Don't get a crummy range because you can't vent. Jenn-Air down drafts do not work very well. Popup downdrafts work a lot better but, except for Dacor, they usually only fit with cooktops or rangetops, not ranges, and lately Dacor seems to be having quality issues. If I were you, I'd look into getting a good rangetop with a popup downdraft and separate wall ovens. Failing that, you need to decide whether or not you can live with out a vent hood - many people do. If you have lots of windows you can always crack a window if you're generating a lot of smoke - although that may not help with grease - personally I'd forgo a hood before I'd forgo a good range - particularly if you like to cook.

Thank you for this reply. I really DO like to cook and haven't been able to since we moved into our new excellent house with the crummy kitchen.

Wall ovens are not really an option here, unfortunately.

I, too, would forgo a hood before a range but I thought that a really good range requires a hood. Am I wrong? What are some options of good ranges that I can use without a hood?

Thanks again.

You can use any range, good or bad, without a hood with varying degrees of success depending on what and how you cook. If you boil water, bake and gently simmer sauces, you don't need a hood. If you stir fry or saute over very high heat, or pan sear meat you are going to generate a lot of smoke and grease. In this case a hood is handy to pull this stuff out of the kitchen and away from walls and furniture. But the food will cook the same with or without a hood. Until fairly recently kitchens didn't have hoods and cooks coped. Just a matter of your cooking style and how often you want to clean the ceiling and walls. The point is it is not the quality of the range, it is the style of cooking and as weissman said a good range makes cooking more pleasurable regardless of your ventilation. However a good range may lead you into more adventurous styles of cooking that generate a little more cooking vapors...

well, it isn't really a matter of what range you use, but how you cook.

Do you cook without a hood now and it is OK?

On my broken, old and underpowered GE stove I had before my remodel, I set off the alarm all the time because the recirculating hood was useless (and loud). I stir fry, pan sear, and cook things often enough that generate a lot of residue without a proper hood, so my new kitchen had to have one.

If you cook stews, soups, or bake more foods that don't generate smoke/grease than you should be OK. A lot of people here often say, it isn't how much heat you can generate, it's how well you can simmer that determines how you like the range! :)

That being said, if you cook often, and like to cook, you probably should have a proper hood. A cooks kitchen should follow function before form. You may want to consider covering a window and using that opening for a hood. You could DIY that type of work, but I don't think it would be outrageously expensive for a contractor either.

We've thought about moving a window to get a hood in. It is an option - the only option to have a hood. You ar quick! It took us a while to think of that!

I do like to cook a lot, and my cooking is pretty varied. I do pan sear quite a bit and generate smoke which stinks up the house. That said, I have never had a vent before.

Isn't it required that a pro range (ala Wolf, etc. have a hood)?

In all honestly, I do think that a good cook can make a good meal in just about any old range, but since I am now in my "forever" home, I want to have a great kitchen and a range that I really enjoy. What range which does not legally require a hood might fit that bill?

I should add that the room is pretty well ventilated.

Thanks

The "legal" issues (if any) will be locally set, by your building inspector. Give that office a call to see what the reg's are for venting (many towns put the code online too). (may be the gas inpsector if it's a gas range you're after, you'll have to ask).

But regulations aside, is there anyone here who would think that having a pro style range was possible/a good idea w/o a hood?

You obviously want a pro style range, so get one! It will not be much worse than what your are experiencing now. Most of the time you won't notice the difference. Occasionally when doing a high temp sear or saute you may generate a little more smoke and vapor (but probably for less time so it may balance out), you may set the smoke alarm off a little more often, but if you have put up with all this this long, you should be able to live with some more. And as lpolk said above the simmer will be much better!
I'll turn your question around and say I don't think having any range without hood is desirable, but having a pro style range without a hood is certainly possible.

If you have windows near the location you want to place the range in, just get a window fan. We have a neighbor who has this kind of set up and it works better than the recirc setup. She uses the fan when frying or searing. Less grease buildup than I have with my recirc. G

Very few locales require vent hoods as part of building code. Manufacturer's of pro-style ranges strongly recommend them but they're also in the business of selling hoods :-). So the short answer is no, hoods are usually not required regardless of what kind of range you have, but most of us would recommend some kind of venting if possible - even a window fan as was suggested above.

I could not imagine installing a pro style range without a decent rangehood. Right now we are cooking without ventilation on our 23 year old GE electric range during our remodeling and even that is a total pain. If we were using gas it would be awful... lots of waste heat, moisture, gas impurities, etc. to contend with. Who wants that all over your expensive cabinets and furniture. I can't imagine anyone wanting to cook with gas without proper ventilation.

