Range Hood Filter Guide
A range hood filter is a crucial part of your vent hood. From cleaning, maintenance, and removal to measuring the dimensions of your filters and more, we’ll go over everything you need to know about them.
Check out the video below for a quick tutorial on how to clean your range hood filters.
What is a range hood filter?
A range hood filter is a charcoal or metal accessory for your range hood that filters grease, dirt, and other contaminants out of the air above your cooktop. The three most common types of filters are stainless steel baffle filters, aluminum mesh filters, and charcoal filters.
These range hood filters are essential in keeping your kitchen air clean and fresh. Proper ventilation can keep you safe from several indoor air pollutants, not just those produced from cooking. Paint, new carpet, arts and crafts, and strong household cleaners may also contribute to your indoor air pollution, according to OnHealth.
Don’t underestimate the importance of indoor air quality: according to the EPA, Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentration of some pollutants is two to five times higher than outdoors.
With all this in mind, purchasing an efficient range hood and equipping it with effective grease filters will significantly improve your indoor air quality.
This article will provide a guide to the different types of filters. By the end, you’ll be able to weigh the pros and cons of each filter and decide which one is best for you based on your personal preference, budget, and cooking style.
Range Hood Filter Types
There are many different types of range hood filters. They include baffle filters, mesh filters, and charcoal filters, among others.
What is a stainless steel baffle filter?
Stainless steel baffle filters are one of the most efficient filters on the market. What makes them so efficient? These grease filters are manufactured with alternating three-sided baffles that maximize the airflow and grease filtering while your hood is running.
When air hits the top baffles, its rapid change in direction helps collect any unwanted contaminants on the bottom baffles of the filter. The innovative design makes stainless steel baffle filters a fantastic option for range hoods of any size or style. They are the most effective at trapping grease, dirt, and other contaminants from your kitchen air. Most ducted range hoods come with stainless steel baffle filters.
Some range hoods have grease trays in the back of the hood that help capture grease produced from your cooking. Here's a quick video on how to install grease trays in your range hood.
Stainless Steel Mesh Filters
Some range hoods will come with stainless steel mesh filters. Proline has four models that feature these mesh screen filters: two wall-mounted range hoods and two island range hoods.
Wall hoods: PLFW 520, PLFW 544
Island hoods: PLFI 520, PLFI 544
Some mesh filters will come with a grease trap to ensure that grease does not accumulate too quickly.
If the mesh filter is flat or level, the hood won’t come with a grease trap. Some Proline models come with a plastic grease trap in the blower to catch unwanted contaminants more efficiently.
Mesh filters come in both stainless steel and aluminum. Stainless filters will last longer and filter grease more efficiently than aluminum filters.
Charcoal Filters
While ducted hoods have stainless steel baffle or stainless steel mesh filters, most ductless or recirculating hoods use charcoal filters. Unlike ducted hoods that move the cooking exhaust out of the kitchen and out of the home, recirculating hoods recirculate the air they pull from the stovetop back into the kitchen.
It’s possible to convert a ducted hood to recirculating using a recirculating kit for under cabinet range hoods or jsut the charcoal filters directly into the filter for the appropriate wall and island range hoods. In this case, the hood will use a baffle or aluminum filter as well as a charcoal filter. Several of Proline’s wall mounted and under cabinet range hoods can convert to ductless using a recirculating kit.
Are charcoal filters effective in range hoods?
Charcoal filters are the ideal option for ductless range hoods. Charcoal filters are made of a carbon material that traps some of the contaminants and neutralizes odors produced from your cooking. If you’re in a situation where you cannot duct your hood to the outside, charcoal filters are ideal.
Which range hood filter is best?
The best range hood filter depends on your cooking habits and the type of hood. If you do a lot of cooking or love greasy or Asian cooking, baffle filters are your best option. Less frequent cooks may consider mesh filters. Or, if you need to recirculate the air in your kitchen, charcoal filters are your best choice.
Can you make your range hood recirculating with permanent filters?
Yes. Range hoods can be recirculating with stainless steel mesh or baffle filters. To make your hood recirculating, you need charcoal filters as well. These sit inside your range hood blower and trap grease and odors produced from your cooking. Then, that air moves back into your kitchen.
Range Hood Filter Sizes
The size of your range hood filter will depend on the model. The smaller the hood, the smaller the size of your filter and the fewer filters you’ll have.
Range Hood Filters Compared
Stainless steel baffle filters are the most efficient and cost-effective choice for your range hood filters.
Compare baffle vs mesh filters, charcoal vs mesh filters, baffle vs charcoal filters, and more below.
Mesh filters are a reliable second option for your range hood.
Charcoal filters are the most popular ductless range hood filter to help clean your kitchen air.
How Often Should I Replace Range Hood Filters
Charcoal filters require replacement approximately every 150 hours of cooking or after three and six months, depending on how often you cook and the type of cooking that you do.
We’ve written an in-depth article with everything you need to know about replacing range hood filters; you can read it here.
How to Clean Range Hood Filters
Warm water and soap is the easiest way to clean range hood filters. Many, like Proline’s, are dishwasher-safe as well, which is the most efficient. Charcoal filters, which require replacement, do not need to be cleaned.
Sometimes excess grease buildup can be difficult to remove on your filters. We’ve provided a detailed guide on cleaning your range hood filters that has some useful tips for the tough stains; check it out!
How to Remove a Range Hood Filter
- Grip and push up on the handles of the baffle filter on the front end of the vent hood. If your filter does not have handles, just push up on the filter itself.
- Move the filter toward the front of the range hood.
- Slide the back end of the filter out of your range hood.
For more information, check out our complete guide here.
How to Measure Range Hood Filter
To measure the length of your range hood filter, align the baffles vertically then use a tape measure. Then measure the other two sides of the filter to get the width.
What does a Proline range hood baffle filter look like?
Here is a picture of our PLJW 185.36 baffle filters.
Proline Range Hood Filter Replacement
Call our customer service team at (877) - 901 - 5530 to receive replacement range hood filters. Filters are not covered under our warranty, but we’ll be happy to send you a replacement.
Installing a Charcoal Filter in a Proline Range Hood
Charcoal filters belong inside your range hood blower to catch unwanted contaminants. You can unscrew the blower with a screwdriver to insert your charcoal filters.
Recap
Stainless steel baffle filters, aluminum mesh filters, and charcoal filters are all reliable options for your range hood, depending on several factors: how often you cook, your budget, your cooking style, your hood style, and your kitchen ventilation.
All range hoods come with some sort of filter; yet what many struggle with is keeping them clean or knowing when to replace them and doing it often.
If you haven’t already, check out the two links below to ensure that you keep your kitchen clean and fresh.
How to Clean Your Range Hood Filters
How often should I replace my range hood filters?
Thanks for reading!