Ducted vs Ductless Range Hoods

Kitchen range hoods can make a huge difference in your enjoyment of cooking, but also the air quality in your kitchen and your home. There are two types of range hoods, ducted and ductless, keep reading to learn the pros and cons of each one, and which one will best suit your needs.

Ducted hoods are pretty common, although some kitchen designs can limit where they can be installed, due to the fact that these hoods are required to be able to move air out of the kitchen.

Ducted Range Hoods Pros and Cons

Pro 1. Ducted hoods are mostly found in homes and commercial kitchens with bigger ranges that produce considerable amounts of smoke, fumes, or unclean air that needs to be vented to the outside.

Pro 2. They are a lot more efficient at getting rid of steam and humidity from the kitchen since they aren’t actually filtering or recirculating the air but are instead venting it out of the kitchen entirely.

Pro 3. Many owners claim these hoods run more efficiently and tend to be quieter. This is debatable, as noise and efficiency will depend on the size, brand, model and the upkeep of your range hood.

Con 1. One drawback of a ducted range hood is that it should be installed in an area where a duct system is already installed or can be installed to force exhaust out of the kitchen. This can greatly limit the space where you can position the cooking range and hood.

What Are Ductless Range Hoods?

Ductless hoods can be installed just about anywhere. Because they don’t need to vent to the home’s exterior and are ductless, they don’t need to be installed only where there is a duct.

Ductless Range Hoods Pros and Cons

Pro 1. A ductless range hood is a little more versatile and can be easily installed just about anywhere in your kitchen. Because these types of hoods simply filter and recirculate the air of your kitchen, there’s no need to stress about installing them near duct or pipe that reaches the outside.

Pro 2. In this way, this type of hood appears to be more convenient than ducted hood, at least in regards to the installation process. A lot of ductless models might have timers that can be programmed to turn on or off automatically when they detect smoke or odors.

Con 1. The ductless hoods just recirculate the air after it is filtered, instead of pulling in fresh air or pushing out unclean air. So your kitchen may become fairly humid. They are also sometimes noisier than ducted models. However, this depends on many factors, including brand, model, and size you decide on.

Con 2. You also need to bear in mind that their filters are required to be replaced or cleaned on a regular basis to maintain their performance. This may mean more out of pocket expenses for you.

So, Which Range Hood is Better?

Deciding on a ducted or ductless range hood typically depends on your choice. Although ducted range hoods are more efficient and cost-effective down the road, ductless hoods also work perfectly fine and are more adaptable in many settings. Commercial kitchens are more likely to go with ducted range hoods while residential kitchens can install either one of these.