Pretty much every time I cook. Definitely every time I fry or sautée anything. I didn't realize how greasy the walls, cabinets, and AIR were before my remodel. And now I notice just how much grease collects in the baffles of my hood. A recirc hood is better than nothing, but barely. I'd strongly suggest he vent the hood if he doesn't like the smell of your cooking. And that he install something more effective than the cheapest big box unit he can find. Preferably something that extends out 24" from the wall.

Mine is vented to the outside, I use it every time I cook something that creates steam during hot weather, Other times I use it for hight heat cooking and strong smelling foods----like fish. I would use it more often but it sounds like an airplane taking off, Replacing it this spring---bet they have some new quiet models---the one I have has been in the house since it was built in 1957!

I use mine similar to JoanEileen, although the recommendation is to turn it on whenever you cook. Actually, to be precise, BEFORE you begin cooking so the suction can start and be fully established when your pot goes on the burner. My hood, even though it's only 2 years old and was very expensive, is too loud for me even on low to use it every time I turn a burner on. I'm noise sensitive so I think that any hood would bother me.

When we first moved back into the house after the house reno, I did use the hood every time I cooked anything. Wanting to keep the kitchen looking so spotless and pretty, I climbed on the counters to clean the windows (and trim) flanking my rangetop every week or so. They were barely dirty. Then months later when I stopped using the hood so much to save my sanity during cooking from the noise, I noticed the windows, window frames, and trim got a grimy layer on them. The vinyl window frames particularly had a brownish greasy film on them. That was proof to me that the hood sucks that gunk out of the house.

Oh, and the additional recommendation is to keep the hood on for 5-10 minutes after the burner is turned off so anything on the hood or air can be fully exhausted from the house and system before the air stops being sucked. Can you tell I researched hoods and venting for about 18 months before and during our reno? :-)

I finally replaced mine a couple of years ago with a Kobe because I couldn't stand the noise of the old builder's grade one, plus it wasn't effective at all. The new one is terrific, quiet and easy to clean (but I've never had to yet) everything can go in the DW. I never fry anything, but I use it when I cook broccoli, or similar, or if I burn something in the oven, otherwise it sets of the smoke alarms. Mine vents to the outside. It has one very low setting that I'll use to freshen the house by leaving it on all night...like if the compost has gotten away from me and didn't get emptied quickly enough and the smell has lingered.

I use mine when I cook something that will be on the cooktop for more than a few minutes. Mine vents to the outside, too, it's on an outside wall, so only has to go a few inches.

See, that's sort of what I was thinking. High heat, super steamy, greasy, burnt... but I still don't think basic cooking? Am I totally offbase?

Everytime something is being cooked on the cooktop and I even turn it on before opening the oven (its a range). I don't understand those who say they cook but don't need/use a real vent. Even if I'm not burning something there is steam and odors coming off the food. For those who say they like the smells of cooking I agree. BUT I don't like leaving the kitchen, going up the stairs and smelling tonights dinner in our bedroom.

Are you totally offbase?

If you check out the appliance forum, or even the cooking forum, the pros will tell you to turn it on every....single....time a burner is on to remove all the HOGS (heat, oil, grease/gas, smells). I think most people don't even use one or just use it for just the worst smelly food.

I can attest that using a hood very regularly reduces the cleaning in the kitchen.

Because we must be very frugal, I seldom use the vent in the winter because sucking heat out of the house doesn't seem like a good idea. When I am frying or cooking something smelly, I use it. It is used more often in warm weather (to remove the heat from the kitchen).

Ok. I will think it about it some more in terms of every time. Surely, it wouldn't be on all that long anyhow. I wouldn't guess.

Thanks!

P.S. It's loud, obnoxious, and honestly seems like a waste of electricity. Now, I'm wondering about extra electricity just using+extra heat (since I live underground, it's harder to get/stay warm. Cool? That's easy to do).

I should use it more than I do. I always forget to turn it on and then the next morning I can still smell what I cooked the night before. Probably should use it every time I do something more than boil water.

As little as possible - can't stand the noise. Fortunately I don't do much frying or greasy cooking as I do feel the need to use it then.

I made pancakes and bacon for dinner, so I used it tonite. I hate the noise of the damned things. Everything has to be turned up so loud in order to hear it (the news).

I have read that it stops all kinds of food spatters from going all over the place but I just use it when cooking something smelly/greasy or boiling pasta.

Hmmm. I think I'd be frying fish on purpose, after that instruction, sheesh.

How often do I use the vent fan. Never, because I don't have one, LOL. My kitchen has a nice built in hood that matches the cupboards, but there's nothing inside it. Maybe they ran out of money before they got that far when they built the house? Probably spent every penny on that orange countertop. (grin)

Annie

Geez Robin, you out of line? I think he's out of line telling what you can cook. I'd like to see that in a lease clause. Good luck to him if it doesn't even vent outside. Not to mention....when it vents outside you can smell all that good cooking smells...outside. LOL.

