While many people think that their appliances are the most important parts of the kitchen, especially if they have professional kitchen appliances, this isn’t entirely the case. The right appliances will enable you to cook well and turn your kitchen into the heart of your home, but the ventilation system in that kitchen is also crucial. Proper ventilation will keep your kitchen air clean and safe no matter how messy you are while you cook. Therefore, it’s vital to choose the right one. Keep reading to learn how to choose the right venting system for your kitchen.

Updraft Kitchen Ventilation

This is the form of kitchen ventilation that you’re probably most familiar with. Updraft ventilation uses appliances like range hoods to suck smoke and cooking vapors out of the air and away from your kitchen. This keeps your air clean and can help prevent fires because it prevents harmful grease from getting on hot surfaces. Updraft ventilation is ideal for large kitchens that see lots of use.

Downdraft Kitchen Ventilation

You may have never heard of downdraft kitchen ventilation, and that’s okay. This newer form of kitchen ventilation works much like traditional overhead range hoods, except that instead of sucking the air out of your kitchen to deposit outside through the wall or roof, it sucks the air down. Downdraft range hoods often go behind a stove and take the dirty air under the cabinet and through whatever ventilation system you have in place to deposit it outside. While you can put these types of range hoods in any kitchen, they’re often smaller than traditional updraft range hoods and can’t keep up with a large kitchen where you cook a lot.

Recirculating Kitchen Ventilation

If you’re trying to do a smaller update in your kitchen and can’t change duct work, then a recirculating kitchen ventilation system might be your best choice. Recirculating systems don’t suck away and deposit dirty kitchen air elsewhere because they don’t use ducting that goes through walls. Instead, they take dirty kitchen air in, filter it, and then release it back into your kitchen. Older homes may already have this type of system in the bottom of microwaves or shelves above the stove. While this is certainly a less expensive option, it requires constant attention, as the fans and filters work hard to clear your air and need frequent replacement.

Choosing the right venting system for your kitchen comes down to selecting the ventilation system that best works for your cooking needs. You should get an updraft system if you have a large kitchen where you cook often and have room for ductwork. If you don’t use your kitchen much, and it’s small, then a downdraft system should work fine. And if you can’t add ductwork right now, then a recirculating system can clean your air in the meantime. For shoppers interested in updraft systems and professional kitchen appliances, ROBAM has everything you need. Explore our range hood options, and feel free to ask any questions you have.