At a Glance:
Different Types of Range Hoods
Benefits of Installing a Range Hood in Your Kitchen
Range hoods not only offer a stylish element, but there are several significant benefits to installing a range hood over your stove or cooktop. Obviously, most homeowners install a range hood to help with kitchen, air, quality, and odor reduction. However, these dual-featured appliances also provide additional lighting and help cool the kitchen while cooking. If you’re in the market for one yourself, the best place to start is with a standard 30” range hood, which is the most common size available.
Keep reading our ultimate range hood buying guide for details on what a range hood is, why you should install one in your kitchen, and the most popular 30 in range hood models currently on the market.
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Shop NowWhat is a Range Hood?
Range hoods provide ventilation in your kitchen, which is especially important when cooking with gas appliances. Range hoods utilize powerful fans to disperse smoke, steam, and odors. Turning on the range hood while frying, sautéing, and baking will improve your kitchen's overall air quality and cleanliness.
All range hoods–regardless of size—are categorized by how many cubic feet of air they circulate per minute (CFM). The higher the CFM, the more volume of air a range hood can filter. Typically, for every 10,000 BTUs of gas fire generated, 100 CFMs is needed to adequately condition a kitchen’s ambient air. For example, a gas range with a total of 60,000 BTUs of heat output should be paired with a range hood with a rating of at least 600 CFM.
Different Types of Range Hoods
While range hoods are often unseen until they’re on, don’t underestimate their potential to add style to a kitchen. With a series of styles, range hoods can be the perfect way to tie a design scheme together. When it comes to configurations, here’s are the buyers’ options.
Under Cabinet Range Hoods
Under cabinet range hoods install beneath the base of cupboards or cabinets for a compact fit that is sleek and inconspicuous. This hood option is excellent for homeowners with storage installed over their stove top or range.
Island Range Hoods
Make your kitchen island the star of your kitchen with a gorgeous island range hood. Island hoods mount to the ceiling and typically vent to the outside, offering higher CFM ratings that styles that only recirculate air such as under-the-cabinet range hoods. Some styles run flat across the ceiling, and most feature a ductwork column that drops down to a level. Island range hoods are one of the most expensive options because of the additional installation required to wire and ventilate the appliance.
Wall Mount Range Hoods
The most common type of range hood is a wall-mounted version. These range hoods install on a wall 28 to 36 inches above a cooking appliance. Wall-mounted range hoods come in various styles but usually feature a contemporary design like a pyramid chimney build.
Ductless Range Hood
Ductless range hoods can be installed without ceiling or wall ventilation. These range models use high-powered fans to disperse smoke, odors, and steam. However, unlike ventilated range hoods, ductless appliances will not pull fumes or smoke out of the room. However, ductless range hoods are some of the cheapest range hood options and are easier to install than wall-mounted or island hood ranges.
What Are the Benefits of Installing a Range Hood in Your Kitchen?
Regardless of the cooking appliances a kitchen uses, kitchen ventilation is crucial. Here are the top reasons why you need one in your kitchen.
- Improves Air Quality: Cooking releases smoke, steam, odors, and other airborne particles. Turning on a range hood while preparing meals helps to improve air quality by dispersing smoke, fumes, and other pollution in the kitchen.
- Reduces Excess Heat: Baking, frying, and sautéing produce excess heat that can make your kitchen uncomfortable. Not only do range hoods help to dispel unwanted fumes, but the fans can also help cool down your kitchen (when using a ducted hood), making cooking a more comfortable experience.
- Style & Design: Range hoods come in various styles, including different finish colors and structural shapes. Many homeowners choose a range hood that stands out and serves as a central focus in their kitchen. It is also trendy to choose a range hood and a contrasting color for your kitchen cabinets to add a bit of warmth and depth to the space. However, from an industrial look in the kitchen, choose a sleek stainless steel option.
- Additional Lighting: Most range hoods come standard with under-mounted lighting. This additional brightness makes it easier to see what you're cooking and offers a unique entertaining ambiance.
- Better Kitchen Cleanliness: Cooking on the stovetop can spread grease particles all over your kitchen. As a result, nearby countertops and cabinets can become coded in a sticky film. Range hoods help improve kitchen cleanliness by pulling grease pot particles through the hood ventilation system.
6 Best 30" Range Hood Picks
Benefits aside, modern range hoods are a style statement, and these top-rated range hoods are proof. Discover our top picks and which kitchens they suit best.
Recommended 30” Under Cabinet Range Hood: GE® 30" Stainless Steel Under Cabinet Range Hood
This GE undercabinet range hood can be installed in 10 minutes or less with or without external venting! Once installed, users can enjoy simple and sleek unit features, like four different fan speeds and dual lighting. In addition, this under cabinet range hood 30 inch model is easy to use with front-facing backlit controls and a convenient remote control.
Featured GE JVX5300SJSS review: "The double lights are terrific! The hood is perfect for our needs; beautiful, stainless steel, and matches all of the appliances in our kitchen. It's easy to operate even for senior citizens like us! We love it!"
Recommended 30" Wall Mount Range Hood: Whirlpool® 30" Black Stainless Steel Wall Mount Range Hood
Shop This Whirlpool Range Hood
Make a statement with this boldly designed black stainless steel range hood from Whirlpool. This wall mount range hood 30 inch model comes with a variety of top-of-the-line features, such as a dishwasher-safe stainless steel grease filter, fingerprint-resistant finish, three speed settings, and bright LED recessed lighting. This Whirlpool 30" range hood does require external ventilation, but the extra installation step is worth it once you see the results with 400 CFM of air circulation.
