Outdoor Range Hood Buying Guide

7 Reasons Why You Need An Outdoor Range Hood

Not sure you need an outdoor range hood? The following signs point to “yes.”

• Your outdoor kitchen or grill sits under a ceiling or covered structure. Unless your outdoor cooking space is in a completely open outdoor space, you’ll need a range hood to suck up smoke, fumes, and cooking odors. Otherwise, you risk having grease splattering on your ceiling, walls, and cabinets and odors permeating the space.
• You have an outdoor kitchen island with a grill or cooktop. An outdoor range hood is essential for whisking away all those fumes before they have a chance to linger. 
• You’re preparing food for guests with asthma, lung conditions, or other health issues. Even when you’re cooking, odors, toxic fumes, and smoke can affect the breathing of your guests. A range hood will take care of those fumes in a flash. 
• You’ve made a big investment in your outdoor kitchen. Consider an outdoor range hood as part of your maintenance for your outdoor cooking space. Unless you enjoy scrubbing grease off cabinets and oil splatter off your walls, you’ll want a range hood to help you keep things looking nice. 
• You have multiple cooking spaces outdoors. Got more than one grill or cooktop? If you’re an outdoor chef, there’s no need to cut back on your cooking time. Instead, make sure you have a high-performance range hood to keep your air fresh and clean while you whip up another masterpiece. 
• Your outdoor kitchen is small. Cooking in a small space? You’ll find that fumes and smoke builds up more quickly, so be sure to invest in a good range hood.

What to Consider when Buying a Range Hood

Now that you know if you need an outdoor range hood or not, let’s discuss what features and other aspects you should have in mind as you consider your options.

• Size: You want your range hood to be about 12 inches larger than your grill or cooktop. So, if you have a 36-inch grill, select a 48-inch range hood. Range hoods that are too small or too big won’t be able to catch grease and fumes properly. 
• Ducted vs. ductless: We recommend a ducted range hood for outdoor use. They have stronger suction power and move fumes out from your cooking area rather than recirculating them. 
• CFM: For outdoor range hoods, choose a higher CFM (cubic feet of air moved per minute). A higher CFM means your range hood can remove air through its filter per minute. 
• Speed Settings: Given that you’ll be selecting a range hood with higher CFM, make sure it has multiple speed settings. That way you can adjust the settings based on what you’re cooking. Just throwing some veggies on the grill? Opt for the lowest setting. Grilling steaks for the whole family? Crank it up! 
• Multiple range hoods: Depending on your outdoor cooking space, you may want to purchase more than one range hood. If you have multiple grills or cooktops, make sure you have a range hood for each one. 
• Filters: Baffle filters are one of our favorite options for outdoor kitchens. These filters are grooved and can catch grease easily. They’re also dishwasher safe, for easy cleaning and maintenance. 
• Materials: Stainless steel is a durable, attractive, and easy to clean material for range hoods. It stands up well against fumes, smoke, and grease. It’s also simple to maintain with soapy water and a microfiber cloth. You can even opt for black stainless steel for a modern touch. 
• Lighting: You can select a range hood with replaceable GU10 LED bulbs to change the lighting to suit your ambience. Swap them out at any local hardware store to match your overall outdoor kitchen lighting. 
• Style: There are several different styles to choose from for your outdoor range hood. Wall mount range hoods with a canopy design make an elegant impression. If you prefer an understated look, try a built-in or under cabinet design. And if you have a kitchen island, of course, go for an island model. 
• Auto Steam Cleaning: Some range hoods, such as our UC-PS38, feature an auto-steam cleaning mode. This function melts away grease  inside the range hood and uses water to clean everything out, for better performance and efficiency. 
• Buttonless design: For a sleeker finish, opt for a range hood with buttonless design. These models are operated by touch on LED display panels. You can simply wipe the panel clean. 
• Perimeter suction: Some range hoods will only capture smoke coming from your cooktop’s front burners. Those equipped with perimeter suction provide maximum coverage. 

As you look for the ideal outdoor range hood, know that Hauslane is here to help! Our ultimate buyer’s guide will walk you through six simple steps to finding a range hood to suit your cooking style, budget, and style.