The Trouble With Style

So I was talking to Ken and Dave yesterday. They were buying a professional range and wanted a triangular or chimney style hood. That should not be a problem in our store, we only display about 20 of them....



Unfortunately, chimney hoods are a European creation, and typically kitchens across the pond do not have professional ranges. Thus, they are only 19-21 inches deep, which is too shallow for properly venting a professional range.

Their only choice is a BEST K4236. Best is 24 inches deep and 1100 CFM.



Small tip for proper ventilation:

1. Decent motor. Measurement is CFM or cubic foot per minute (how many cubes of air are passed through the hood in 1 minute)

2. Capture area. In a pro application, minimum 24 inches depth.

3. Duct Run: Straight runs are measurably better as bending duct decreases efficiency.

4. Duct Size: Minimum 6 inch round...The larger vents require 8-10 inch round.

Great Lighting...Part 8

The YaleBlog is probably 70% appliance related. In this sequence, you will see a SubZero integrated refrigerator, Wolf cooktop, Bosch dishwasher, Franke farm sink, Best hood and Bosch dishwasher in an island setting.

Looks great.

Now look at the lighting. As I have posted previously, task lighting can be accomplished with recessed or track. In this slope ceiling application, we used bendable monorail track with cable supports and track heads with custom color accessories.



In an upscale environment, lighting sets the mood.

Venting...Downdrafts

As we have said in previous posts, islands have become popular with the merging of kitchen and dining area into one room. People not only cook, but also live in the kitchen. This shift in lifestyle has changed ventilation considerably.

Most consumers want their cooking products in the island. They can face their guests while entertaining or keep a more watchful eye on the kids while playing. There are two ways to vent an island properly: downdraft or overhead hood. We will focus on the downdraft for today.





The advantage of a downdraft is simple. It disappears. There are a number of choices with my favorites being Best, Broan and Electrolux. The actual CFM(cubic feet per minute) can range from 500-1000.

Unfortunately, a downdraft can never handle alot of smoke, heat and/or grease. It simply doesn't have the capture area. Ventilation is after all capture and CFM.

A couple of tips:

1. Downdrafts are for basic, not professional cooking only

2. Consider an induction cooktop. It is faster than gas and emits much less heat.

3. For heavier cooking consider an overhead hood

Ventilation Part 2...For Regular (Non-Professional) Ranges

20 years ago, the average BTU(British Thermal Unit, a measure of heat output) of a typical gas stove was about 28,000 BTU. Today the average stove is between 32 to 40,000 BTU. Most of these units have at least 1 or 2 power burners of 15-17,000 BTU.

As the burners have become more powerful, so has the need for the proper ventilation of smoke and heat.

My favorite 30 inch hood Best K210...Good capture area and blower speeds up to 800 CFM





Three pointers to size the vent properly:

1. CFM or cubic feet per minute. This refers to the speed of the blower or more literally how many cubes of air are expelled per minute. An over the range microwave, for example, is the minimum at 310 CFM, but if you like to wok or fry, you may want a vent with a blower of up to 600 CFM

2. Ducting or the size of the pipe carrying the exhaust to the outside. Ducting should be no less than 6 inches and up to 10 inches in diameter

3. Capture area...Quite literally the depth of the hood. Smoke is not immediately sucked out of the hood. It is rather captured and then extracted. Look for a vent with a capture area of 19 inches or deeper

There are now plenty of options as more companies seem to be manufacturing vents