6 Best Recirculating Range Hoods Reviewed & Buying 2024

best recirculating range hoods

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Any modern home without a range hood is considered not viable for family life. According to Healthline, a leading online publication that centers its writings on the various health living ways, says that a good home should have an air system that works. It is for that reason your house needs the best recirculating range hood. Nonetheless, you may ask, what is a recirculating range hood? How is it different from other range hoods? This article will address those and other related questions, but first, let’s talk about the important question.

At A Glance 6 Top Recirculating Range Hoods 

If you are in short time you can consider this list. This is only short list for at a glance. I reviewed details each product  separately  in the reviews section. I hope you will get much information from my buying guide section.  

Read :Island range hoods review. 

What is a Recirculating Range Hood?

Unlike ducted hoods that have pipes leading outside, recirculating range hoods have in-built filters that suck up the hot, contaminated air coming from your cooking, clean it, and use a fan to blow it back into your kitchen. This process gives you fresh air that is free from grease, smoke, and other particles that can slowly affect your health over time. Recirculating range hoods are not attached to a pipe leading outside.

Now that you know what a ductless or recirculating range hood is, it is time we look at the top 7 recirculating range hoods in the market.

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Best Recirculating Range Hoods This Year

I mentioned recirculating range hoods are same to ductless range hoods. Here I listed 7 top rated recirculating or ductless range hoods basis of testing in 15 kitchen’s reciruculating range hood. Here I also have spent near about  50 hours duration for create my list.  Lets we know the 7  best ductless range hoods one by one.

1. Broan-NuTone 413023 Ductless Range Hood

When it comes to your kitchen, saving space is one of the most important things, and with the Broan-NuTone 413023, that is exactly what you get. This range hood is ductless which means it won’t take up much space or make your kitchen appear bulky. Not only is this range hood a space saver, but it is also affordable, without skimping on the important features

Product Information:

The Broan-NuTone comes to you with a bisque hood insert. This insert improves the lighting and ventilation over your stove. The filtration system works by removing smoke and odors so you can get a clean, clear kitchen.

For filtration, the hood uses a replaceable charcoal filter. You can easily change it to control the grease capture. It also has a protective lens that evenly distributes light. The lamp lens can accept bulbs with a range of up to 75W.

Versatility is the name of the game with this range hood. It has a separate rocker that allows you to control the light and the fan, which has two speeds, easily. This way you can have sufficient lighting as well as an odorless kitchen.

One other important feature of the hood is the powerful 2-speed motor that makes all the applications work. It also uses a non-ducted filter to sweeten the deal.

Pros

  • A charcoal filter that removes smoke and odor effectively.
  • Easy one-person installation.
  • Uses replaceable filters.
  • Button for switching between 2 fan speeds and the light.

Cons

  • It cannot handle heavy cooking.
  • Self-installation needs a pre-existing wiring system.

My View

With the price and the beautiful design, this ductless range hood is just what you need to spice up your kitchen. It is not heavy and will always leave your kitchen looking and smelling good.

2. Broan-NuTone 413001 Non-Ducted Under-Cabinet Ductless Range Hood

Here is yet another ductless range hood from Broan-Nutone. This hood is lighter than the previous one and it can light up your kitchen, perfectly blending in with your theme. There is also no need for cutting holes through your wall or furniture as it is also ductless. It easy to install even when alone.

Product Information:

As with all Broan-NuTone range hoods, you can expect incredible results. The hood insert improves the lighting and ventilation over your stove. It does this through the non-ducted filtration system that removes the smoke, dust, and odor effectively.

The hood uses a charcoal filter that is replaceable which makes its care easy. The charcoal filter also filters airborne particulates, maintaining clean air quality, and leaves fresh air. The hood comes with easy to follow instructions that make the installation of the system easy. You even get instructions to help you with a recessed cabinet install.

The hood range also has a 2-speed fan that works using a powerful but quiet motor. You can also have control over the system through the switch for controlling the fan speed and light activation.

Pros

  • A microteck system for filtering airborne cooling contaminants.
  • The charcoal filters are replaceable and dishwasher safe.
  • Comes with installation instructions for easy installing.
  • Gives you control over the fan speed and the lighting.
  • Protective lamp lens for distributing light evenly.

Cons

  • The high setting isn’t very powerful.
  • You might need to hardwire it if you don’t have wiring, making installation hard.

My View

There is no way you can go wrong with this ductless range hood. It has an elegant design that combined with the color helps in brightening your kitchen. It also has powerful features that help to remove odors, leaving your kitchen clear and clean.

3. Broan-NuTone F403023 Range Hood Insert

Since you can’t get anything better than a Broan-NuTone range hood, we bring you yet another one. This hood gives you excellent performance that coupled with its versatility makes it one of the best you could get. You can install it either vertically or horizontally and you can use it as a ductless or a ducted unit.

