range hood or over-the-range microwave?

[BlahBlahYouToo]

countertop space is plentiful.

let me add that i have no ability to vent outside.

 

[GullyFoyle]

Microwave.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Microwave.

reason(s)?

 

[ElFenix]

hood. microwaves look like dick.

 

[nageov3t]

both?

 

[Capt Caveman]

Plenty of counterspace then get an individual microwave. Much less expensive than a combo hood/microwave.

 

[ViviTheMage]

hood

 

[bignateyk]

Range hood if you are a serious cooker in any way. You'll regret not having it the first time you try to sear meat in your cast iron skillet and the entire house fills with smoke.

Make sure it is a real hood that ventilates outside and not one of those POS hoods that just filters the air and spits it back out.

 

[lxskllr]

Make sure it is a real hood that ventilates outside and not one of those POS hoods that just filters the air and spits it back out.

That's what I have, and it sucks big time. I like the old school vent system where there's a fan in the wall, and you pull a chain to open the flap, and start it. Might not be the prettiest thing, but they work great.

 

[Drako]

Don't put a microwave on the counter, that just looks cheesy IMHO .

 

[CycloWizard]

Over-the-range microwaves are really expensive and a pain to install. If you have a hood there now, you'll have to run a new 20 A line to the circuit breaker, whereas a hood can just use the existing wiring and is cheaper. That was how I made the decision last week.

 

[Dirigible]

Range hood if you are a serious cooker in any way. You'll regret not having it the first time you try to sear meat in your cast iron skillet and the entire house fills with smoke.

Make sure it is a real hood that ventilates outside and not one of those POS hoods that just filters the air and spits it back out.

Microwave with a fan won't move nearly as much air as a real hood.

If you have space and really want to keep your air clear, get a hood.

If you are a cheap bastard, have a small kitchen, and cook frozen pizzas like me, get a over-the-range microwave.

 

[Numenorean]

Hood with a REAL exhaust, not one that just blows it out in the same room.

 

[spidey07]

Hood with a REAL exhaust, not one that just blows it out in the same room.

Yep. Next home this is an absolute requirement.

 

[alfa147x]

That's what I have, and it sucks big time. I like the old school vent system where there's a fan in the wall, and you pull a chain to open the flap, and start it. Might not be the prettiest thing, but they work great.

My parent's had one like this. We took it off the cabinet and punched out the perforated piece of metal on top then piped it out to the back of the house. Make sure you tape up the front vent

 

[Kelvrick]

Look at the CFM rating of the fan. Some over the range microwaves are better than others.

400CFM on this guy.
http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?...llow&cId=PDIO1

It sucks if you make a lot of soups/stocks with the big ass pots. The microwave gets in the way sometimes.

 

[alkemyst]

Depends on kitchen...if you can't exhaust to the outside anyway then a microwave is best (it's a range hood too)...

At the higher end I do believe they have some outdoor venting ones.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

My house has a microwave with external vent hood built in. FTW.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Range hood if you are a serious cooker in any way. You'll regret not having it the first time you try to sear meat in your cast iron skillet and the entire house fills with smoke.

Make sure it is a real hood that ventilates outside and not one of those POS hoods that just filters the air and spits it back out.

i have no choice. my range isn't anywhere close to anything that vents outside.

 

[Drako]

At the higher end I do believe they have some outdoor venting ones.

Relatively cheap ones have outdoor venting options as well, at least all the ones that I have seen.

 

[Numenorean]

I don't know who thought that designing houses without exhausts for ranges was a good idea but they should be drug out in the street and shot.

 

[bignateyk]

i have no choice. my range isn't anywhere close to anything that vents outside.

So install some new duct work

 

[JTsyo]

We actually took out the mircowave/fan and put in a vent (1100 CFM) when we moved in. Couldn't use the mircowave since it can't sit on the counter so now it's in storage.

 

[bignateyk]

I don't know who thought that designing houses without exhausts for ranges was a good idea but they should be drug out in the street and shot.

Yeah. I can't cook fish in my house because every time I do the entire house smells like fish for about 3 days afterward because there is no real ventilation.

Any time I sear meat the entire house fills with smoke because that stupid POS vent doesn't do a damn thing.

 

[ElFenix]

I don't know who thought that designing houses without exhausts for ranges was a good idea but they should be drug out in the street and shot.

don't you know, no one uses their kitchen anymore anyway