The best range hoods for improving your kitchen's air quality: Consumer Reports
A weak range hood leaves cooking smoke and odors lingering for hours. Consumer Reports tested hoods for airflow, noise and lighting
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A weak range hood leaves smoke, grease and cooking odors lingering in the kitchen for hours after dinner is done. Under-cabinet and wall-chimney styles trade off airflow, noise and lighting differently, so the right pick depends on the stove setup and how loud a household can tolerate during cooking.
Consumer Reports tested range hoods for how much air they move, how much noise they generate and how well they light the cooktop.
Hauslane 30-inch Range Hood
Credit: Amazon
The Hauslane 30-inch Range Hood costs $500 and earned Consumer Reports' top rating among under-cabinet range hoods. CR found it delivers strong overall performance with an unusually generous set of extras given its price tag, in a low-profile design standing just 7 inches tall. Testers highlighted six fan speeds instead of the usual three, letting cooks match fan speed and noise more precisely to how smoky a dish gets, plus a digital clock display and the only built-in timer CR has seen on a range hood. CR called that timer a great feature for clearing the air after cooking something pungent, like salmon, for a set stretch of time.
Vissani QR254S
Credit: Amazon
The Vissani QR254S costs $180, priced lower than every other range hood in this lineup, and earned Consumer Reports' recommendation as a strong value among under-cabinet hoods. CR found performance on par with the pricier Hauslane despite selling for less than half the price, with an efficient fan and strong lighting for whatever's cooking on the range. Testers noted it runs a bit on the noisy side, though CR pointed out none of the under-cabinet models tested came back truly quiet. At just 5 inches tall, CR called this a lower-profile model than any other in its ratings, an advantage that can open up more installation options.
iKtch 30-inch Range Hood
Credit: Amazon
The iKtch 30-inch Range Hood costs $450 and earned Consumer Reports' top rating among wall-mounted chimney range hoods. CR found this hood outperformed every other model in this lineup for how much air it clears from the kitchen, while fan noise and cooktop lighting scores came back middling, though CR noted those results still landed as good as or better than many wall-chimney hoods tested. The hood offers four fan speeds and stands 11.8 inches tall. CR noted it costs less than the Frigidaire in this lineup but more than the bargain-priced Cosmo.
Frigidaire 30-inch Wall Mounted Range Hood
Credit: Frigidaire
The Frigidaire 30-inch Wall Mounted Range Hood costs $713, pricier than every other range hood in this lineup, and earned Consumer Reports' recommendation for moving air faster than anything else tested. CR found no other model in either configuration cleared smoke as quickly or effectively, making it a strong pick for anyone who cooks a lot of high-heat, smoke-producing meals on the stovetop. That airflow performance comes at the cost of quietness, since CR found this model louder than any other range hood tested here by a wide margin. The hood stands just under 10 inches tall with a stainless steel chimney concealing the ductwork, along with a light built into the unit and a choice of three fan speeds.
Cosmo Appliances 30-inch Wall Mount Range Hood
Credit: Cosmo Appliances
The Cosmo Appliances 30-inch Wall Mount Range Hood costs just over $200 and earned Consumer Reports' recommendation as a bargain pick among wall-chimney range hoods. CR found it moves somewhat less air than the Frigidaire, though it still turned in a respectable score on that test while staying reasonably quiet. CR pointed to price as the main draw here, running under half of what the top-rated iKtch in this lineup costs. The hood stands just under 11 inches tall with a stainless steel chimney, a light built into the unit and a choice of three fan speeds.