I have a fairly strong one and use it most of the time. In the summer I don't want the heat and in the winter even the heat from cooking can set off the smoke alarm. I have one of those special kitchen detectors but the old one keeps on working so haven't put it up ....yet. Smiles.

Good luck Robin, but must say I hope they're better landlords in other ways or you and LF [or not so LF] might have a rough go there in future.

I use mine every time I cook. It's only very noisy when it's on the top speed. It's a Neff.

Actually, they're pretty nice landlords! They're just new at this. I think this is their first house. And we share so much, it's ok they asked me to hang back a bit on certain things. Afterall, I get to tell them absolutely no noise whatsoever after 10:30PM Sunday-Thursday nights. Davidson County noise ordinances? 10PM-6AM sound free. Close enough. I have a son who must be up and at school after a good night's sleep. Imperative. He's 14 but taking high school classes (started last year), will be taking college courses in his junior year forward, or honor classes, etc. He wants to be an MD and plans to do it on scholarships. So stellar grades are a must. My hiccup. I get one, they get one. I guess it's ok as long as we agree.

I was less certain on being required to use the vent each and every time because I abhor the loud noise. Why doesn't it have it? I live in the finished off basement three landlords ago built. Poorly. We're fixing this and that as it goes. We (up and downstairs) share water, sewer, and electricty. Not dedicated boxes or other equipment?! So it's probably never had any vent that goes to the outside for the kitchen. When my friends moved in, the stove was, I am not exaggerating, the size of what must've been an RV stove.... next to a huge commercial fridge. That had bullet holes in it. HA! It's all been redone. Regular size stove and fridge, without bullet holes. New carpeting, granite counters, new paint. It's truly nice. Not comparable to the area, but close.

Wait! I found the before picture. ICK!!!!

This post was edited by rob333 on Wed, Dec 18, 13 at 8:01

Ok. It's messy, but here's what it looks like now. It'd be better if there was more storage, but that's not been remedied yet.

If anyone was that nice for the sake of my kid, I would sure be as inoffensive in my cooking, as budget and time allow. If that venting system doesn't work so well, I would try to make things that didn't need venting. They are just trying to lessen the grease impact, not being critical or nosy. Give them a break. You be the good guy. Jmo.

Annie, fried fish? Just because? You don't really mean that.

Tonight I made lasagne. A small amount (half dollar size) dripped out. When DD opened the oven and there was smoke. I then instructed everyone present as to that is why you always turn on the fan before opening the door.

On low mine is barely a whisper and i turn it on every time a burner is on.
I'm conscious of the heat loss and use it minimal unless i am searing a steak...then it gets the
noisy full blast and off the second it is done. We have a skylight in the kitchen and clerestory windows and lots of glass so they tend to steam up.
We do not fry at all but do grill a bit. Most meats and fish grilling, smoking, are outside.
Can't avoid the smell of garlic and onion cooking, but the hood is on low whenever we cook.
Ours does vent to the outside. And i do use a splatter screen if i sear a steak in the cast iron to collect any splatter. Maybe once a month.
I'm guessing the smell of cooking is rising up into their living space?
That can be a bit off-putting to some that don't cook often?

Rob, that is a very nice kitchen, especially in a rental. You have added very nice warm touches.

Not too many kitchens have enough counter space or storage, but you have maximized the space by utilizing the space above the cabinets for cabinet-space-hogging appliances. It's really a nice room and with your skills and interest in cooking, I bet lots of good stuff happens there.

Robin, I really like the gray cupboards, I think they'd be easier to keep from banging up like I do white ones.

Westsider, Robin mentioned the fish night first, LOL. She said "last night, he complained that I fried something for dinner and not to do it again until there is venting" and then said "Maybe a fish night thrown in for good measure". I agreed, and think that being told not to fry anything would get my back hairs up. Of course, having never had a vent fan might skew my perspective. (grin)

Annie

To get rid of smell with no venting, get an activated carbon air cleaner/fan. It recirculates air and removes smell.

For those who are sensitive to noise, you can get a noise cancelling earphone. It cancels out repetitive noises, and you can still hear other sounds.

dcarch

Yes, Annie, I knew the spirit of your comment. And I am teasing too. We are all just talkin.

I do want to be nice to them :) It's truly the reason I asked. I want to "meet them where they are". Thanks for comments on our warm touches.

My biggest worry is they are like sleevendog says and not even good smelling stuff is "good" to them. Even though she says, smells good! Maybe he does not think so, or maybe she was trying to subtly tell me she can smell it, or??? I really hope I'm not going to have to quit cooking. I love to and it's less expensive than eating out.

Isn't that first, huge fridge in that tiny kitchen HIL-a-rious?

