Difference Between The Ductless and Ducted Range Hood

Range hoods are growing more popular in the United States and the rest of the world, so it’s not surprising that top manufacturers like GE Appliances, Bosch, Whirlpool, and Thermador are all raking in a lot of money from the sales of range hoods worldwide. The market grows bigger every single day, and the effect of the innovative goals of some of the appliances is making all the impact as far as sales of major household appliances are concerned. Using the information provided by the Statista Research Department, we were able to create this chart that shows the most used range/cooktop brands in the United States in 2015.

GE Appliances emerged as the clear winner as 22.90% of the respondents claimed they used ranges/cooktops manufactured by GE Appliances. Whirlpool came in just behind GE Appliances with a share of respondents of 12.50%, while brands like Bosch, NuTone, JennAir, Broan, Thermador, and Frigidaire all had shares of respondents of 8.30%, 7.30%, 6.20%, 6.20%, and 6.20%, and 5.20% respectively. Wolf Appliance, Inc., Viking, Kenmore, Maytag, and Fantech all occupied the last positions with shares of respondents of 4.20%, 3.10%, 3.10%, 2.10%, and 2.10%, respectively.

Factors To Consider When Buying A Range Hood

Purchasing a range hood requires a lot of effort apart from just going on the market to pick any available option. If you adopt this straightforward yet dangerous approach, you’ll only select the wrong product and waste your money at the end of the day. The first and most crucial step in this whole process is understanding that many factors need to be considered regardless of the range hood type you’re opting for.

In the era of e-commerce, where people can shop for their favorite products from the comfort of their homes, cases of buyers returning some of the products delivered to them have been on the high side. However, it’ll be unreasonable to think that it’s all down to a lack of proper product research and the market before investing money. To help protect your investment and ensure that you purchase a fitting range hood, we have compiled a list of some of the factors you should seriously consider when buying a range hood below.

Maintenance

One of the greatest mistakes people make today is to invest heavily in an appliance without knowing how hard or easy it is for the machine to be maintained such that it can last for a long time. If you’re stuck between choosing a ductless or ducted range hood, you should be able to tell which of the two options will be the toughest to clean. For ductless range hoods, you should understand that they are built with powerful filters and fans to help capture airborne particles effectively. You may find yourself regularly cleaning to ensure that the appliance continues to perform at the highest level.

For ducted range hoods, they only capture the airborne particles and release them outdoors as soon as possible. This means you don’t have to clean as frequently as you need to clean a ductless range hood. So, a ducted range hood is easier to maintain than its ductless models, so if you’re big on maintenance, you already know your choice.

Level of noise

Noise is a big deal for many people. If you happen to be one of these people, you won’t like a range hood or appliances that make a lot of noise. Naturally, because of the fans they run on, range hoods make considerable noise, but when the noise gets too much, you should know something is up with the range hood.

Learn more about how to make your range hood quiet here.

The noise level of the range hood option you’re looking to get should also play a vital role in deciding if it’s the best for your kitchen. According to Range Craft, ductless range hoods are packed with more fans and filters, which means that they require more power to gather the unwanted airborne particles and blow them back into the kitchen as fresh air. As a result, ductless range hoods make more noise because of the rapid speed of the fans rolling to ensure that they work effectively.

On the contrary, the fans featured in ducted range hoods operate more quietly because they don’t have to work as hard to force dirty air through the filter as they are only required to pass the unwanted particles outdoors.

Heat Reduction

You need to know how the range hood model you’re looking to purchase operates as it will prepare you for both the expected and unexpected. If you’re buying a ducted range hood, you should know it releases all the airborne particles and the moisture captured in the kitchen outdoors, so there are no chances that some of these particles will come back in. However, ductless range hoods release the unwanted particles back into the kitchen after they must have been filtered, which means you may also remove heat with them.

Size

Another critical factor you need to consider when buying a range hood is the size of the range hood you’re purchasing. Ideally, the range hood you’re purchasing should be as wide as your range and some inches wider than the range. If a range hood is not wide enough to capture all the emissions from all available burners around the cooking area, having a range hood won’t be worthwhile. Likewise, the range shouldn’t be too extensive for the cooking canopy because it won’t fit in and will destroy the overall decor of your kitchen.

