Island Range Hoods

Island Range Hoods

There are great choices and more selections of island range hoods on the market these days. Check our review and discover what you need to know before you buy the island range hood that is just right for you...

Island Range Hoods

So you are re-modeling your kitchen or having a home built to your specifications. In your dream kitchen you have a range built into the island, but how are you going to vent the smoke and fumes out of your kitchen? There are a wide selection of island range hoods to fit everyone’s needs and pocket books.

Speaking of pocket books, you have to realize that in order to get real quality in an island range hood; you are going to have to spend some money. Depending on how much you want your island range hood to actually do for you, you can look at spending anywhere from around $700 to over $2000.

In some cases you will pay less for a non-vented (or ductless) island range hood. This means that the air in your kitchen is being cycled through the venting system in the range hood. The hood in every island range hood is equipped with aluminum filters that help remove smoke and fumes from your cooking area, but with a ductless range hood, the air stays in your home.

With a vented or ducted island range hood, the air goes through the filters and is vented outside your home. The benefit to this is that all the smells and smoke are vented out and you won’t smell any or very little residual cooking smells when you are finished preparing your food.

Island range hoods come with various speeds for the fan and some come equipped with timers that help continue to pull air through the filters after you are done cooking so you can just set it and leave. When shopping for an island range hood, take into account the number of speeds that the fan comes with and be sure to listen to each level of speed. No reason to get 8 fan speeds if you can only carry on a conversation with one the first 4 on.

In both cases the filters are dishwasher safe and clean up very well this way. Some of the higher-end models even have a sensor on the hood that reminds you when it is time to clean the filters. This is very handy since most of us can’t remember what we had for supper last Monday, let alone when the last time we washed the island range hood filters!

If your kitchen has a ceiling higher than 10’, you may be limited in your selection, but many models offer optional extensions.

The best lighting to look for in an island range hood is halogen lighting. Halogen lights give you a more natural light while you are cooking and have a longer life than conventional bulbs. Halogen lighting also uses less electricity, so while they may be more expensive to replace, their energy inefficiency more than makes up for the initial outlay of cash.

While most island range hoods come in polished stainless steal or brushed stainless steal, there are companies that have painted models that usually come in white, but can be painted to match your kitchen décor.

Whether you are remodeling, or designing a kitchen from scratch, you can find the island range hood to fit your kitchen décor and your budget.