I don't typically fry. It's just that the boy has been studying so hard, complete meals are suffering. He loves fried chicken, he'll eat as many legs as you let him. So I fried up a batch. It's actually pretty rare I use oil. I just want to fatten him up and make him happy. His stress level is really high. Due to drop to the ground in another week. He will have finished studying, exams, and traveling. Can't wait until then! Poor little guy. He'll make it though.

When smoking was legal, NYC restaurants used activated carbon air scrubbers to filter out tobacco smell in the smoking section.

Activated carbon is very effective. It is also used in poison gas masks.

dcarch

geesh, are you implying they need gas masks for my cooking?!

TOTALLY AND UTTERLY KIDDING!!!! heh

Our restaurant also had the "smoke eaters" with charcoal filters. Unfortunately, they didn't work all that well, IMO. Of course, I've never smoked, so I could tell.

Westsider, I knew you were kidding. I just wanted you to know that SHE STARTED IT!!! It's not my fault, Mom, really. (grin)

Robin, I had a garage fire once, a Ford Escort with a faulty ignition switch spontaneously combusted and did a few thousand dollars worth of smoke damage. They did recall them a few months later for that problem, but too late for me. Anyway, when the fire department arrived one of the firefighters asked Amanda if she had smelled smoke, since not a single one of our three smoke alarms went off. She replied that she had, but she just thought it was me, cooking dinner. Yeah.....

Annie

Thanks for this morning's laugh! Laura, standing in the lab, had to see why I was laughing so hard. Aw Annie! Kids can be such a joy. HA!

Rob, hope your finals went well. I am a landlord and active in owners' rights organizations. That's my bias. If you were my downstairs tenant, I would arrange to have a vented hood installed asap and let it go at that. Your new owner is way out of line, as he is responsible for the equipment installed as part of the rental.

Its suppose t o be on everytime you cook.Did you ever see a kitchen of someone that did use the fan theres a sticky film on everything ,not to mention moisture in your house isn't good.I have rentals I know.Hubbys a builder hes seen a lot too.

Actually bulldinkie, I have never been to a friend's, work event, family member's (mine or husband's)... anything where someone was cooking and their vent be on. Never, not once. Doesn't mean we shouldn't have it on. But I do have to say, the gamut on cleanliness for the homes. I'm not sure it helps or doesn't? Just my observation. Maybe I am oblivious. Wouldn't surprise me!

:)

I'm very likely moving. And I will start cooking again. I totally quit after this incident. It really hurt me more than I knew, and really, I couldn't see a middle ground. But I am moving because I bought a house! Ah. The boy and I keep saying the first thing we're going to do is fry food. Every food we can think of. Cannot wait!

Congratulations! I saw your moving thread. The house is darling! I am one of the venting fanatics who turn on a very powerful hood before I turn on the stove, every time. (I'm on record encouraging remodelers to think this way. That doesn't mean there aren't other ways!) It's such a shame that you just stopped cooking because of the whole situation! That's another good reason for taking the plunge on the house! I'm not much of a fryer, but I keep finding new things that sound worth doing. Do you have a list yet? I'm sure you and your son have a lot of favorites to get started on. Here are some other suggestions:

Beer battered green beans
Tempura vegetables
Italian ricotta pastries
Stuffed squash blossoms

How great to be getting to be the owner again and determine your own course! One thing to consider, however, is that if you do want more venting than you get from the microwave, you could get a countertop/cart model, and put in a hood that vents either up or straight back through the wall, and you could probably put the blower on the roof to get the noise out of the kitchen. No implication meant of what you should do. Just a mention of what you could do if you wanted to. Meanwhile, congrats again, both on the beautiful home/environs and the freedom that will come with it. Happy frying!

Thanks! I hadn't realized how much it bothered me until we considered moving. I might even choose to vent every meal. But it will be MY choice. I more took it as, we can smell everything you cook.

I very seldom turn on the fan, as I can't stand the noise when I'm cooking. I don't know if it helps get rid of grease spatter or not. I think the only time I really use it is when I'm boiling pasta to get rid of the steam.

rob333- I use my fan almost every single time I turn on my gas burners.

That said, my vote for frying is Bang Bang Shrimp!

The other night I made chicken parm. I usually make thin cutlets but this time I used chicken breasts and had them in oil and butter so that they shallow-fried. Turned them, browned both sides and finished in the oven. Wow, they were good. All kinds of goodies for you to fry!

Husband walks by and turns it on almost every time I am in the kitchen cooking. lol

why would he do that angelaid? I'm perplexed :)

I never use the vent. I think it's a habit he picked up from his mother. His sisters both turn the vent on as soon as they turn the stove on.

Ah. That makes sense. Probably "takes him back", gives him comfort.

Well, that and a good vent really does do good in the kitchen. I'm not trying to foist it on anyone, but he might just like to get rid of the steam and smells. :)