The stainless box above the stove can look exactly the same in two kitchens and do quite different jobs. One sends captured air outside. The other passes it through filters and puts it back in the kitchen. Before choosing a replacement, find out which arrangement you actually have.
A chimney-shaped cover does not prove that a duct reaches outdoors. Equally, a cabinet above a hood does not prove that it recirculates. Look for the model label and installation information, then have the route confirmed where it is concealed. The destination matters more than the decorative cover.
Follow the air all the way out
| Question | Ducted | Recirculating |
|---|---|---|
| Where does captured air go? | Through a connected duct to outdoors | Through filters and back into the room |
| What must be planned? | Duct route, size, termination and installation requirements | Approved conversion arrangement and unobstructed return openings |
| What maintenance remains? | Grease filters and the system as instructed | Grease filters plus product-specific odour-filter replacement |
Broan-NuTone's range-hood FAQ distinguishes ducted, nonducted and convertible models. In a nonducted setup, filtered air returns through the hood's discharge openings. Convertible models require the correct arrangement and may need a separately supplied recirculation kit or charcoal filter.
A ducted system needs a real outdoor termination. Broan specifically excludes discharging into places such as an attic, wall space, crawlspace or garage. A pipe disappearing through the ceiling is therefore only the beginning of the inspection. Confirm the termination and the whole connection before describing the kitchen as externally vented.
If you rent or live in a condominium, establish what alterations are permitted before choosing a new route through an exterior wall or shared construction. Keep the discussion specific: proposed opening, route and appliance. Do not order a hood around a wall penetration that nobody has agreed can be made.
Compare what happens during dinner
Ducting outdoors provides a path for captured moist cooking air to leave the home. Recirculation returns air indoors, so it should not be treated as equivalent moisture removal. Grease and odour filtration depend on the product and its maintained filters; a fresh filter does not turn a recirculating hood into an exhaust duct.
Cooking method still matters. Boiling pasta, frying onions and searing meat create different loads. Think about the meals you actually cook rather than choosing solely on a published maximum airflow number. Capture also depends on the hood's installation, coverage and how it is used. More fan noise does not prove that more of the pan's plume is being caught.
Induction does not remove cooking emissions from the food and pan. Our induction ventilation guide deals with that common misunderstanding. Choose the appliance and ventilation arrangement together, especially when changing from one fuel or cooking layout to another.
Check whether a sensible duct route exists
Have the proposed route sketched with its turns, transitions and exterior outlet. Use the hood manufacturer's required duct size and permitted route details. An existing narrow opening is not a reason to reduce a new duct arbitrarily. Broan recommends a short route with few bends; the selected installation manual governs the actual design.
A straight-looking line on a plan may cross a joist, beam, plumbing stack or another service. Inspect before ordering cabinetry that conceals the conflict. The exterior termination also needs an appropriate location and weather detail. These are installation decisions, not cosmetic finishing work to leave until the hood arrives.
For an island, compare an overhead route with the cabinet and floor space needed by a downdraft system. Either choice can change the cabinetry. Where higher-capacity exhaust raises questions about replacement air or other combustion appliances, have the complete ventilation arrangement assessed rather than selecting by fan rating alone.
Put maintenance into the choice
For each candidate, find the filter part numbers, cleaning instructions and replacement availability. Grease filters and odour filters may have different care rules; do not wash a disposable charcoal filter because the metal filter can go in the dishwasher. Check how the filters release and whether you can reach them comfortably.
Listen to the hood at a setting you are likely to use, not just its lowest display setting. Check lighting and controls with a pan on the stove. A system that is unpleasant to run is less useful in practice, regardless of how impressive its specification looks.
Choose ducted exhaust where it is feasible and appropriate for the installation. Where recirculation is the workable option, understand its limits, maintain its specified filters and address the room's broader ventilation needs. The goal is a known, usable air path, not a handsome box whose outlet remains a mystery.