling’s height to your room’s width. Pick a fan strength that is compatible to your kitchen volume. | o Don’t focus obsessively on the fan strength only. Smaller kitchen spaces can do with average strength of fans while larger kitchens require super-powered fans. Always keep in mind the volume of your kitchen to pick the right fan power. |
| o CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) is an important term to remember as it helps you determine how much air can be taken out by the range hood in a minute. To know the energy range, simply multiply the range hood’s CFM by 60. | o Avoid going for ultra high energy or lower energy exhausts. It can bring an imbalance to your electricity bills, depending upon the kitchen space and the time it is kept running. Instead, go for mid-range energy exhaust systems. |
