An island range hood is a beautiful statement piece for your home. It keeps your kitchen air clean and fresh while making cooking easier. Unlike a wall or under cabinet hood, it doesn’t take up space on your wall. So, you’ll have more room for cabinets, windows, or whatever else you might want to put in your kitchen.
We’ve broken down six of the best island range hoods on the market. Avid and casual cooks alike will find a hood that is best for them. Be sure to check out our buyer’s guide at the end of the article too.
Our Best Island Range Hoods Compared
PLFI 544 - Most Popular
The PLFI 544 is one of two of our island range hood models that feature a tapered glass design. The 600 CFM will rid your kitchen of harsh odors and keep the air fresh and clean. The blower runs at only 4.5 sones, making the PLFI 544 one of our quietest, most low-profile island range hoods. Leave the hood running and enjoy conversations with your guests.
Flush Mount Island Pro Range Hood - Minimalist Design
The Flush Mount Island Pro Range Hood is a modern hood that vents heavy smoke and strong cooking odors from your kitchen. It mounts flush with your ceiling to make your kitchen feel more open. This hood is manufactured with a durable stainless steel finish so it will last for years to come. Also, it’s easy to clean thanks to dishwasher-safe mesh filters. They capture grease with great efficiency keeping your kitchen air clean and fresh.
PLFI 755 - Most Modern
The PLFI 755 has a unique rectangular design, giving your kitchen a new, modern look. With a dual blower at 1100 CFM, this hood is exceptionally powerful. It will filter greasy, dirty air out of your kitchen with ease.
Not to mention, with a four-speed LCD touch panel, you won’t have to run your hood at max power all the time! For those low heat foods like soups and sauces – or if you’d like to warm something up on your stove top, this island hood will work wonders.
PLJI 102 - Easy to Use
The PLJI 102 is a beautiful modern range hood that was built with you in mind. With matching control panels on either side of the hood, the PLJI 102 offers a smooth user experience. No need to run around your island to control your hood, since they’ll be easily accessible on either side of your range.
At 1200 CFM, this island hood filters all the unwanted contaminants out of your kitchen with ease. While cooking in the kitchen, it can get hot — but not with the PLJI 102 island range hood. You’ll stay cool thanks to its efficient and strong dual blowers.
ProV - Versatile Statement Piece in Your Kitchen
The ProV is one of our most versatile range hood models, and its island range hoods are no exception.
Like all the ProVs, the island hood offers three blower options: 1200 CFM local, 1700 CFM local, or 1300 CFM remote blower. A 1700 CFM island hood is one of the most powerful island hoods on the market. You’ll have enough power to not only cook for you and your family, but also host fun parties, barbecues, and other social events.
If you decide to go with the 1300 CFM remote blower, you won’t even know it’s running while you’re cooking. Check out more great features below.
PLJI 109 - Powerful Dual Blower Motor
The PLJI 109 is a sleek island range hood with curved edges, giving your kitchen a modern look and feel. It comes with two blowers in a powerful 1200 CFM up to size 54” and an even more impressive 1800 CFM at 60”. 1800 CFM for an island range hood is unprecedented.
This hood will improve your indoor air quality in a matter of minutes. It keeps grease, dirt, and other grime off of your counters, range, and the hood itself, saving you time cleaning too! And don’t forget about the dishwasher-safe baffle filters. They make wrapping up in the kitchen a breeze.
How to Choose an Island Range Hood
The most important things to consider are size, CFM, and ducting.
Size
Buy an island hood that is three inches wider than your range on each side. So, if you have a 42” kitchen range, purchase at least a 48” island range hood.
For outdoor hoods, allow for at least 12” of extra coverage – or six extra inches past your kitchen range. For a 42” outdoor range, you’ll want at least a 54” island hood.
The same rules apply for wall and under cabinet range hoods. For more information on range hood size, check out this ultimate guide.
CFM
Unlike wall hoods, island hoods are exposed on all sides. To keep your kitchen air clean, you’ll want at least 1200 CFM for your island range hood.