The best way to ensure you get the right size range hood is to measure your cooking range or cooktop correctly before going on the market to purchase a range hood.

What is a Ducted Range Hood?

If you’ve ever asked questions like ‘what is a ducted range hood,’ ‘how what does a ductless range hood mean,’ or ‘what is the difference between ducted and ductless range hoods,’ you’re not alone. People have often asked these questions as range hoods have become modern appliances around the home, although they remain very underrated. A ducted range hood is connected to a duct via pipes to help channel particles from your kitchen to the other side of the wall (outdoors).

They’re primarily found in commercial kitchens but can also be found in residential homes, depending on how often you cook or how your kitchen is designed. If you’re planning to purchase a ducted range hood, you must have enough ducts in your kitchen to successfully install the appliance. People prefer ducted range hoods because they offer quiet operations and are also very efficient.

Pros

• They offer quiet operations as their exhaust fans are farther away from the cooking range.
• They’re very efficient in removing cooking odors and heat from the kitchen, especially when they have mesh filters in them.
• If you’re looking for something stylish, you should opt for ducted hoods because they look more modern and help beautify the kitchen.
• They can easily remove any moisture from the cooktop, thanks to the powerful fan speeds that come with them.

Cons

• There are limitations in terms of how your kitchen is designed. Experts don’t often recommend ducted island range hoods because they just don’t work.
• They cost more than ductless hoods.
• They can only be installed in a kitchen that already has ducts. Otherwise, you’ll be required to install new vents.

What is a Ductless Range Hood?

In the simplest way possible, a ductless range hood is a range hood without ducts or a non-ducted range hood, as people often call it. People have frequently asked – what does a ductless range hood mean? You can install the range hood without ducts or pipes to help channel the airborne particles captured by the hood outside the kitchen. As opposed to a ducted range hood that takes all the airborne particles outside the kitchen, a ductless range hood uses a recirculation process to help improve the quality of the air in your kitchen.

If you’re looking for a range hood that you can install anywhere in the kitchen, this is the perfect option. You can remodel your kitchen anytime and keep your ductless range hood because it does not need ducts to function correctly. Although if you’re purchasing a ductless range hood, you should be prepared for more noise and cleaning.

If you purchase a ductless island range hood with a charcoal filter, you will have an efficient machine at your disposal, giving you the best results you can imagine.

Pros

• Ductless hoods are incredibly affordable.
• They usually feature one or more charcoal filters to help efficiently remove odors from the air and recirculate them back into the kitchen.
• They are available as microwaves and installed directly above the cooking range or cooktop. This is perfect if you don’t have enough space in your small kitchen.

Cons

• You’ll need to regularly change the filters, which sometimes cost up to $20.
• Ductless hoods make more noise.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are ductless range hoods effective?

Yes, ductless range hoods are super effective, which explains why they’re a popular choice for residential kitchens.

2. Do ductless range hoods work?

According to ProLine Range Hoods, ductless range hoods may not be as efficient as ducted range hoods, but they still do the job.

3. Do range hoods have to be vented outside?

If you’re purchasing a ductless range hood, you don’t have to worry about it because the appliance takes in unwanted particles and recirculates them into the kitchen. However, a ducted range hood is known to do quite the opposite as it will help you take the captured airborne particles outside the kitchen.

4. Which is better – ducted or ductless range hood?

Both range hood types have reasons to choose one over the other, so it’s hard to tell which is better overall. It all depends on many factors and, most importantly, individual preference.

Conclusion

Once you’ve been able to identify that a range hood is needed in your kitchen, the next thing is to start making moves to purchase one. However, before getting one, you need to consider some essential factors, such as the type of range hood that is perfect for your kitchen, how often you cook, kitchen style, your budget, and many more. You also need to get familiar with the difference between ductless and ducted range hoods so you can know which one best suits your kitchen style.