Product Information

Performance is at its best with this high-quality hood insert. The insert provides lighting and ventilation over your stove in four ways; ducted, and you can install it either horizontally or vertically; and ductless. This versatility in its use gives you room to design your kitchen the way you want, according to your specifications.

This hood insert is also the ideal size, it is not too big so you don’t have to stress over where to put it. You can install it at least 18 inches above your cooking area for better results. It is also easy to care for with its dishwasher safe aluminum mesh filter.

The insert also has separate switches for easily controlling the light and the fan. The fan itself has two speeds that you can control when removing dust and smoke.

Pros

  • Easily installed in 4 different ways.
  • Easy to clean with its dishwasher safe filters.
  • Includes a duct connector so it can work as either a ducted or ductless unit.
  • It is great for light cooking.
  • Offers easy control with switches for the fan and lights.

Cons

  • The motor is a little noisy.
  • Not equipped for heavy cooking.

My View

Everyone needs versatility in their life and this hood insert doesn’t disappoint. You can install it in four different ways and can use it either ductless or ducted, depending on whether you have a wiring system or not. This hood insert is a good buy for anyone who handles light cooking.

4. Broan-NuTone 413604 Non-Ducted Ductless Range Hood Insert

A ductless range hood insert is a necessity, especially if you have an old design kitchen that doesn’t have the venting provisions. There is no need for a venting duct with this design and it is what makes ductless vents better, and the Broan NuTone 413604 worth it.

Product information

The first thing I would like to mention about this vent is its size. The hood insert is large, meaning it can cover more burners. The more burners a hood covers, the more smoked removed in the shortest time possible. This hood is good for people with many stovetops or who do a lot of cooking.

Apart from the large hood size that makes ventilation a breeze, this insert also has a light fix below. The fixture can accept a bulb with up to 75 watts. This bulb is what will illuminate the cooktop so you can see clearly what you are cooking. The hood also has a protective lamp lens that not only illuminates your work surface but it gives you clear visibility by removing smoke. It also ensures that the smoke doesn’t mix with the food.

The range hood uses a charcoal filter that both removes odor and filters out air. You can use this hood to keep your work surface well lighted and well ventilated. It also has a stainless steel construction that makes it long-lasting.

Pros

  • The 36-inch hood size that covers more stovetops for better smoke dissipation.
  • No sharp edges.
  • Sturdy and durable stainless-steel body.
  • Uses replaceable charcoal filters for removing smoke and odor.
  • Lamp lens for illumination.

Cons

  • The charcoal filter doesn’t remove grease.
  • Filters need frequent replacement.

My View

The large hood size, the smooth edges, and the stainless-steel body are some of the important things people look for a ductless range hood. What else could anyone ask for in a cabinet range hood? This hood comes with all the features you could want in your kitchen and more.

5. Air King AD1213 Advantage Ductless Under Cabinet Range Hood

We all want a range hood that lasts for a long time and the Air King AD1213 is exactly that. It allows for a duct-free operation eliminating the need for ducting runs. It is 21 inches wide and is made of stainless steel that makes it one of the most durable range hoods available.

Product Information

The unit has a dual rocker on and off control switch that gives, you control over the light. The range hood supports a 60-watt bulb. You can also use the switch to control the filter that filters grease and other debris. The filter is easy to remove and traps anything from smoke, odor, grease, and other debris leaving your kitchen clean.

Another of the features that stick out the most about this unit is the industrial-grade fans it has. The powerful 2-speed fan provides ventilation, removes all the smoke, and smells from your kitchen.

The range hood has a sleek and low-profile design. This design is made to fit with any home’s décor. It also has a quiet and powerful 2-speed motor that makes all the operations necessary. The quiet operation allows you to perform your duties without a lot of noise and adequate ventilation and lighting.

Pros

  • A powerful 2-speed motor that operates the hood.
  • The hood has a 60-watt cooktop light.
  • Has a 2-speed fan for removing smoke.
  • Filter for removing grease, dirt, and other debris.
  • Has a dual rocker switch for controlling the light and fan.

Cons

  • The fan speeds are weak, even at the highest setting.
  • Doesn’t work well with heavy cooking.

My View

Installing this unit is easy as it comes with instructions on installing. It offers you control over the light and speed settings and has a powerful light. Add to it the affordable price and this range hood is quite a steal.

6. Air King AD1243 Advantage Ductless Under Cabinet Range Hood

When buying an under cabinet range hood, the thing at the forefront is the build. You want to make sure you get a sturdy and durable hood so that you don’t have to buy a new one all the time. This range hood is made from high-grade material with a white finish so it can fit any kitchen design.

