What Size Range Hood for a 30 Inch Cooktop?
Choose a range hood 30 inches wide to match a 30 inch cooktop, or go a little wider. Then match the airflow to your burners and confirm noise and mounting height in the manual.
On this page (12 sections)
- What size range hood should you pick for a 30 inch cooktop?
- How do you measure for a range hood?
- How much airflow does a 30 inch cooktop need?
- How loud is a 30 inch range hood?
- Does a 30 inch hood need a charcoal filter?
- Does the duct size matter when you replace a hood?
- Can a 36 inch hood go over a 30 inch cooktop?
- What other features should you compare?
- Do wall mount hoods follow the same width rule?
- How high should a range hood sit above a 30 inch cooktop?
- What if the cabinet is wider than the cooktop?
- Pick the right range hood size for your 30 inch cooktop
Here's what size range hood works for a 30 inch cooktop: 30 inches wide is the standard match, and a little wider is fine. After width come airflow, noise and mounting height, and each one changes how the hood works in your kitchen.
For the bigger picture, the ductless range hoods guide covers the setups. If you want every decision in order, how to choose an under cabinet range hood walks through them.
What size range hood should you pick for a 30 inch cooktop?
Pick a hood that's 30 inches wide, or a little wider, so it covers every burner. A hood narrower than the cooktop leaves the outer burners exposed.
Hoods sold as 30 inch often measure a hair under. CIARRA's CAS75918A is 29.76 inches wide and VIKIO's under cabinet model is 29.5, so read the width spec instead of trusting the name alone.
How wide should a range hood be for a 30 inch cooktop?
Match the cooktop: a 30 inch hood for a 30 inch range, and a 36 inch hood for a 36 inch range. Going a little wider than the cooktop is fine, as long as your cabinet space allows it.
How do you measure for a range hood?
Measure the cooktop edge to edge for width and front to back for depth, then compare both with the hood's specs. The cooktop sets the number, not the cabinet opening.
Depth varies a lot between 30 inch hoods. CIARRA's is 13.39 inches deep and VIKIO's is 19.75, so the second reaches over more of the cooktop.
Height counts too, because the hood's body takes room out of the space between the cabinet and the cooktop. CIARRA's is 3.94 inches tall, while VIKIO's and Broan-NuTone's 30 inch hoods stand about 6.
Spec tables often list depth first, as CIARRA's does (13.39 D x 29.76 W x 3.94 H). Read the letter on each number before you compare widths.
How much airflow does a 30 inch cooktop need?
A common rule of thumb for gas is about 100 CFM for every 10,000 BTU of burner output, so burner output sets the number. Treat it as a rule of thumb, and check your range's BTU figure and the hood manual before you choose.
For example, burners that add up to 40,000 BTU point to about 400 CFM under that rule.
Airflow varies widely among 30 inch hoods, from 100 CFM on Broan-NuTone's ductless-only 413004 to 900 on VIKIO's under cabinet model. The table reads some maker numbers against the rule of thumb.
| Total burner BTU | Rule-of-thumb CFM | A 30 inch hood near that number |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 | 100 | Broan-NuTone 413004 (100 CFM) |
| 20,000 | 200 | CIARRA CAS75918A (200 CFM) |
| 35,000 | 350 | Broan-NuTone 30 inch white hood (350 CFM) |
| 45,000 | 450 | SNDOAS wall mount (450 CFM) |
| 60,000 | 600 | VIKIO wall mount (580 CFM) |
| 90,000 | 900 | VIKIO under cabinet (900 CFM) |
Maker CFM numbers are usually measured for ducted use, and airflow in ductless mode is often lower.
If you cook on gas, a hood that vents outside is the stronger setup, and ductless suits lighter everyday cooking. Your hood's manual and a qualified pro can help you decide.
For general background on kitchen ventilation, see the Department of Energy.
How loud is a 30 inch range hood?
It depends on the model and the speed, and a lower sone or decibel figure means a quieter hood. CIARRA lists 6.5 sones at its highest of three speeds.
VIKIO says its hood runs as low as 35 dB on low and stays under 65 dB at full power, and AMZCHEF gives its 36 inch hood 55 dB.
Broan-NuTone rates its 30 inch white under cabinet hood at 1.5 sones on its working speed and compares that to a refrigerator running. It quotes the working speed and CIARRA quotes the maximum, so the two figures aren't a like-for-like pair.
Sones and decibels are different scales too, so compare sones with sones and dB with dB. Speed matters as much as the model, since VIKIO's own figures run from 35 dB on low to under 65 dB at full power.
Does a 30 inch hood need a charcoal filter?
