Do I really need a range hood?
SEE OUR FINISHED KITCHEN HERE!
I need to tell you my deepest darkest kitchen secret:
I do not like a range hood.
I hate them all.
I particularly detest the massive monument-to-wasted-space that has become a bizarre status symbol; like mounting a Range Rover over your stove.
Sure, you can choose one that is low-profile, but that would be in direct opposition to the opportunity to install an oversized jet-engine, directly in the place your face goes while standing at the stove.
Although obviously, (like any sensible person) I would trade a good portion of my soul for this kitchen.
Those sentences above areĀ the beginning of a post I started months agoā¦ Back when I thought I could withstand the scorn of the internet if I chose to not waste money and space onĀ an appliance that I will never use.
However.
I have since begun to fear the wrath of the Appropriate-Cooking-Evaluators: a band of angry militants who patrol the internet for violations which offend them personally; and who believe that forgoing a direct-vented range hood is akin to voluntarily injecting yourself with Ebola virusā unbelievably stupid.
Like this kitchen below– so terrible! Let’s take a moment to reflect on how badly we feel for these people that their kitchen is so subpar!
Iām practically BLIND FROM HOW HORRIBLE THIS IS.
So whyĀ would I considerĀ an about-face from hood-denier to herd-animal; when my preferred response to scorn and judgment is always to dig in my heels and run forward towards the executioner?
I guess the internet has broken me.
Specifically, a particular element to the internet that pervades every single topic that people can possibly form an opinion about: the mindset that there is ONLY ONE GOOD ACCEPTABLE WAY to do something that has zero impact on anyone else’s life.
The ONLY ONE GOOD ACCEPTABLE WAY people believe ONE THING, and then that is ALL THEY BELIEVE and they make it their lifeās work to make sure anyone not doing THE WAY is immediately disqualified from life, clapped in irons, and dragged to the town square to be flogged for idiocy.
Which, upon reflection, is the source of all human conflict through history: your own opinions are fine, but other peopleās are moronic and intolerable and deserving of the flaming cannonballs with chains.
Unless they happen to agree with you, in which case they are well-informed.
The ONLY ONE GOOD ACCEPTABLE WAY peopleās initial input is well-meaning! (If bordering on didactic and unhinged.)
But if you fail to PROPERLY HEED THEIR WARNING AND APPRECIATE THEIR WISDOMā¦they become enraged.
WHY! Why would someone WHO HAS BEEN WARNED!! Fail to instal a direct-vent range hood???
Look at THESE IDIOTS! Living without a range hood!
Imbeciles!
Ā
I am thinking specifically of a kitchen-chatboard thread, where a woman explained that it was IMPOSSIBLE to direct-vent her range hood. And she wondered if (seeing as how she couldnāt direct vent,) could she just skip the questionably-effective-substitute-which-is-essentially-just-a-fan and install a light fixture she had fallen in love with.
It was the light fixture of her dreams! A design element that would bring her peace and joy and goodwill towards all! A lamp that would improve her very existence on earth and she could die happy because SHE HAD THE BEST LAMP.
The responses variedā¦ but there were an ALARMING number of respondents who were EXTREMELY BOTHERED by the fact that this woman was not gutting her kitchen to the studs and reconfiguring everything towards the goal of direct-venting the range hoodā¦ and she should probably just go out and rent a bulldozer THAT VERY NIGHT and knock it all down to the ground while flagellating herself for having considered any other option.
Ā
They basically went on to suggest that she was a filthy, squalor-dwelling subhuman moron.
And as I read on and on and onā¦ I have to tell you that I was AMAZED at the PASSION total strangers were bringing to disparaging this woman and her lamp… I mean, who has time for lengthy screeds decrying other people’s DESIGN CHOICES?
And then I was EVEN MORE AMAZED at how these people do not realize that they look like flaming lunatics.
My FAVORITE response was from a woman who wrote:
This one time, we didnāt have a range hood, and we had to THROW AWAY ALL OF OUR BELONGINGS INCLUDING THE FURNITURE after one monthĀ BECAUSE THEY SMELLED SO FOUL AND HORRIBLEĀ from non-vented cooking odors.