If you can't vent with a rangehood I would strongly consider some type of downdraft ventilation system. In order to use them you'll most likely be restricted to a cooktop instead of a rangetop or full range.

Also, there are a few rangehoods that you can recirculate the air through charcoal filters... but I don't think they are approved for natural gas cooking.

I use an exhaust fan in my kitchen window for those times when I generate a lot of smoke or grease...not often, and it isn't a problem to open the window, set the fan and go. The fan cleans up easily with windex afterwards.

Another option you may want to investigate is an island hood, which would vent through the ceiling rather than out the wall, and wouldn't require a wall mount.

Check with your local codes about installing a range in front of a window, though...sounds like that is what you will be doing and it isn't always OK.

Do you use a high-powered oven?

to joffeyu:

If you do cook, especially with gas stove, regardless of what and how, you NEED a range hood. I do custom kitchen cabinets and work with all brands of appliances. In my 25+ years of experience, IÂve installed every kind of appliance there is. You name it, IÂve done it.

Regardless of your environment, thereÂs always a way to vent a range hood to the outside - many windows, few windows, somewhere in between. The only exception is a high-rise building with concrete ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. In that case, a ductless (carbon filters) option can be used, which I personally donÂt like and donÂt recommend.

Worst-case scenario, a flat 3.5" x 10" duct could be used, boxed in sheetrock or another material to match your ceiling. It might seem like a big deal to you, but it is definitely an easy and low-cost job for any handyman. If your options are "downdraft or nothing" Â I would say thereÂs no difference. DD systems donÂt work. Period.

I strongly believe that every kitchen must have a range hood, ducted to the outside. There are a lot of different types of range hoods, with a huge variety of designs, shapes, and prices. The cost of a duct system, including the installation of your range hood, would be between $ 100 and $ 400. And it pays off within a couple of months of usage, with a smell- and grease-free kitchen environment. You donÂt have to worry about alarms, and you donÂt have to deal with a greasy film on the furniture.

IÂm sure if you do your research, on Google, Yahoo, and HomePortfolio, you will find 100Âs of different models that would match your design and needs. Ebay would offer you nothing but cheap Chinese imitations with "Italian style" and totally false specs.
So, in conclusion  proper venting is good, there are more options than you think, so donÂt give up!

Your Jenn Air down draft system will work--I've had a Jenn Air for 25 years, different models in different homes through the years and the downdraft does work "BUT" not as you would like or as Jenn Air claims. We have always installed a pro hood over the Jenn air to help out with what the downdraft doesn't catch when you're really making some fire and smoke. We like this set up as it allows us to use our Jenn Air with the downdraft on the "LOW" setting (no noise but gets the job done) for 75% of the cooking we do and never turn on the overhead hood unless there is a need. So in short, if your're thinking of the Jenn Air as a solution to your venting problem, it's not going to solve it, just help it some.

I will respectfully disagree with "downdrafts don't work". I have a Thermador telescope downdraft, on the back burners everything is vented out. Every odor, steam and speck of grease. On the front burners if I tilt a lid even on low setting steam from a pasta pot or odors from onions will go right out the vent. I am not trying to compare it to an over the range hood but I certainly would say "they don't work"

to pieinsky: with all due respect - if you have to use a range hood *in addition to* the downdraft, this proves my point - your downdraft system doesn't perform efficiently. A ventilation system which requires another ventilation system (even sometimes), is simply called "inefficient", or "doesn't work". Moreover, if we follow this line of reasoning, we will conclude that 3 (or better yet - 4) ventilation systems will work even better.

But, it's not what this topic is about. Joffeyu is asking what his (her?) options are for ventilation, and what ranges are suitable. What I'm recommending is, to take the best-final-results approach, get an over-the-range range hood, deal with the ducting, and end up with a powerful ventilation solution that will work without any additions and hoop-jumping - letting joffeyu choose any range s/he wants!

