Rangehoods Demystified
If you’ve ever worried that a category of kitchen appliance is lacking in depth – don’t fear, the rangehood is in the clear. Rangehoods boast a number of different products to cater to the needs of your cooking routine, preference and style, as well as the layout and design of your kitchen. Kitchen exhausts have experienced rapid development and innovation in the past 10 or so years to help literally ‘clear the air’ in the culinary domain. Here I was thinking this category would be somewhat dull and lacking, but much like trying new foods, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across 4 different, masterchef inspiring rangehoods gracing the appliances market as you read.
If you’ve ever worried that a category of kitchen appliance is lacking in depth – don’t fear, the rangehood is in the clear. Rangehoods boast a number of different products to cater to the needs of your cooking routine, preference and style, as well as the layout and design of your kitchen. Kitchen exhausts have experienced rapid development and innovation in the past 10 or so years to help literally ‘clear the air’ in the culinary domain. Here I was thinking this category would be somewhat dull and lacking, but much like trying new foods, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across 4 different, masterchef inspiring rangehoods gracing the appliances market as you read.
Canopy rangehood option sold at Australia’s AppliancesOnline
Retractable rangehood option sold at Australia’s AppliancesOnline
Fixed rangehood option sold at Australia’s AppliancesOnline
Island rangehood option sold at Australia’s AppliancesOnline
Undercupboard rangehood option sold at Australia’s AppliancesOnline
1. Canopy Rangehood Options
Canopy ranges are your most expensive form of rangehood option, varying from roughly $500 up to $3,500. The question of price and what your budget permits is the determining factor in how air is filtered when cooking in your kitchen. The more expensive the unit, the greater power it can generate with premium units boasting more filters to syphon steam out of your kitchen, doing so in a quieter and more efficient manner. If you are ducting your system to a roof or an external wall, this can influence the price of your rangehood further. Many new products Canopy rangehoods also come with an installation price. More expensive units also come with dishwashable parts, making the cleaning side of things considerably easier.
Canopies also take shape in Island form. If you opt for an island rangehood, then add a few extra dollars to the budget, as an Island rangehood has to account for further costs to ensure its structurally sound. However, if you’re hoping to transform your kitchen into a visually stimulating cooking arena, installing the Island Canopy Rangehood is certainly the direction you’re after.
Pros: As far as rangehoods are concerned, the canopy option is consistent and efficient – hence the expense. When it comes to ventilating your kitchen, the canopy is the most popular and preferred method largely due to its vast reach and cover. As far as kitchen aesthetics are concerned, the canopy is the goto.
Cons: Due a large majority of their dimensions, and the dimensions of many kitchens, the corners of canopy rangehoods can protrude rather precariously – ipso facto, many a kitchen occupant has met the corners of their canopy rangehood with their head, literally.
2. Fixed Rangehood Options
When it comes to rangehoods, if you’ve arrived at fixed, you’re at the bottom end of the rangehood barrel. Fixed rangehoods only offer so much. Ranging between $100 to $300, their small engines and limited size means only so much power can be exerted to ventilate steam from cooking in your kitchen. If you’re the more of the average everyday chef, just looking to get by, then a fixed rangehood will most likely do – as they’re more suited to a casual kitchen lifestyle.
Pros: Easy and simple to operate.
Cons: Amongst limited power and ventilation capabilities, fixed rangehoods also prove to be challenging when it comes to cleaning and maintaining.
3. Retractable Rangehood Options
The retractable rangehood option is a cheap alternative to the canopy, and its services are on par too. Retractable rangehoods fall between $200 to $1000, however, the lower range models have limited operational capacity and are much louder when turned on. Given the limited space and size, when compared to the canopy, the engines in cheaper retractable rangehoods are only capable of exerting so much power. The higher end models, however, are capable of considerably more, as they possess bigger engine of which are installed into available cupboard space. The higher end ones are also quieter – as they have more engine space to sustain more ventilation.
Pros: A lot of retractable rangehoods are smaller, but also equally efficient if purchasing up the more expensive end of the catalogue. They’re easy to use and handle, and when finished, “retractable” to avoid any nasty hits to the head otherwise sometimes experienced with the canopy.
Cons: Generally not as powerful as canopies, while punching above their weight, when cooking up a storm, like special events retractables are only capable of handling so much.
4. Under Cupboard Rangehood Options
Prices vary considerably for Under Cupboard rangehood options, starting as low as a couple of hundred dollars and reaching as high as a few thousand. They’re installed beneath your kitchen cabinetry, meaning they are somewhat invisible. The are great options for small kitchens that lack space, and because of their hidden placement, they elicit little to not clutter throughout your kitchen. For design purposes, Under Cupboard rangehoods also align perfectly for a minimalist kitchen layout. Depending on what price range you invest in, Under Cupboard range are generally quiet whilst operating, as the cupboard components help absorb a large portion of any noise generated.
Pros: Efficient and spatially rewarding, (if that way inclined), sleek and integrated design.
Cons: Tricky to clean, depending on price range they can be noisy.
These are the 4 main Rangehood options available on the market. There are a number of factors to consider when looking to buy a Rangehood. These vary from the layout and setup of your kitchen, to budget and cooking habits. Most Rangehood optoins come with warranties, but conditions are relative to specific terms applied for by certain retailers. Advancements in rangehood technology hasn’t led to anything overly new in terms of what is available on the market, developments have been more in the operational capacity and efficiency of what’s already available. When it comes to investing in a household appliance in which information can be scarce, it’s always best to consult the professionals at appliance stores. A Rangehood can be the key to the kitchen you want, as it offers a great method to ventilate the air and transfigure the aesthetic of the place in which you cook.
Links
Article supplied by the owners of Brisbane Appliance.
Click here for more HD2 articles about Kitchens and appliances.
