In general, a range hood over an electric cooktop requires less cubic feet per minute (CFM) while a range hood over a gas cooktop will require more CFM. More CFM is necessary to remove the additional heat and toxins in the air produced by your gas cooktop.

In addition to the type of cooktop, the CFM of your range hood will depend on your cooking style or cooking environment. How often do you cook? What types of foods do you cook? How big is your cookspace? Do you prefer electric or gas cooktops?

We want you to be well-equipped to make the best choice for your range hood in your kitchen. For example, if you cook most of your food at high heat or cook in a small room, a higher CFM range hood is ideal. It will efficiently filter the heavy amount of toxins, grease, and chemicals out of the air in your kitchen. 

Keep in mind that with a range hood you often remove both heated and air-conditioned air along with your cooking odors and smoke, which is not cost-effective. If you turn your range hood on high at 1200-2000 CFM, you will be drawing in and venting out additional air from your home that has been heated or cooled.

Your Ideal CFM for Range Hoods Over Electric Cooktops

Many consumers use an electric cooktop and want the best range hood for it. How much power do you need? See the table below to determine the CFM of your electric hood. These values are taken from Proline’s range hoods over electric cooktops.

One of the benefits of using an electric cooktop is that there aren’t any fumes or exhaust from the burning of gas to be vented out of the house by a range hood.  

In most cases, an electric cooktop heats an element and this heat is transferred directly to the pan or griddle to accomplish the cooking. This means you can have a lower CFM range hood and still accomplish the removal of 100% of the cooking odors, steam, and grease. 

In contrast, a gas cooktop burns natural gas or propane that mixes with the oxygen in the air. It quickly rises in the form of exhaust and heated air which must be removed along with the steam and odors from the cooktop. 

As the hot air expands and rises quickly, the volume of the exhaust itself from a gas cooktop will require a high-CFM range hood to remove the unwanted air. This will ensure that the cooking area maintains a constant temperature.

With range hoods over electric cooktops, you can avoid the high-CFM option. Your range hood will be much quieter allowing your guests to enjoy your home from the comfort of your kitchen.   

Your Ideal CFM for Range Hoods Over Gas Cooktops

In today’s kitchens, the options for high-output gas cooktops are plentiful.  If you have a gas cooktop, here is how to choose the right range hood for your kitchen. 

The CFM of your gas cooktop is determined by the total number of British thermal units (BTUs) produced by the cooktop. BTUs are the thermal units that measure the amount of heat energy that each burner, griddle, or grill produces at maximum output.  This is important because, with any gas cooktop or gas-fired griddle or grill, the fuel is natural gas or propane.

Both of these fuels will mix with air and create heat. The amount and intensity of the heat is based on the amount of fuel burned. So, the BTUs allow you to measure the maximum amount of CFM of airflow you will require to effectively remove the heat, smoke, odors, and exhaust fumes that your stove will generate. The standard rule is this:

The formula to determine the CFM you need for your range hood over a gas range is 100 CFM of airflow for every 10,000 BTUs of heat energy. Refer to the formula below to determine the CFM of your range hood for your gas cooktop.

Now, this is the basic formula.  You may require more or less CFM depending on your cooking style and cooking environment.

For example, if you are cooking greasy hamburger meat on the griddle of an island gas cooktop then you may need a higher CFM. The amount of CFM will depend on how high the range hood is from the cooking surface.

On the other hand, if you cook sparingly and don’t eat high-heat or greasy foods, you will likely want less CFMs for your gas cooktop.

Here is an example of how to determine the CFM of your range hood over a gas cooktop. Say the cooktop is a 48” model with six burners and a griddle.  

From the Owners’ manual, the small burners are 8,000 BTUs and the large burners are 12,000 BTUs.  With this setup, you have three of each. This calculates your total burner output at 60,000 BTUs.

Your setup also has a griddle, which uses 20,000 BTUs. Thus the total BTUs for the cooktop is 80,000. This is a very realistic example. Using our rule above of 100 CFM for every 10,000 BTUs, you would want a minimum airflow in the 800 CFM range.  

Our Final Tips

If you own an island cooktop, you will need more CFM. An island cooktop radiates heat in all directions, unlike a wall cooktop. While cooking with a gas cooktop against a wall, it blocks any cross breezes or air flows. More importantly, it helps confine the airflow that is produced and thus doesn’t require as much CFM.

In addition, you will require even more CFM if you cook foods with stronger odors like fish or high-heat foods like some steaks.  

Lastly, if you are cooking often, a high-CFM hood is ideal. Your kitchen will be kept cleaner and the air you breathe will be efficiently rid of toxins. More serious cooks and professional cooks often buy the larger CFM range hood to accommodate their cooking style.

High power hoods also allow for great flexibility in the range of foods that you can cook while keeping your cook space clean.  Be sure to learn your cooking style and figure out your preferences in the kitchen.

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