Benefits of a Downdraft Range Hood

Today, let’s talk about options for your range hood venting. What’s the benefits of a downdraft range hood? Well, there’s a few benefits:

A More Streamlined, Open Concept Look

When it comes to range hood design, a lot of people like to have ceiling-mounted range hoods. These can be hoods installed underneath their kitchen cabinets, or be chimney-style hoods that are suspended from the ceiling, but either way, they add visual weight to a space. For some kitchen designs, that is a great option, but if your dream is a minimal open-concept space, a feature range hood might not be what you’re looking for. 

Well, a retractable downdraft range hood might the right solution to give you that uninterrupted line of sight in your kitchen. In the video above, the stove is part of the kitchen island, so not having any obstruction over that island was very important. The downdraft range hood in this case really contributed to the open, modern feeling of this kitchen.  

A Retractable Hood Provides Excellent Ventilation

The downside of downdraft range hoods that is often mentioned is that the ventilation they provide is not as good, since heat rises up. Some downdraft vents can struggle to actually pull that hot steam and cooking grease from below. But a retractable downdraft range hood solves that issue! It rises up above the stove while you are cooking, providing that necessary ventilation from above. And then when you’re done, it simply retracts back behind the stove again.

Just a really cool design feature, and a neat option to consider. 

A Backsplash to Prevent Mess

Another benefit of having a downdraft range hood that rises above the stove while you are cooking is that it then creates a backsplash. As you can see in the kitchen in the video, there is potential for cooking grease, sauces, or other splashes to spread out over the island—but with the range hood in place, it blocks those splashes. It also draws any grease-filled air up and out. It’ll pick up and extract all that steam, the grease, and the odours that come off when you’re cooking. And then after you’re done you just wipe it down, and it drops out of the way again. You have a nice, clear space and an uninterrupted view of your kitchen. 

There you have it—something to consider when you’re planning your renovation! A retractable downdraft range hood is a great option, and if you have kids, they’ll love this feature too. If you have any questions about your range hood options, or your kitchen renovation in general, reach out to us here at Contact Renovation and Custom Homes. We’d love to help you bring your dream kitchen to life.