This offers extra power compared to a 600 or 900 CFM hood. You can always run the hood at its lower speeds too.
Should I buy a ducted or ductless island range hood?
A ducted island range hood is your best bet. It may take a little more time and money to install, but you won’t regret buying one in the long run.
A ducted hood has much more versatility than a ductless island hood. Here are some of its benefits over ductless island hoods.
- Allows you to cook for hours at a time and keep your kitchen air clean
- Vents heavy smoke quickly in the case of an emergency
- Vents cooking odors and grease from heavy cooking like frying or Asian cooking
- Keeps up with heavy cooking if you have guests over
Learn more about the differences between ducted and ductless hoods in this post.
Filters, Noise Level, and More
The rest of the details come down to personal preference. We’ll walk through them below.
Filters
Make sure your range hood filters are dishwasher-safe. This makes your life easier in the kitchen.
The most efficient island hoods at capturing grease have stainless steel baffle filters. Here is our PLFI 755 island range hood. The PLFI 755 features a powerful 900-1100 CFM blower. It’s available in a wide range of sizes from 30” to 60”.
Stainless steel mesh filters are also popular alternatives. Here is our PLFI 544. This range hood is a great option for your electric stove since electric stoves produce less heat than gas stoves. The powerful 600 CFM blower keeps your kitchen air clean and fresh.
Noise Level
Range hoods are measured in sones. The noise level of your island hood depends largely on the CFM. The higher the CFM, the louder your hood will be. So, you’re faced with a trade-off: do you want a less powerful, quieter hood or a more powerful, louder hood?
The noise level of your hood also depends on where the blower is placed and the size of the hood. You have three options for your blower: a local blower, inline blower, or external blower. To learn more about range hood blower types, click here.
Finally, the larger the hood, the quieter it is. Larger hoods are often built with more efficient motors.
To read more about sones and how they compare to decibels, click here.
Control Panel
The control panel is mainly aesthetic. You have a couple of options: stainless steel push buttons or an LCD touch panel.
Lighting
Consider the number of lights and the type of lights. Some hoods also have heat lamps for additional lighting. In general, LED lights are the brightest and most long-lasting option for your island hood.
Design
Most island range hoods taper at the edges for a sleek curved look.
Some hoods are rectangular.
Some have front-facing control panels, while others have panels under the front of the range hood.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an island range hood?
An island range hood hangs from your ceiling over your kitchen island. It filters the greasy, unhealthy air and cooking exhaust to the outside of your home. Island range hoods will vent through your ceiling, so make sure that you have enough space for the installation.
How much does it cost to install an island range hood?
It costs between $300 and $500 to install an island range hood. This is a rough estimate; your hood might be more or less expensive depending on the contractors’ rates in your area.
If you install the hood yourself, it will take the average homeowner between three and four hours to finish. Ask a friend for help, especially when hanging the hood itself.
For more information on average range hood cost, check out this complete guide.
Do I need a range hood over my island?
Yes, an island hood keeps all the cooking exhaust and fumes out of your kitchen so you can enjoy cooking. It makes the cooking area pleasant for you and your guests. It’s also a beautiful finishing touch to your kitchen remodel.
Are island range hoods effective?
Not all island range hoods are effective at moving greasy air outside your home. We recommend a ducted hood that moves at least 600 CFM of air. If you love Asian food or greasy cooking, buy a 1200+ CFM hood.
What is a convertible island hood?
A convertible island range hood can be converted from ducted to ductless. Most island range hoods on the market duct to the outside.
That wraps up our guide on the best island range hoods for your home. Hopefully you enjoyed our complete reviews and buyer’s guide. If you still have questions about range hoods, feel free to call our customer service team at (877) 901 – 5530.
For more range hood reviews and buyer’s guides, check out the articles below.
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What is an island range hood?
How much does it cost to install an island range hood?
If you install the hood yourself, it will take the average homeowner between three and four hours to finish. Ask a friend for help, especially when hanging the hood itself.