A rangehood may not be the first item on your list when looking to update your kitchen, but they are an important part of keeping your cooking areas smoke free, so use this Rangehood Buying Guide to make an educated choice when buying.
Why do I need a rangehood? 
While you may want your kitchen to be filled with the delicious aromas of the foods you are cooking, you will still be producing lots of heat, moisture, grease and smoke.
Not only will this damage your cabinets and walls over time, it’s not great for your health.
rangehoods provide ventilation and remove bad odours, replacing fumes with fresh air.
Types of rangehood
Deciding on how to choose a rangehood will depend on how your kitchen is set up. Here are several of the product types available.
Under-cabinet hoods
As the name suggests, these attach to the underside of a cabinet above your range.
Chimney hoods
Mounted to walls above the cooker, these models function with a flue that goes up the wall to the ceiling for ventilation.
Island hoods
These rangehoods hang from the ceiling over a cooktop island, meaning they need to connect to the exterior vent through ductwork in the ceiling.
Downdraft hoods
Downdraft rangehoods attempt to reverse rising smoke and exhaust fumes through ducts underneath the floor.
They have the benefit that they can be used anywhere in the kitchen, but are less effective because they perform a more difficult function.
Ductless hoods
Remove smoke and odours away from the cooktop, but do not remove them from the kitchen – instead recirculating them.
Exterior rangehoods
Rangehoods have become increasingly stylish over the years, with many offering a modern touch to contemporary kitchens.
Many are stainless steel for an aesthetically pleasing finish, but if you feel like this isn’t the right material for you, there are plenty of other options available.
Aluminum or Charcoal filters
Ducted and ductless rangehoods come with aluminium and charcoal filters respectively.
Aluminium filters will need to be washed every couple of months, while charcoal ones need replacing entirely just as regularly – even more frequently if you cook a lot of foods high in grease.
Lighting Options
Many rangehoods come with lighting fixtures and options include:
•Incandescent
•Fluorescent
•Halogen
•LED
Speed and Controls
Rangehoods will often have between three and six fan speeds, with some models offering an automatic variation of speeds.
Most households shouldn’t find more than three speeds necessary, using high speeds while actually cooking and lower ones when finishing up a meal.
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