Draft Direction
Shopping for a kitchen ventilation system may not be as exciting as considering new cooktops, but it’s just as important. Surface cooking releases heat, steam, grease, and odors that you don’t want floating around your kitchen. Your choices in ventilation are updraft and downdraft systems, and ducted and ductless systems.

An updraft system consists of a hood that hangs over the cooktop and sucks up steam and odors, venting them outside or recirculating them. Microwave/hood combinations have become popular because they save space, but they aren’t recommended for professional-style ranges. Updraft systems are more efficient because hot air rises naturally, but they aren’t always convenient.

A downdraft system pulls air down through vents built flush with the cooktop or, more commonly, built into the back of it. If your cooktop is on an island, a downdraft system may be more desirable.