ducted vs ductless range hood

Ducted vs. Ductless Range Hoods

Jim Morris
Updated on
Jim Morris

Jim Morris

Jim Morris loves to travel and visit a lot of architecture sites worldwide. He shares lots of information and is always looking forward to the next article on interior design, architecture and landscaping.
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When you’re planning to buy a new range hood, choosing the type of hood becomes one of the most confusing things to do. This is because we have so many options for range hoods on the market today.

There is a massive choice between ductless and ducted models in range hoods, and when selecting the right product, it all boils down to two things: kitchen set-up & installation and your preferences. It is essential to consider all the necessary factors so you can make an informed choice that will give you excellent results for years to come. If you are confused about which product to buy for yourself, you can click here to pick the best chimney, Before we dive into the different types of range hoods and their advantages and disadvantages, you must first understand what a range hood is. This will put you in a better position to grasp the major and minor differences among the two.

What is a range hood?

The enclosure over your cooking range is known as a range hood. It usually comes with a fan and swallows the smoke, steam, and even other particles in the air produced during cooking. They also add extra ventilation to your kitchen and filter out everything that comes off your stove and pulls it away from your food and you. It also pulls it away from your walls, ceiling, and other surfaces, keeping your kitchen clean and hygienic.

What are ducted range hoods?

As you might have understood, ducted hood ranges come with a duct fitted in the product. This moves the smoke and other particles from our kitchen. However, some of the kitchen designs in India might not be suitable for their installation.

If you pick this range hood, you need to make sure that proper ducts have been installed in your kitchen that will move the dirt and smoke pollution right out of your kitchen completely.

What are ductless range hoods?

The ductless range hoods are models that can be installed in whichever kitchen type of your choice. It doesn’t matter if you have a small or a big kitchen; there is no requirement to adjust your home exteriors as they come with no ducts. They operate by clearing out the air they continuously take in.

Most of them come with activated charcoal that helps remove foul odors, smoke particles, and other pollutants from the air, which are released back into your kitchen to recirculate.

Like ducted range hoods, it is essential to clean and change the activated charcoal filters within the product at least twice a year. This maintenance will allow the range hood to work more effectively and efficiently.

What is the difference In extraction for ducted vs. ductless range hoods?

Let’s start with the ductless models which forcefully take in the air and filter them out. They reduce the airflow, and during the recirculation mode, it will help extract at least 30% of air than when you have ducted out.

There are two things that affect the extraction of the ducted range hood, which is the type and length of the ducting, as well as the number of bends. You will be provided with better efficiency if the ducted hood comes with a shorter ducting run. You are ensuring that it will extract more air from the kitchen as compared to the longer ducting run. In the same way, when a range hood has fewer bands, it has a better performance than that which has more bends.

The Pros & Cons of Ducted and Ductless Hoods

We have weighed down the pros and cons of ducted and ductless hoods below for your reference so that you can make an educated choice for yourself:

 Ducted Hoods: The Good & Bad

These hood types are generally found in more extensive ranges and commercial kitchens where there are significantly more fumes, smokes, and dust particles. There is constant dirty air to deal with, which needs to be vented out for better air circulation. We believe they are far more efficient in getting rid of excess humidity and stream in the kitchen as they do not recirculate the air after filtering it out.

Many buyers believe that these hoods work far more efficiently and have fewer complaints of noise as well. However, this is debatable as the noise and efficiency can be influenced by many factors, including brand, model, size, and maintenance.

Ductless Range Hoods: The Good & Bad

If you want a range hood that can be installed anywhere and is a little more versatile in its functioning, then you can go with ductless range hoods. These hoods function on a fundamental rule of filtering and recirculating air from your kitchen. You do not have to worry about installing them with a duct or a pipe.

If you consider this factor, ductless hoods can seem far more convenient than ducted hoods. At least when it comes to the installation process of it all. You can also program many of these ductless range hoods as they come with timers. You can set them to automatically turn on or off as they detect odors or smoke.

Which one is better?

The choice you make between a ductless and ducted range hood entirely depends on your preference and usage. If you want our opinion on this, we can say that the ducted models can provide you more efficiency and run a long time, while ductless hoods can work just fine but in more flexible home settings. We recommend ducted range hoods for the commercial kitchens, while the other for residential kitchens. However, you can choose either of these.

There are many options available on the market, so we suggest you look through all of them before making your final decision. It is essential to weigh down the pros and cons of both the types of range hoods and ask yourself questions about your requirement before making the final decision. You can even order them online to get them on discounted prices!

Jim Morris

About the author

Jim Morris

Jim Morris loves to travel and visit a lot of architecture sites worldwide. He shares lots of information and is always looking forward to the next article on interior design, architecture and landscaping.

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