to robert_sett : I was simply stating that the Jenn Air would not take care of her venting problems. I've always had the luxury of being able to install a hood over my Jenn Air and have the best of both worlds--my downdraft that makes NO noise on low and a high powered unit overhead.
The only reason I posted was because I though I would let her know about the Jenn Air and respond to her following statement:
"""I cannot vent to the outside with a hood (windows everywhere - awkward layout and insuffucient funds for drastic remodel), thus dashing my dreams of a pro range.""" I believe the defining words above or "insufficient funds" to pay for venting and you were going to set her up with a 100-400 vent job with flat duct running exposed in her kitchen ceiling--that will look real good with her pro range not to mention the cutting of a hole in the side wall for venting. And you haven't bought the hood or hung it from anything yet! Is that part of your 100-400? remember the lack of funds??
Personally, I wouldn't be concerned about installing a pro range (or any other range for that matter)unless I could afford to have pro ventilation installed at the same time. I like my Jenn Air and it's downdraft works for 75% of the cooking I do. Maybe she's willing to have that trade off and just throw open a window when it's necessary rather than having duct work running around her kitchen ceiling. I know my wife would throw open a window wayyyyyyyyy before she would let me run duct work around the kitchen ceiling. Down drafts do work and do have a place in some kitchens. If they didn't, they wouldn't sell so many of them.

to pieinsky: you're praising Jenn-Air to the point where I think you're affiliated with this company somehow. I'm sorry if I'm wrong.

to robert_sett: Hello, Robert. From your detailed explanation, I see that you're a pro with experience in appliances, and I'm at the point where a professional opinion is really required. I'm looking for a contemporary range hood with glass for my Viking freestanding gas stove, and I'm leaning towards the Miele DA220. I do heavy cooking and I'm wondering if you think this model would be efficient enough. I will vent it outside. Thank you in advance.

kristih444--- You are wrong--- and the only thing I'm affiliated with is common sense. I responded because Robert said "DD systems donÂt work. Period." That is a false statement and he knew it. I've owned Jenn Airs for years, my old Mom has been using her Thermador cooktop with the downdraft for 20 years and I have a friend down the block that has a Gaggenau telescoping downdraft system on his cooktop. All of these are downdraft and they work. They don't work as good as your proposed "Miele DA220". But they do work and are used in many homes just for the expressed reasons the original poster was asking. They had no way to install an overhead hood--A hood that would absolutely work better than their downdraft.

to kristih444: I'm familiar with the Miele DA220 - it's a beautiful piece. The only thing you have to be very careful with is its dimensions. This unit does NOT have adjustable height capability.
If I'm not mistaken, off the top of my head, this unit is about 30" high. (Please check MieleÂs specs personally, to be sure). With a standard countertop height (36") + clearance between range hood and the cooktop (30"), it comes out to 96" ceiling height.
If your ceiling is higher than that, you would have to build a soffit box.
If the ceiling height is significantly lower than that - this model is not for you.
There are plenty of other similar-looking models on the market, by other European manufacturers, such as: Zephyr, Sirius, Futuro, Faber, and Elica - with adjustable height chimneys.

to piensky: Jenn-Air, Jenn-Air, Jenn-Air, Jenn-Air... and you're familiar with Miele and Gaggenau. How come you end up with Jenn-Air? What, Nutone wasnÂt available? IÂm sorry, I forgot that it was backed up by Range Hood #2 (which would require an additional duct system) Â yeah, good solution.

With all due respect to you personally (and your Jenn-Air equipment), this blog is meant to help people with their needs and questions, based on logic and common sense. People come to GardenWeb looking for useful advice to help them find the right product to suit their situation. This place is not for commercial advertising  if you want to sell a product or promote a brand, go to eBay. Your Jenn-Air DD system will be a perfect addition to all the Chinese junk sold there.

robert_sett I believe the original poster "joffeyu" said this :
So, I moved on to a Jenn Air with downdraft as my best/only choice and have since read that they basically stink. Is this true? And I answered ---- "Your Jenn Air down draft system will work--I've had a Jenn Air for 25 years, different models in different homes through the years and the downdraft does work "BUT" not as you would like or as Jenn Air claims. I also said in my follow up---"Personally, I wouldn't be concerned about installing a pro range (or any other range for that matter)unless I could afford to have pro ventilation installed at the same time.
And you answered: "If your options are "downdraft or nothing" Â I would say thereÂs no difference. DD systems donÂt work. Period."
And I say your an up tight individual that walks around with their nose in the air with total disgust with anyone that hasn't spent 15,000.00 dollars on their range and hood.
Besides "joffeyu" whole issue was venting and downdraft which I addressed.
You are not going to win this issue because all I was addressing was the downdraft and how it works. Which is great for a lot of people and sucks for others who actually believed when they purchased the unit that the downdraft was going to suck out all the smoke and heat the jenn Air cooktop or range could ever produce.
When you agree that there are thousands and thousands of downdraft units (doesn't matter which brand-- you said they were all useless) in homes all over the USA and lots and lots of folks actually like how they perform, then I'll shut up. That's my only grip with you and I'm sticking with it.