Product Information

The Air King AD1243 is made of 24-gauge stainless steel, ensuring that you won’t have to buy another one for a long time. The range hood operates at a speed of 180 CFM. Its filter also has a combination of grease and charcoal odor, ensuring you leave your kitchen clean and fresh.

The hood has a sleek, low profile contemporary design. This design matches any kitchen décor. The hood uses a 2-speed motor that has an on/off lighting control. It also uses ductless control eliminating the need for using ducting runs.

The top light on this hood supports a 60-watt bulb. The fixture has two brightness settings giving you control of the light. You can turn it up when cooking for easier visibility or turn it down for a cozier setting.

Pros

  • A Ductless operation, no need for ducting runs.
  • 60-watt cooktop light with two settings.
  • Has a 2-speed motor with a lighting control.
  • Made of 24-gauge stainless steel for durability.
  • Operates at 180 CFM.

Cons

  • The fan is not very strong.
  • Only works well with light cooking.

My View

While the fan might not blow as hard as the previous one, this range hood is a good buy. It is affordable and has several attractive features. You can install it closer to the stovetop for better working.

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Benefits of Ductless Range Hoods

Ductless range hoods are modern and designed for versatility. Because they do not have pipes or ducts, you can install them just about anywhere in your kitchen. You can have it against a wall if your cooktop is against a wall.

A ductless range hood can also be installed in the middle of a kitchen above an island cooktop. This makes it convenient to have if you live in an apartment without access to an outside wall. Not only does it give your kitchen fresh air, it also enhances its aesthetic to a more modern one. In addition, there are no wall holes to fill when you redesign your kitchen.

Ductless range hoods are also very affordable. Their initial purchase price and maintenance is inexpensive. You only need to clean the filters once every few months, and replace it when it wears out. Since the hood does not have pipes leading outside, you do not have extra hardware to keep an eye on and replace whenever it gets rusty. Ductless range hoods are definitely the way to go if you want an affordable way to get fresh air in your kitchen.

You may like: best island range hoods review. 

Range Hood vs Exhaust Fan

either. While range hoods are a more recent invention, exhaust fans have been used for years. You might move into a house that has one. Should you change it or just endure? After all, it gets air circulating, right?

Wrong. Exhaust fans might be an affordable way to keep the air moving, but they need to be attached to a wall leading outside. That means you have limited areas in the kitchen to put one. It is impossible to have a fan if you live in an apartment with a kitchen that has no outside wall access. Ductless range hoods can fit anywhere, and are highly aesthetic wherever you decide to put one.

Another downside of exhaust fans is the fact that they need a damper for the vent pipe. The vent pipe releases the hot air in your kitchen to the outside, and a damper keeps the vent closed when you are not using the fan. However, a damper can become rusty and bring in chilly air from the outside. You will need to replace it periodically, something you do not have to do with a ductless range hood.

Ductless Range Hood Installation

Installing a ductless range hood does not have to be a tedious process. Most range hoods come with the manufacturer’s instructions that make it easier for you to do it yourself even if you do not have any technical skills. All you need is a screwdriver, some nuts, and a clamp for the electric cables.

Before installing, make sure you have a power outlet that can supply at least 110V. If existing outlets are overloaded, call an electrician to install an extra one. Make sure to turn off the electrical supply when you install your ductless range hood. Since range hoods go under a cabinet, make sure there is enough wide space to accommodate it.

Detach the electrical plate on the underside of the hood to release the wires. Raise your hood to the bottom of the cabinet you will attach it to and line up the mounting holes to the wooden sections of the cabinet. You can get some help holding the hood in place as you sink the half-inch screws into the wood.

Connect the hot wire of the range hood to the incoming hot wire from your electricity outlet, and do the same thing with the neutral wires. Clamp the wires together to keep them in place and put them back into the hood’s electrical box. Cover the electrical box and turn on the outlet to test the hood’s working.

How to Clean Range Hood Fan

Since the whole purpose of a range hood is to recirculate clean air, having a fan blocked with soot and other debris is not ideal. You need to clean your fan and filter at least once a year, more often if you cook regularly. Many of the ductless hood ranges reviewed in this piece have easily removable and replaceable filters. This means you can keep the air in your kitchen fresh for longer.

A range hood’s fan is normally screwed down and a bit difficult to remove. You will need a drill with drill bits that is compatible with your fan’s screws. Remove the fan cover by taking out its screws and putting it aside. Carefully unscrew the fan blades, keeping the screws in a place where they will not fall and get lost. Memorize or mark how the fan blades were installed before taking them off the hood. They will not work if reinstalled any other way.

Fill your sink with warm water and soap and soak the fan blades. Some fans are dishwasher safe so put them through a cycle. After you are done, wipe the fans off with a microfiber towel to make sure they are completely dry. Screw them back in place and cover.