Only when the hood recirculates air inside, since a hood that vents outside doesn't need one. CIARRA's CAS75918A is convertible, and its ductless mode needs the optional CACF006 carbon filter.
Filters fit by model number, so check the number on your hood before you buy. The best 30 inch ductless under cabinet range hoods roundup compares models that can recirculate.
Does the duct size matter when you replace a hood?
Yes, if you already have a duct, because the new hood's outlet has to connect to it. Outlets differ by hood, so compare yours before you order.
CIARRA's top vent uses a 4.8 inch round damper, AMZCHEF's 36 inch hood has a 6 inch air outlet, and VIKIO's under cabinet model ships with a rectangular duct adapter. Your hood's manual lists which connections it takes.
Can a 36 inch hood go over a 30 inch cooktop?
Yes, if your cabinet space and the hood's manual allow it, because a wider hood still covers every burner. A 36 inch hood overhangs a 30 inch cooktop by 3 inches on each side.
Wider hoods read slightly under their label too, since AMZCHEF's 36 inch model is 35.24 inches wide. If your range is 36 inches, a 36 inch hood is the closer match, and the best 36 inch under cabinet range hoods roundup compares the options.
What other features should you compare?
Compare controls, lights and filters once the width and airflow fit. Those features shape daily use more than they shape performance.
- CIARRA: push buttons, two LED lights and mesh filters.
- VIKIO: gesture and touch controls with a memory function, plus dishwasher-safe filters.
- AMZCHEF: a touch panel, a remote, a timer and dishwasher-safe baffle filters.
- Broan-NuTone 4136SF: rocker switches for the 2-speed fan and light, with the bulb sold separately.
Bulbs differ as well. VIKIO's under cabinet hood takes standard GU10 bulbs, and Broan-NuTone's 413004 takes an LED bulb up to 75W that isn't included.
Power differs too. CIARRA's CAS75918A ships with a 3-prong plug, so check where your outlet sits before you pick the hood's position.
Do wall mount hoods follow the same width rule?
Yes, a 30 inch wall mount hood is also about 30 inches wide, but its height changes the fit. SNDOAS's is 29.5 inches wide and adjusts from 22.8 to 37.8 inches tall, Hermitlux's stands 37.8 inches and VIKIO's 41.
That height needs ceiling room above the cooktop. SNDOAS says its two 15.5 inch chimneys fit 7.5 to 8.5 foot ceilings.
How high should a range hood sit above a 30 inch cooktop?
Your hood's manual sets the height, and the number changes by model. Broan-NuTone says its 413004 goes at least 18 inches above the cooktop, while SNDOAS says its wall mount hood belongs 26 to 30 inches from the cooking surface.
Don't carry one hood's number to another. For the order of work, how to install an under cabinet range hood is the place to start.
If the hood needs wiring, follow the manual and use a qualified electrician if you're unsure.
What if the cabinet is wider than the cooktop?
Center the hood over the cooktop, not the cabinet, so the burners sit under the middle of the hood. A cabinet wider than the range leaves open space at the sides, which is fine.
Check the hood's width against the cooktop first and the cabinet second.
Pick the right range hood size for your 30 inch cooktop
The right range hood size for a 30 inch cooktop is 30 inches wide, or a little wider. Match the airflow to your burners, check the noise at top speed and confirm the mounting height in the manual.
Pick a 30 inch hood when you want the closest width match. Pick a 36 inch hood only if your cabinet space and the manual allow the extra width.
For the full field, see the best under cabinet range hoods roundup.
Frequently asked questions
What size range hood do I need for a 30 inch cooktop?
Choose a hood that's 30 inches wide, or a little wider, so it covers every burner. Hoods sold as 30 inch often measure a hair under, like CIARRA's 29.76 inches, so read the width in the specs rather than trusting the model name.
How much CFM do I need for a 30 inch range hood?
A common rule of thumb for gas is about 100 CFM for every 10,000 BTU of burner output, so 40,000 BTU points to about 400 CFM. Check your range's BTU figure and the hood manual first, since maker CFM numbers are usually measured for ducted use.
Is a 36 inch range hood too big for a 30 inch cooktop?
Not always, because a 36 inch hood still covers every burner and overhangs a 30 inch cooktop by 3 inches on each side. Check the cabinet space and the hood manual before you buy, since the extra width changes how the hood sits.
How high should a range hood sit above a 30 inch cooktop?
Follow the height in your hood's manual, because each model sets its own. Broan-NuTone says its 413004 goes at least 18 inches above the cooktop, while SNDOAS says its wall mount hood belongs 26 to 30 inches from the cooking surface.
