The height of a range hood is a tradeoff. Mount it close to the cooktop and it captures smoke, steam and grease well, but it gets hot, it can block your view of the back burners, and tall people bump their heads. Mount it high and it is out of the way, but a lot of what rises from the pans escapes around it before the fan can catch it.
Manufacturers set a minimum height for safety and usually a recommended range for performance. Within that range, the right answer depends on the hood type, your range and how you cook.
Start with the manufacturer's numbers
Every range hood installation guide gives a minimum distance above the cooktop, and many give a maximum or a recommended range. Gas ranges usually have a higher minimum than electric ones, because open flames put more heat directly upward. Your range's installation guide may also have a requirement for the hood above it. When the two guides differ, follow the stricter of the two.
Do not plan with a generic number. Download both guides for the exact models.
How hood type changes things
Under-cabinet hoods
Mounted to the bottom of a wall cabinet, these are the most common hood in kitchens around the region. The cabinet above sets the height, which may not be ideal. If the cabinet is low, the hood may end up close to the cooktop; if the kitchen has tall ceilings and the cabinet is high, the hood may be too far away to work well.
Wall chimney hoods
These mount directly to the wall with a decorative chimney covering the duct. They give more freedom to pick the height, but you need to make sure the chimney cover can reach the ceiling at your chosen height. Many come with extensions for tall ceilings.
Island hoods
Hung from the ceiling over a cooktop on an island. With no wall behind them to guide smoke upward, they rely more on capture area and fan strength. They are often recommended at the lower end of the height range or a bit wider than the cooktop.
Insert or liner hoods
Built into a custom enclosure. Height is set by the enclosure design, so plan it before cabinets are built.
Over-the-range microwaves
These are not true hoods, but they occupy the same space. See our over-the-range microwave measuring guide.
The tradeoffs at each end
| Mounted toward the low end | Mounted toward the high end |
|---|---|
| Better capture of smoke and grease | Smoke can escape before reaching the hood |
| Hood and filters get hotter | Cooler hood and filters |
| May block view of rear burners | Clear view of the cooktop |
| Tall cooks may bump heads | More headroom |
| Smaller hood can work | Often needs a wider hood or stronger fan |
How to choose your height
- Find the minimum from the hood and range installation guides. That is a floor, not a target.
- Consider your cooking. Frequent high-heat searing, stir-frying or a lot of steam calls for the lower end of the recommended range.
- Consider who cooks. Stand at the range and look at the back burners. Have the tallest cook try it.
- Check the cabinet layout. For under-cabinet hoods, the cabinet above may decide it for you. A shallower or shorter cabinet can lower or raise the hood.
- Check the duct route. The duct needs to connect at the top of the hood, so its height affects how the duct runs to the outside. See our article on range hood duct problems.
- Consider ceiling height. For chimney hoods, confirm the chimney reaches.
Width and depth matter too
A hood should usually be at least as wide as the cooktop, and many guides suggest wider for gas or island installations. Depth matters as well; a shallow hood leaves the front burners uncovered. In a narrow galley kitchen, a deeper hood may hit your head, which pushes the height question back up.
Gas ranges and ventilation
Gas cooking produces combustion byproducts and moisture along with cooking smoke. A hood that vents outdoors is the better choice for gas. In townhouses, apartments and many older homes, recirculating hoods are common because running a duct to the outside through a shared wall or up through floors above is difficult. If you are renovating, it is worth exploring a ducted option.
In condo buildings and townhouse communities, check with management or the association before cutting any exterior penetration. Permits for exterior wall work and any new electrical circuits should be discussed with your township or borough code office (in Pennsylvania) or your town's construction official (in New Jersey), or with a licensed contractor.
Signs your hood is at the wrong height
- •Smoke and steam escape around the edges of the hood, even on high.
- •Grease builds up on cabinets beside or above the hood.
- •The hood is very hot to touch after cooking, or its controls are damaged by heat.
- •You keep bumping your head on it.
- •The filters are saturated much faster than you expect.
Some of these can also point to a weak fan, a clogged filter or a duct problem, so check those before moving the hood.
Related clearance questions
If cabinets above or beside the range are showing heat damage, the problem may be the cabinet clearances rather than the hood. Our guide on range clearance to cabinets covers that.
When to call a technician
If your hood is at the right height but the fan is weak, noisy or not running, the light has failed, or the controls are unresponsive, a repair may be needed. Problems at the range itself, such as a burner that flares or an element stuck on high, can also make a hood look like it is failing. A technician can check both. See our range repair page, and book a visit online.