Microwave w/ Vent Vs. Range Hood: What's Better?

A microwave with a vent is a microwave installed over an oven or a cooktop. It has a built-in ventilation system that suctions cooking by-products and odours out of the kitchen.

These combo units usually feature either a traditional microwave or a range hood microwave that doubles as an oven with the functionality to bake, broil, roast and steam.

While it depends on what model you have, this venting solution can either remove cooking by-products to the outside of your home, or it can clean the air and then return back into the home with the help of a recirculating kit. 

You can also choose to pair your cooking surface with a hood. In this scenario, a hood is installed over a cooking surface to suction cooking odours and by-products safely out of the kitchen. 

Again, whether a hood expels cooking by-products to the exterior of the home or cleans the air using a recirculating kit is based on the model you have.

When shopping for ventilation products, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of microwaves with a vent to understand if this is the right solution for your situation.

MICROWAVE WITH VENT PROS

This option tends to appeal to people looking for a space saving solution as it enables you to utilize the space above your cooking surface.

MICROWAVE WITH VENT CONS

Incidentally, there are two drawbacks to consider:

They tend to offer less cubic feet per minute (CFM), which is the unit of measurement used to gauge ventilation strength, than a hood. If you own a gas range remember that they typically produce a high amount of BTUs and require a venting solution with a higher CFM.

The microwave may be relatively high, making it difficult to insert and remove items to and from the microwave. You can choose to have a separate microwave at counter height or lower for easier access.

Can this solution meet the needs of your cooking surface and kitchen?

Review the pros and cons to gauge whether a range hood makes more sense than a microwave with a vent. 

RANGE HOODS PROS

Range hoods offer several design options, aesthetics and colours. You can go with either stainless steel or a custom covering. Ultimately, it will come down to your style preference and whether you want to make a visual statement or achieve a unified look.

Generally, they offer more CFM, allowing them to safely handle gas ranges that are prone to producing more BTUs.

RANGE HOODS CONS

The one drawback is that your microwave will have to occupy another spot in your kitchen and take up more space in the process.

There are various price points for both options. 

Hoods, in particular, have a broad price range. Some entry level hoods are relatively inexpensive, costing as low as only several hundred dollars. On the other hand, custom hoods can cost upwards of thousands of dollars and require that you buy the blower and liner in addition to needing your cabinet maker or tradesperson to make your custom covering. 

There is less price variability for microwaves with vents. The most expensive options should still cost less than custom ventilation.