Featured Whirlpool WVW53UC0HV review: "Great look. It was installed in my kitchen in September. It looks good and fits well. It is strong enough to eliminate odors while I am cooking. It can handle it all from fish to chicken and vegetables."
Recommended 30" Island Range Hood: Whirlpool® 30" Stainless Steel Island Range Hood
Shop This Whirlpool 30" Range Hood
This island range hood 30” design perfectly combines style and performance. The sleek and contemporary look is high-end and instantly becomes the star of every kitchen. This Whirlpool appliance is built to perform with several impressive features, such as a 3-speed motor with 400 CFMs of power capable of keeping up with appliances up to 65K BTUs, and intuitive touch controls.
Featured Whirlpool WVI51UC0LS review: “Love the look and function. Very quiet when fan is on.”
Recommended 30” Downdraft Range Hood: JennAir® 36" Stainless Steel Retractable Downdraft Ventilation
This JennAir downdraft range hood installs seamlessly in your kitchen counters or cabinets. Its slim profile occupies limited space and does not block sightlines while cooking. In addition, the vent raises an impressive 14 inches, making it tall enough to capture steam from full-sized stock pots. Users love the European stylings of this 30" downdraft range hood that’s a step forward in the future of modern kitchens.
Featured Jenn Air JXD7036YS review: "Excellent Choice. When redoing my cooktop, from propane to induction, I wanted a downdraft like the one I was replacing-part of the cooktop. However I chose the telescoping downdraft. Was uncertain when it was installed, hesitant to embrace, but man-oh-man do I love it. The exhaust is perfectly placed to remove steam and fumes from small and large pots as well as saute pans and grills. And the downdraft disappears when not in use. The fan was installed remotely resulting in the unit being almost silent."
Recommended 30" Ductless Range Hood: Vent-A-Hood® 30" Stainless Steel Air Recovery System (ARS) Duct-Free Under Cabinet Range Hood
Shop This Vent-A-Hood Range Hood
This premium 30 inch ductless range hood uses a one-of-a-kind ventilation system to powerfully disperse smoke, odor, and grease particles. Check out the advanced technology in this top-of-the-line 30” ductless range hood, including a patented Air Recovery System that uses four-phase technology to improve kitchen air quality and the exclusive Vent-a-Hood Power Lung combines a blower powerfully but quietly with a high-performance filter to eliminate more grease than traditional range hood designs.
Recommended 30" Ducted Range Hood: Wolf® 30" Stainless Steel Pro Wall Ventilation
Wolf appliances are synonymous with quality and luxury, even when it comes to kitchen ventilation. This 30 range hood ducted solution is no exception! Designed to install directly onto the wall and built with industrial-grade brushed stainless steel for superior durability with kitchen ventilation fan rating options between 500 and 1500 CFM, this is a powerhouse. Pair this Wolf 30" range hood with a gas-powered Wolf range and Sub Zero fridge for the ultimate luxury kitchen package.
Browse the largest selection of wall, mounted, under cabinet, and island hood ranges at Plaza Mart appliances. Our state-of-the-art showroom displays vignettes of popular kitchen brands and inspires homeowners undergoing kitchen renovation. Visit one of our many Charlotte, NC locations to compare the best-in-market 30-inch range hoods today!
FAQs
What size hood should I get for a 30 inch range?
30 inch ranges need a range hood that is either 30 or 36 inches wide. Getting a larger size range hood will help dispel smoke, fumes, odor, and grease particles faster and improve the overall temperature of your kitchen while cooking.
Can I use a 30" hood over 36" range?
A 30 inch range hood is the most typical size. These dimensions adequately provide coverage for a 24-inch and 30-inch cooking appliances, but aren’t typically recommended for 36-inch cooking appliances.
How much space do you need between a range hood and cabinets?
It is recommended to leave a gap of 1 inch between your range, hood, and adjacent kitchen cabinet or wall. The additional space makes cleaning, repairing, or replacing your range hood easier.
Does range hood size matter?
Range hood size does matter. You want to match the size of your range hood with the size of your stove or cooktop. Ideally, pick a range hood slightly larger than the cooking surface for exceptional results.
Why Trust Plaza Appliance Mart?
Plaza Appliance Mart is a local, family-owned, appliance store in North Carolina where you can get personalized, expert service that you won’t find at the big box stores. Plaza Appliance Mart is YOUR source for competitive prices with knowledgeable in-store professionals here to help you every step of the way, whether you need to replace an old appliance, or if you're remodeling and need an entire kitchen full of new brand-name products. And, our delivery and installation specialists will assure that your new appliances arrive safely and are installed properly.
If you were to ask the employees at Plaza Appliance Mart about their roles in the company, they'd say they're not just employees, they're family. So as you might imagine. a team of professionals like this who are already so tightly knit and bonded together make for a perfect partner with the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte. Apart from their community ties, Plaza Appliance is an accredited Better Business Bureau company with an A+ Rating.
Shop 30” Range Hoods at Plaza Appliance Mart
Stop by Plaza’s Charlotte, Huntersville, Matthews, or Pineville locations to see what a difference buying local with an experienced staff can make. Or shop cooking appliances online! Our friendly experts are always happy to help you find a 30” range hood for your kitchen — whether you call us at 704-568-7600, use our online chat feature, or visit us in person.
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