Selecting the right size for your range hood is more than a decorative choice—it ensures proper ventilation, efficient capture of cooking smoke, grease, and steam, and contributes to a healthier home environment. If you're wondering what size range hood, what size hood for a 30 inch range, what size hood for a 36 inch range, then this guide is for you. We'll walk through how to measure your cooktop, understand width and fit, explore different mount types, and highlight why ROBAM's R-Max series is engineered for wide‑coverage performance.
Why Proper Range Hood Size Matters for Kitchen Ventilation?
Proper sizing of a range hood is not merely aesthetic—it directly impacts ventilation performance, indoor air quality, and safety. According to manufacturers, your range hood width should be at least equal to your cooktop width, and preferably a few inches wider.
If the hood is too narrow, cooking smoke, grease and odors may escape into the kitchen rather than being captured. If it's too shallow or mounted too high, the efficiency drops significantly. To ensure proper removal of combustion by-products (especially with gas ranges), you'll want a hood that covers your cooktop fully and sits at the right clearance.
For example, a narrower hood may struggle to capture multi-burner smoke plumes. In contrast, a hood oversized in width and depth improves capture, and when combined with high-CFM airflow, ensures cleaner air. That's why ROBAM's R-Max series uses a "max screen design":
- Wider capture area means closer proximity to smoke origin, reducing escape.
- Multi-burner coverage ensures that no matter which burner is used, the hood still captures effectively.
By choosing the correct size, you not only improve functionality but also maximize the value of your ventilation investment.
How to Measure Your Cooktop Width?
The first step to determining what size range hood you need is to measure the cooktop width accurately. Here's how to proceed:
- Measure the full width of your cooking surface (in inches) from left to right; this is typically 30″ and 36″ in many residential kitchens.
- Consider how many burners you have, their layout, and where most cooking takes place.
- From this width, determine the width of the hood you plan to install. The hood should be at least the same width as the cooktop, and ideally 3–6 inches wider (3 inches on each side) to provide adequate capture.Take into account the hood's depth (front-to-back) and height above the cooktop (clearance) for full coverage.
By measuring correctly and choosing a hood width that extends beyond your cooktop edges, you ensure optimal coverage and avoid awkward gaps where smoke might escape.
What Size of Range Hood Do I Need?
What size hood for 30 inch range?
For a standard 30″ range, the ideal hood width is typically 30″. Industry experts recommend a hood slightly wider than the cooktop to ensure full coverage and capture rising smoke, steam, and odors effectively. ROBAM's R‑Max series for 30″ ranges features a max screen design that extends beyond the burner edges, ensuring that even high‑heat stir-frying or multi-burner cooking is captured without escaping.
What size hood for 36 inch range?
A 36″ range generally pairs best with a 36″ hood. ROBAM's R-Max models (R-Max2 A678S/R-Max2 A679S) in this width provide wide-domain coverage, ensuring that every burner is fully protected. The large capture screen sits closer to the smoke source, reducing escape while offering superior airflow performance. Selecting a hood wider than the cooktop also accommodates heavier cooking routines and ensures long-term kitchen air quality.
By selecting the right size hood for 30 inch range and 36 inch range, you ensure that your ventilation system works effectively, protecting your kitchen and making cooking more enjoyable. ROBAM's wide-coverage designs combine performance, style, and precision to meet any cooktop size and cooking habit.
Under-Cabinet vs Wall-Mounted for Large Ranges
Selecting the right mount type is just as important as picking the right width. Each installation type has different sizing and performance implications:
- Under-Cabinet Hoods: Fit under cabinetry above the cooktop. They generally cover 24″–36″ widths comfortably and suit standard layouts. Efficiency depends on minimal obstructions.
- Wall-Mounted Hoods: Mounted on wall above the range, often with chimney style. These are common for 30″/36″ ranges and allow slightly deeper capture zones.
Clearance, Height & Hood Depth: Ensuring the Optimal Fit
Size is not only about width; height above the cooktop, depth of the hood and clearance to surrounding cabinetry matter for performance. ROBAM recommends:
- For gas ranges: mount hood 24–36 inches above the cooktop.
- For electric or induction: 28–36 inches above.
- Depth should be enough to cover front to back burners—often 18–22 inches or more depending on cooktop layout and mounting.
- When clearance is too high, smoke and grease may bypass the hood; too low, and you risk head bumps or blocking the view.
Why Choose ROBAM for the Right Fit?
ROBAM has decades of experience and global presence. Their R-Max series uses wide-domain capture and max screen design to reduce oil smoke escape:
- Its capture area is broader than ordinary hoods, placed closer to the smoke source for better containment.
- The large capture screen design covers multi-burner layouts so that irrespective of where you cook, the smoke is caught.
With ROBAM's sizing-aware design philosophy, you get not only the right width (30″/36″) but also the correct depth and height compatibility aligned with high-performance ventilation.
Conclusion
Choosing what size range hood you need—whether for a 30″ or 36″—is crucial. Width matters, but equally important are the mount style (under-cabinet and wall), clearance height, depth, and capture coverage. By following width rules (e.g., hood at least equal to cooktop width, ideally 3–6 inches wider) and matching your kitchen layout and cooking habits, you'll achieve effective ventilation.
With over 40 years of expertise, ROBAM continues to set the standard in modern kitchen ventilation. Their R-Max series embraces wide-coverage design principles, ensuring you get the right size, the right performance and the right fit for your cooking space. Choose the correct size hood for your range and pairing it with high-quality design delivers cleaner air, safer cooking and a more comfortable kitchen experience.
References
Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) – Certified Range Hood Performance