I donāt know about youā¦ but that does NOT sell me on a ventā¦ it DOES, however, make me wonder WHAT THIS WOMAN IS MAKING FOR DINNER.
Anyway. All of this is to explain that I do not want a range hood.
But that I am thinking about it anyway.
Because of the internet.
And I am mad about it.
The way Iāve decided to deal with this irritating anxiety that MY kitchen in MY house designed to MY preferences might draw the ire of some random stranger on the internet is to turn it over to you.
Here’s what you need to know: our township construction code does not require one. I will not have an eight-burner stove outgassing 67 billion btu’s/therms/whatever other specs.
Ok! GO FOR IT!
This is your chance!
I WASH MY HANDS.
And if you fail to draw me out from the cave and convince me of the shadows on the wall, then you must return to your war room and inform the other ONLY ONE GOOD ACCEPTABLE WAY-ers that your method is flawed.
Please make a good argument! Definitely do not include information like this: you NEED a hood!
Because: SURPRISE! I do not!
I can prove that to you because we HAD a hood! It was direct-vented!
And I NEVER USED IT.
I never used it SO MUCH that I had Paul take it out.
Every single night I was likeā WHY IS THIS THING RIGHT IN MY FACE?
Until eventually I was like– Plague of nonsense, BE GONE!
p.s.ā save some outrage for the post where I explain how Iām thinking of not having a freezer.
xoxo,
VEB, squalor-dwelling subhuman moron, esq.
Sandy
June 8, 2018 @ 9:50 pm
HA! I’m anti hood too š And I think I read the same forum. Folks YELLING at that poor woman. How DARE she ask, “Can you have a stove/range without a hood vent?” The end of our galley is the ‘home’ of our range – right next to the back door. Smoke no problems. Throw the door open! Smells no problem – I don’t get the ‘smell’ argument anyway. My husband buys food scented candles/tarts -pancake, Christmas cookie, blueberry…I’m sure if there was a “fish fry” we would own that one too! LOL Anyhoooo – we have a through wall 1950’s kitchen fan – that still works! I rarely use it. Our 1950’s cupboards have not disintegrated from grease. Go figure!
Kyleigh
June 21, 2018 @ 10:36 pm
I cannot express to you in words how much I enjoyed this entire article. So funny! So well written and this subpar human has decided, Lord willing, to put an island I’m with a stove and no vent!
Sherry
June 28, 2018 @ 12:43 pm
I have a down draft … I cook steaks & other meats QUITE often in cast iron & the proof I need SOME kind of directed ventilation is the nasty, goopy, sloppy grease trap I have to clean out most every other month.
It’s a complicated affair that requires paper towels & kitchen tongs. But it keeps my kitchen (somewhat) from being coated in grease from the smoke generated when I cook. My kitchen is 20’X20′ … am I REALLY going to wipe down the whole thing (cabinets, light fixtures, etc.) every time I cook a steak? Doubt it…..
I don’t care for the down draft, but it’s done the job for 12 years.
My Jenn Air cook top is old, has some issues & is (I think) ugly … but I’m not ready to pull the trigger on a new one … the gas ones are VERY expensive & they only have a few models (none of which I’m mad about) …. and putting a ventilation hood in my kitchen would be CRAZY expensive & ruin the openness of the room.
Navi Lee
July 11, 2018 @ 10:04 am
š¤ Oh dear lord, we can do that?! I am showing this to my husband. I donāt feel I need one either and have been trying to find ways to tell him. Thank you.
