Microwave w/ Vent Or. Range Hood: Which is Right?

Why is kitchen ventilation so important?

Well, a ventilation system can improve the air quality in your kitchen and can contribute to a fresh-smelling home. They work by removing and/or filtering cooking by-products like smoke before they can damage things like cabinets, and stop odours from travelling to other rooms.

When shopping for ventilation products, you will most likely have to choose between two options: microwaves with a vent or a standalone range hood. To help you decide, we'll introduce you to each product and look at their respective pros and cons.

Simply put, a microwave with a vent is a microwave unit with a built-in ventilation system. They are placed above a cooking surface and are designed to suction cooking odours and other by-products out of the kitchen.

The microwaves that are typically included in these systems are traditional microwaves or range hood microwaves that offer additional functionality that allow it to operate like an oven, including the ability to bake, broil, roast and steam.

These ventilation products can either expel cooking by-products outside the home or clean and then return the air via a recirculating kit.

Another popular option is to pair your cooking surface with a range hood. 

A hood is installed above a cooking surface and can adeptly suction cooking odours and by-products out of the kitchen. 

Whether a hood expels cooking by-products outside of the home, or cleans the air before returning it back to the kitchen with the help of a recirculating kit is solely based on what model you have.

When shopping for ventilation products, it’s important to understand the pros and cons of microwaves with a vent to determine if it’s ideal for your kitchen.

PROS
The key benefit is that it is considered to be a space saving solution, enabling you to utilize the space above your cooking surface for two purposes: a microwave and a vent.

CONS
There are two drawbacks that you should be aware of:

Compared to hoods, they generally offer less CFM (cubic feet per minute, which is the unit of measurement to gauge ventilation strength). Remember that venting solutions with a higher CFM are often needed if you have a gas range as they tend to produce a high amount of BTUs.

The microwave may be situated relatively high, making it challenging to insert and remove dishes to and from the microwave.  Some people even choose to have a second microwave on the counter or lower for easier access.

Hoods also have their own pros and cons that you should consider.

PROS
Hoods offer a variety of design, aesthetic and colour options. You can go with either a custom covering or stainless steel. This gives you the flexibility to choose if you want your hood to be a statement piece or to seamlessly blend in with your cabinetry.

They usually offer more CFM, allowing them to safely handle gas ranges that may generate substantially more BTUs.

CONS
The one con is that you will have to place a microwave somewhere else in your kitchen.

Both ventilation options are available at various price points, but there is less price variability for microwaves with vent models. For these combo units, the most expensive options should still be less costly than custom solutions.

Some entry level hoods are considered to be inexpensive, costing only several hundred dollars. Then there are custom hoods, which can cost thousands of dollars and require that you buy the blower and liner in addition to requiring you to hire a professional to create your custom covering. This expense will most likely vary based on the design you want and the materials you need.