Factors To Consider Before Buying Ductless Range Hoods

Before settling into a new kitchen there are various implications one might have to consider. One of the most important things is how to deal with the smoke that accumulates in the room while cooking.

This is where a range hoods come in. They give you the best way of dealing with the dust and grease that cause bad odor and a grimy build up over a period. In this case, particularly I will be taking you through the factors you should consider before installing a ductless range hood.

As you may have seen, the main difference between a ductless and ducted range hood is the way the two clean out the smoke from your kitchen.

 A ductless range hood contains pipes that carry airborne particles away while the other does not. Suppose you’ve settles for a ductless range hood, where do you start? What things should you put into mind before you spend your hard-earned money on any recirculating range hood that online influencers market?

Here are a few yet important things you should put in mind:

Filter

The type of filter is perhaps the most important feature you should consider. Smoke and dust particles attach themselves to the range hood’s filters, making it easy for you to clean the kitchen off any smoke, soot and any other harmful finer particles in the kitchen.

Range hood filters come in two types – charcoal and carbon. While the two work to remove smoke from your cooktop, you need to understand the subtle difference between them.

For instance, while charcoal filters are fairly cheap in price, they come with an indicator that warns you when to replace them. This way, you will know when the machine is ready for the service.

Besides, you only need to change a charcoal filter once or twice a year, something that gives you ample time to plan your budget.

Heat Buildup

The other thing you need to think of is how heat builds up in your kitchen especially at the cooktop.

One limitation of using filters as opposed to vents that lead to the outside is that as much as the filter sucks in the steam and dust on the air in circulates the heat back into the room as opposed to ventilating the warm air to the outside of the building.

Manufacturer’s advice that high BTU gas cooking equipment should always be ducted to the outside of the building, as the heat buildup would prove to be overwhelming. If changing the architecture is impossible then high performance carbon filters should be applied.

Therefore, before you think of purchasing a ductless range hood, it is important to think about the amount of heat in your kitchen. Of course, the amount of heat will depend on what you cook on a regular basis and how often you do your cooking.

Fan  

Another key factor to think of is the fan size and type that you choose to use in the ductless range hood. Blower fans are typically more effective than fans with blades (impeller fans). An ideal range hood fan should blow about 100 cubic feet per-minute of air for every twelve inches of stove.

Typically, home stoves usually are 30 inches this means that the fan needed to displace air sufficiently would have to displace about 250 – 300 cubic feet of air per minute.

Air Displacement

Another factor to consider before buying a ductless hood range is the air displacement or power. Most manufacturers  provide a measure of how much power you should expect from a range hood in terms of cubic feet per minute. This is the CFM.

This means that the higher the heat a gas cooker produces the higher the CFM your ductless range hood should have. A BTU is a measure of the amount of heat given off by a gas burner.

The ideal cubic feet per minute verses BTU measure is 1 CFM of air moved per 100 BTU. That means the average home gas burner, which produces about 18000 BTU would need a ductless range hood that moves about 200 CFM of air.

Noise

A noise recirculating range hood is a nuisance in a home. You cannot sleep or do anything serious if the noise from your kitchen is all over. While you can install a ductless range hood that features variable speeds, there is no guarantee that it would be silent.

In fact, many recirculating range hoods make a lot of noise. However, it doesn’t mean you cannot find one with a lower dB.

Timer

The other important factor to consider when buying a ductless range hood is whether it is fitted with a timer. A range hood fitted with a timer would be preferable, because the function allows the machine to power off automatically instead of having to turn it off manually. This would come in handy if when cooking, you accidentally forget to turn the range hood off. This feature is also good if you are using a ductless range hood for commercial purposes. It will switch itself off when it has finished sucking the smoke from the kitchen.

Price

Price is key.

Depending of the design, material and the power of the machine, the price can be low or high. The price of a ductless range hood ranges from 30 dollars to 300 dollars depending on the size and CFM rating.

Nonetheless, many ductless range hoods in the market are relatively cheaper than ducted range hoods. This is because ducted range hoods would require the presence of already existing ducts in the kitchen. If a range hood does not ducts the cost of installing it would prove to be more expensive than installing a ductless range hood.

The only downside to installing a ductless range hood is a running cost of replacing the charcoal and carbon filters annually or twice a year depending on the usage rate of the equipment. Nevertheless, it is still better than having no range hood at all.

Verdict 

To this point, we have looked at the various things you should consider before buying a ductless range hood. Besides, you now know what a ductless range hood is, the subtle difference between a ductless and a ducted range hood. In addition, you know the various best recirculating range hoods in the market, and how you can clean a ductless range hood.  Because I have shared these and other important information, I believe you are in a better position to make an informed decision on your quest to finding the best recirculating range hood.

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