Sophie
August 31, 2018 @ 6:28 pm
I really think Downdraft is the way to go. Avoid a range hood, unless it is in-between cabinets and it is up against the wall , never ever put it in the middle of the room it takes away from the room. Today, most people prefer Downdraft consider a high quality quieter one . We view properties as part of our job, and we viewed a high end fixer house with a massive range hood right in the middle of the kitchen , so when you opened the door of the house your eyes went right to the range hood, an ugly silver monstrosity! As the walls came down to create an open floor plan I told the contractor remove the big range hood, put in a Downdraft . So, when you opened the door the eye went right to the spectacular view. The kitchen looked like a modern, open inviting space with much cleaner look. Second thing, to avoid is a really dark cabinets, it casts a darkness into the room it can even change color appearance of granite /quartz countertops, we’ve seen it done. Dark cabinets are for mansions with super big kitchens and/ or if you can offset the dark cast your in luck. There are ways to do that . Just something we’ve noted in our work
Carrie Appel
June 17, 2019 @ 5:50 pm
Thank you for this post and the inspiration photos. Weāre currently doing a whole house remodel and Iāve put off the range hood decision for as long as possible. I hate them, theyāre ugly and we rarely used ours when we had one. Youve helped me make up my mind – Iām installing lighting instead!
Karen
June 28, 2019 @ 12:32 am
I too hate range hoods. And will not be installing one in our new kitchen. I raise a toast to you…and I join thee as a subhuman moron happily surviving without a range hood!
Mina GligoriÄ
July 11, 2019 @ 9:49 am
Me too, everyone around me thinks that’s the appliance to have! Yes it’s a time-waster and it’s rarely used and cleaned even more rarely! Wow. You helped me decide – no hood, just a besutiful minimalistic black and white kitchen from my dreams!
Paul
July 19, 2019 @ 12:10 pm
NEW to your blog. I know this is an old post, but GLAD I ran across it. I am stopping my search for a range hood in my kitchen remodel (kitchen move actually) thanks to YOU! I don’t think I need a 40+ inch range hood when I have done without for 15 years. Yes, I had a smaller stove and there was a small “bathroom” like vent above the stove, but I don’t need a big vent now.
Now, if you can help me decide on cabinets to match my flooring……
Thanks
Paul
Joelle
July 23, 2019 @ 3:57 pm
Great article! I will be framing and hanging it over my stove! š
Angela Hawley
August 17, 2019 @ 5:20 pm
Thank YOUUUUUU!!!
my husband And are in disagreement right now over this issue. With a peninsula range(gas) . he wanting to spend a hefty 3500 for a newfangled downdraft range.. I believe not nessisary, as we had no hood and did fine for 25 years.. Whatever we painted the kitchen twice. I just. Am unwilling to spend that kind of money, for what seems to have pretty mixed reviews anyway. And range hoods are ugly , noisy, and people I know who have them rarely ever use them!!
Lynn Weddle
August 20, 2019 @ 10:26 pm
I know I’m beyond fashionably late to the party, but help me? I will not be installing a range hood over the gas stove in my 1842 log cabin, with 1980 knotty pine kitchen. The stove backs up to a log wall, and I envision a mirror reflecting the lake, hanging cast iron skillets, and a colored glass light fixture. There is a whole- house fan above the stove, as well as ample windows and glass doors to crack. But what about the bathroom exhaust fan, which does not work? I have a big bathroom window. I want to replace the fan with another fabulous light fixture, and just crack the window when needed. I live on a lake and am a fresh air freak anyway, so a little air even in winter is fine! Will probably just do what I want anyway, just looking for some kindred spirits?
Scottt Griffin
February 8, 2020 @ 1:50 am
I applaud your rage, carry on.
Shannon A.
