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Kitchen Ventilation Buying Guide: What to Consider

Buying the right kitchen ventilation system or hood can be tricky and overwhelming - there is a variety of designs to select from, but you also need to consider what size and type of ventilation is compatible with your cooking surface. Read our guide below for tips to consider before buying a ventilation appliance for your kitchen.

What Kind of Ventilation Style and Design is Right for you?

Type of Ventilation for the Kitchen

Shop all Ventilation

View all of our beautiful ventilation hoods.

Shop All Ventilation

Chimney Wall Hood

One of the most popular ventilation types, Chimney Wall Hoods are modern and timeless. Adjustable chimney heights suit a range of ceilings and they are installed in the wall.

Shop Chimney Hoods

Under Cabinet

Under Cabinet hoods make a bold statement in the kitchen with their taller height hood options. They are the perfect option for smaller kitchens and limited spaces since there are shorter hood options as well. They are typically installed under cabinets and are a wall installation.

Shop Under Cabinet Hoods

Pull-out Hood

Pull-out hoods sit under cabinetry and you just pull them out when you need. They are sleek and sit nestled in your kitchen for an integrated look.

Shop Pull-Out Hoods

Island Hood

Island hoods float in the kitchen and help create a strong focal point. As noted by the name, they sit above your kitchen island and need vertical ducting and ceiling installation.

Shop Island Hood

Ventilation Product Finder

Use our finder tool to get matched with the best model for your needs!

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Downdraft hood

Downdraft hoods are designed to be part of your cooking surface, providing effective ventilation right where it's needed. This seamless integration eliminates the need for an overhead vent, giving your kitchen a sleek, modern look.

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Custom Insert Hood

Custom insert hoods are an innovative solution that integrates seamlessly into your kitchen cabinetry. This built-in design not only ensures efficient ventilation but also preserves the visual harmony of your kitchen.

Learn more

Transitional Bosch kitchen with island hood

Why is a good ventilation system important?

We spend most of our time in the kitchen cooking, and can often forget how much build-up can generate not just in the air, but also on the cooking surface and cabinets.

Ventilation is important since it extracts:

Heat

Odor

Grease

Smoke

Steam

Ventilation also preserves your kitchen from cooking byproducts such as greasy cabinets with dust build-up. This is also important to maintain for safety hazards.

Bosch ventilation sound level comparison

What are Sones?

Quiet ventilation for a more peaceful kitchen.

With ventilation, the noise level is measured in units called 'sones'. Less sones equates to a quieter ventilation system and therefore a more peaceful kitchen. A powerful vent shouldn't compromise on noise level, and Bosch ventilation maintains both strong suction power without being disruptive.

At working speed, Bosch ventilation hoods vary and operate between 1.3 - 4.6 sones. Take a look at the noise level chart below to get an idea of how quiet Bosch ventilation can be.

Bosch cooktop with chimney hood

What is CFM?

How ventilation performance is measured.

Ventilation performance is measured in cubic feet of evacuated air per minute (CFM), also referred to as airflow.

CFM describes the rate at which a certain volume of air moves in a certain period of time. In the case of a blower or fan, it indicates how much air it can move per minute.

Ventilation with too much CFM for your cooking surface means more air is being pulled out of your kitchen than is needed. This results in:

  • Higher heating/cooling bills
  • Not energy efficient
  • Higher noise levels (higher CFM = more air through filters which creates turbulence)

It's important to purchase ventilation with CFM strength that matches your cooktop or range power so you can optimize the energy usage!

Bosch stainless steel kitchen
Bosch black stainless steel kitchen

Color Options

Stainless Steel or Black Stainless Steel

Stainless Steel: Traditional and timeless, a stainless steel finish is the most likely to fit with your kitchen aesthetic.

Black Stainless Steel: Bosch black stainless is made from a special material, not just a foil coating and helps guard against scratches and fingerprints to maintain its bold look.

Bosch Home Connect Smart Kitchen

Smart ventilation hoods

What is Home Connect™ ?

The Home Connect™ app allows you to remotely monitor and control your Bosch ventilation from your smartphone. If you purchase a connected cooktop, your connected hood can automatically sync to the correct power level depending on your cooktop power for an effortless cooking experience.

Shop Hoods with Home Connect™

Bosch stainless steel chimney hood

Kitchen Vent Cleaning and Maintenance Tips

Wondering how to clean a kitchen hood? Here are some tips for how to clean your ventilation hood, grease filters, and other tips to keep your ventilation in great shape.

Ventilation + Cooking Compatibility Chart

It’s important to ensure the ventilation or microwave model you purchase can be paired with your selected cooktop, range, or rangetop. Click below to view the printable pairing guide or use our virtual tool below by searching a model number!

Ventilation Compatibility Search

View Ventilation Compatibility Chart

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Owner Manuals
Owner Manuals

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Where to Buy
Visit our Showroom

Schedule a visit to BSH Experience & Design Center. Test drive various Bosch appliances, get one-on-one feedback from our experts, and leave with a list of your favorite products.