Rangehoods in Australia: What to Measure and Check Before Buying

What type of rangehood are you replacing?

• Fixed beneath a cupboard. If the hood stays in place when you cook, compare the 60 cm Westinghouse WRF610SA. Its front edge projects 500 mm at all times.
• Slide-out beneath a cupboard. Match the width of the pull-out unit. Compare the 60 cm Westinghouse WRR614SB or the 90 cm Westinghouse WRR904SB. Measure with the fascia both closed and fully extended.
• Concealed inside a cupboard. Compare the 60 cm Schweigen GG-6C or 90 cm Schweigen GG-901. Use the model drawing to match the cabinet cut-out, including the depth above the hood.
• Canopy on an exposed wall. Compare the 90 cm Westinghouse WRC904SD. Check the chimney-cover height, wall support and route outdoors.

For a cooktop on an island, start with island and ceiling formats. These six models are designed for a wall or a cupboard.

First, decide where the cooking air will go

A ducted rangehood passes air through grease filters and sends it outside through a duct. A recirculating rangehood filters the air and returns it to the kitchen, usually using an additional carbon filter for odours. Some models support both arrangements with the appropriate kit.

Odour reduction is not moisture removal. Recirculating rangehoods return moisture to the kitchen, so room ventilation still matters. Use the exact model's Australian instructions when planning installation.

If an outside route appears difficult, ask an installer to assess it before buying a recirculating model. For a rental or apartment, establish any required owner or building approval before planning penetrations or changing shared services.

Measure the cooktop, opening and space above

Record actual dimensions in millimetres. A nominal size such as “90 cm” does not describe every cutout, body or intake measurement.

• Cooking area: Note cooktop width, depth and the position of the front cooking zones. Compare the hood's capture area and the manufacturer's coverage guidance.
• Cabinet opening: Measure usable width, depth and height. Check hinges, shelves, trim and the space needed to remove filters.
• Height: Record the existing cooktop-to-hood distance and room height separately from the required installation clearance.
• Projections: Check an extended slide-out section, canopy depth, headroom and neighbouring cupboard doors.

Have the installer reconcile the exact cooktop and rangehood instructions with applicable local requirements. Use their specified measuring points, particularly with gas pan supports. Do not copy the old installation height or a generic online minimum.

Match extraction to the cooktop and how you cook

Induction: Rapid boiling, especially on boost, can create a heavy steam load. Vapour meeting a cool hood can condense and drip, so discuss steam capture and condensation when choosing the rangehood. Check coverage over the pans, usable extraction speeds and the duct route. A higher airflow setting may help capture escaping steam, but the largest advertised m³/h figure alone does not guarantee a dry canopy.

Gas: Ventilation must deal with combustion emissions as well as cooking fumes and moisture. Radiant electric and induction avoid gas combustion at the cooktop, but still need extraction for steam, grease and smoke from cooking.

There is no single extraction rate that suits every induction installation. Tell the supplier whether you regularly boil several large pots, use boost or fry at high heat. Choose the hood and operating speed for those demands; check its induction and condensation guidance. Reassess an existing rangehood when changing cooktop type.

Choose a format that suits the space

Undermount and integrated hoods sit within cabinetry; check the cutout and storage lost around the body and duct. Slide-out hoods extend for use, so check their movement. Wall canopies need room for the hood and flue cover, including any ceiling-height extension.

Island and ceiling hoods need suitable support and a planned air route above the cooking area. A downdraft or venting cooktop changes the space needed below the bench. Establish that arrangement before ordering drawers or cabinets. Appearance alone does not establish compatibility.

Check the duct route before ordering

Ask the installer to trace the route from the hood to its outdoor termination, including diameter, duct material, length, bends and outlet position. Do not treat a hole into the ceiling void as proof of an outside connection, or assume existing ducting suits a new model.

Duct instructions differ. Some external-motor systems require specified acoustic ducting. Follow the chosen system's instructions rather than applying a universal “shortest rigid duct” rule.

Include access for maintenance, any external motor and how replacement air will enter the room. If the home has a flued combustion appliance, raise it with the installer so competing extraction is assessed. For open-flued gas heaters, Energy Safe Victoria explains the carbon monoxide risk from extraction fans and advises against running them at the same time as the heater. Have a licensed gasfitter assess the ventilation and heater installation. Get the required ducting, building work and electrical work itemised in the quote.

Compare useful extraction and noise together

An airflow figure in cubic metres per hour (m³/h) is not a complete measure of cooking-fume capture. Hood coverage and the installed air route also matter.

Ask whether quoted airflow is for normal maximum speed or temporary boost, and which speed the noise figure describes. Compare like-for-like test information where available. A quiet low setting tells you little about the setting needed during frying.

Try the controls and lighting in a showroom. Listen at the speed you expect to use. An external motor may move motor noise away from the kitchen, but ask about airflow noise, outside noise and service access rather than assuming the whole installation will be silent.

Check cleaning access and ongoing costs

Ask to see how the grease filters release. Check that you can reach them and have somewhere to wash them. Follow the exact cleaning instructions: some mesh filters are dishwasher safe, but this is not a rule for every filter.

Cleaning also matters for fire safety. Fire and Rescue NSW recommends keeping rangehoods clean and in good working order, because accumulated grease and fat can catch fire.

For recirculation, record the odour-filter part number, price, availability and replacement or regeneration instructions. Do not assume carbon filters can be washed. Check whether the required kit is included and whether replacement lights and local servicing are available.

Before you buy

1. Record both appliance model codes, cooktop type and usual cooking demands; save the Australian installation guides.
2. Measure coverage, cabinet space, projections and access to filters.
3. Have the installer confirm clearances, support, services and the air route.
4. Compare noise and airflow at relevant operating speeds.
5. Price the complete installation and ongoing filters before committing.

The free AHC rangehood worksheet includes a duct-route sketch box and separate spaces for measured dimensions and confirmed requirements. Leave unknowns blank.

If you are rearranging several appliances, use the dishwasher measuring guide to check how the rest of the kitchen will work while doors are open.