February 8, 2020 @ 11:34 am
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I soooo needed to discover your post. You have solidified my decision despite any other opinions that have tried to change my mind, I am saving my forehead (and head for that matter) from future bumps and bruises. No hood!!!! Thank you again Victoria. šš
J. Bennett
April 14, 2020 @ 7:56 am
This is a debate I’m my home now. I have a stove that is not on my wall and no hood. For a years it was fine! House only got smoky a couple times a year and I would just be sure I could open a window before I cooked that. Now my boyfriend, a chef, lives here. He has a completely different cooking style and regularly has a cast iron pan searing or frying something. I have a fan set to help break up the smoke and push it out open doors, but it still lingers. My eyes will water for a bit and you can visibly see the smoke. It’s a small house so the living room is effected as well. I used to not want a range because the stove is a central gathering place of the kitchen. But now… I am just so worried about the grease clinging to everything! My wine glasses are always sticky on the outside. I have a beautiful wood ceiling that will be impossible to properly clean the grease off of. Now I am in search of a hood which led me to this post. I think the need for a hood really depends on your home and cooking style. I think I could go forever without one. But my boyfriend needs one…
William Allik
April 14, 2020 @ 4:43 pm
I regularly sear meat in cast iron, stir-fry in a huge steel wok, roast coffee on the stovetop, and also deep fry fish.I do all this in a smallish kitchen, adjacent to living areas, and I do it all year round, including times when it would be very impractical to open windows and doors.I should also mention that I have a Blue Star range that kicks out 24,000 BTUs each on the two front burners.To my mind, one should do without the powerful, direct vent hood mainly if one’s commercial range top has been purchased just for looks, or if the stove is situated in one’s summer home, or if one lives in Mexico, or if one employs weekly cleaning help: conditions that seem to have been met by several of the above posters, as well as the people to whom the kitchens in the article belong. As for me, if I had to choose between going back to my old Kenmore range and giving up the hood, I would say goodbye to the Blue Star, because all you can do with that power, and no hood, is to boil water a little quicker, and I have a Zojirushi for that.
heesun
April 23, 2020 @ 11:18 pm
The main reason why I think it’s important to have a hood over a stove is because it has been linked to lung cancer. In studies, it has been shown that among non-smokers with lung cancer, more people did not have a hood in the kitchen and had been exposed to cooking oil fumes. In addition, if you have a gas stove, you have a greater chance of carbon monoxide poisoning if you don’t use a hood. Now, if you have a window near by that can extract the cooking fumes efficiently, it may be fine. However, if you don’t, it is safer for your health to have a hood over the stove to remove the fumes. If you don’t cook much with oil and have an electric stove, maybe you can get away with not having a hood. But, I like to saute foods with oil, so for me, it’s important to have a hood. In fact, I am looking to buy a house right now, and no matter how nice the house is, if there isn’t a hood and it looks like it will be hard to install one, I will not consider the house. It is one of the first things I look at. Having clean indoor air is very important to me for health reasons. Many people will be fine cooking without hoods, but in the same way, many smokers never get lung cancer either. It is genetic. We don’t know who is more prone to lung caner. All we can do is try and reduce our odds of getting lung cancer, and one way is by removing the cooking oil fumes with a hood or open a close by window if you have one.
Another way to reduce your odds of getting lung cancer, and this is completely unrelated, is to make sure you don’t have radon gas in your house. There is a small device that will detect levels of radon gas in the house and I have that plugged in all the time and monitor it. It’s important especially if you live in an area that is high in radon gas. I live in Connecticut, and every house I’ve lived in had high radon levels, so in each house, I installed a radon mitigation fan and I check the levels of radon inside the house regularly. Radon gas has a high correlation to lung cancer. Cooking oil fumes have a correlation to lung cancer as well, although less high than radon gas.
Sam
May 3, 2020 @ 1:42 am
Just here to say that your writing style is really quite ANNOYING
Jenna
May 6, 2020 @ 5:05 am
If it isn’t a fire hazard then what is the issue? I thought fire safety issue was the reason for one this would be a very good argument against that having one but if it isn’t then why in the heck are people even talking about it or worried about what you’re doing with your kitchen if it is a fire safety then unfortunately you need one right I’m sure you’re aware of the answer as you seem extremely intelligent I’d love to know the answer however myself cuz I am not educated on the matters of it kitchen remodeling but this was a great read.
Wendy
June 1, 2020 @ 6:40 pm
I’m thinking of not having a range hood OR a stove in our new house. Just a few portable induction burners. I have an induction top now which I love, but why have that take counter space when I usually use maybe one burner a day, sometimes 2. But I only ever use 4 at once for large holiday dinners. And there will be a microwave cubby under the counter – no more over the stove.