One of the most important tools we can have in our kitchens is an exhaust fan. Not only do they help with removing nasty odors, but they can also prevent oil and grime from building up on your kitchen ceiling and also remove indoor air pollutants that could be dangerous.
As kitchen exhaust fans are essential in your home, it is also necessary to choose one that is perfect for your needs. Whether you live in an apartment or house, don't have a lot of room in your kitchen or even prefer to manually control your exhaust fan, in this article we will suggest the best kitchen exhaust fan that will be perfect for you.Best Pick
Our best pick is the Bionaire Window Fan with Twin Reversible Airflow Blades and Remote Control. This kitchen exhaust fan comes with two blades that can be independently controlled, remote control to make your life that bit easier and LED screen that can inform you on its performance.
Budget Pick
Our budget pick is the Holmes Dual Blade Twin Window Fan. It comes with two blades that can be independently controlled, three-speed settings and is designed to fit into most windows.
Quick Comparison: Top 10 Best Kitchen Exhaust Fans
1. Bionaire Window Fan With Twin Reversible Airflow Blades and Remote Control
The first exhaust fan in our list is the Bionaire Window Fan which comes with two airflow blades and remote control.
This exhaust fan draws in cool air and turn releases warm air, but can also exchange air with the outside. You can adjust the fan so that each blade is doing a different action so that both inside and outside air is being exchanged simultaneously.
It comes with an LED digital display which lets you know what the current is and also has an LCD screen that can be controlled with a remote. The LCD screen will tell you your selected temperature and the room temperature too. You can control the speed of the fan with the remote control and it comes in three settings.
It also has a programmable thermostat which can control whether the fan is off or on depending on your selected comfort level, making this fan easily personalisable, and waterproof and water-resistant motors so that the exhaust fan can work without issues even if it is raining.
This fan can fit casement windows, and a double-hung, vertical slider. To install, simply position the exhaust fan and connect the fuse to an electrical socket.
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Cons
2. Holmes Dual Blade Twin Window Fan
This kitchen exhaust fan comes with two blades which are similar to the previous product mentioned. It is manually controlled and has three-speed settings so you can adjust the fan for your needs.
This exhaust fan can fit into most double-hung and slider windows. It comes with an adjustable extender screen and bonus extender panel which secures into larger windows.
This fan also can intake air, exhaust and exchange air. Each blade can be independently controlled and reversed for air intake or exhaust. To install this fan, plug in the cord to a 120 AC outlet. The Holmes exhaust fan also has a manual thermostat that can maintain your ideal comfort level.
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Cons
3. Iliving 10 Inch Variable Speed Shutter Exhaust Fan
This fan comes in various sizes that range from 7 to 36 inches. It has a permanently lubricated motor ensuring longevity and safety. This motor is also UL listed and has various speed settings that can be controlled.
You’ll be glad to know that this fan is also resistant to corrosion thanks to its OSHA compliant wire guards.
It comes with an iLiving ILG8SFSC speed controller which can adjust the speed of the blades and is also available to be purchased on its own if the need arises. This exhaust fan is not only ideal for your kitchen but can also be used in dusty attics, workshop spaces, greenhouses and more.
On the front of the exhaust fan, there is a weather-resistant aluminum shutter that provides durability. The back of the product has heavy-duty galvanized steel frames, a class B motor and motion balanced aluminum propeller that allows this fan to work quietly.Pros
Cons
4. Broan 509 Through-Wall Fan
This fan is made out of plastic and comes in several sizes, allowing you to personalize the product for your individual needs.
Its main purpose is to ventilate and remove any odors in your home and kitchen that you may not want - especially cooking odors and tobacco smells.
The larger version of this exhaust fan has a Sone rating of 7.5 (which means it is powerful enough to ventilate bathrooms and regular rooms) and is powered on 180 CFM. It’s is very simple and convenient to install and has paintable polymeric grilles to ensure that the fan can stick and fit into the decor that already exists in your home.
This particular exhaust fan is especially unique as it comes with a built-in damper that helps to reduce backdrafts - which is beneficial for energy efficiency. This motor in the Broan 509 exhaust fan is lubricated, thermally protected, and offers an easy-to-use and fast ‘twist and lock’ installation.
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5. Broan-Nutone 512M Through-the-Wall Ventilation Fan
Available in both 3.5 Sones and 6.5 Sones, this exhaust fan is versatile and can be used in various places in your home. The 3.5 Sone fan operates on 70 CFM and the 6.5 operates on 180 CFM.
It can be adjusted to your home and is made with a specially designed polymeric fan blade.
Similar to the previous Broan product mentioned too, this version also has paintable polymeric grilles (so you can match it to the decor of your home) and a built-in damper. The Nutone 512M can be accessorized with a wall switch and/or a variable speed wall control for easier use.
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6. Broan-Nutone 505 Exhaust Fan
Though this is yet another Broan exhaust fan in this article, what sets the 505 apart from the rest is the fact that it's a ceiling fan. If you prefer to keep your walls bare or decorated with art and photos rather than a chunky fan that may get in the way, hiding a fan on your ceiling may be the best way to go about things.
This fan comes in three variations and is available in 4.5 Sones (60 CFM), 6.5 Sones (180 CFM) and 6.5 Sones (350 CFM).
You may be concerned when it comes to the installation of this fan, but rest assured that it's just as simple as installing a fan into a window or wall. This is thanks to the steel mountain brackets with keyhole slots that come with the fan.
Just as with the previous Broan fans, this one is no exception when it comes to the paintable polymeric grilles which once again ensure that the fan is cohesive and sticks to your current home decor. You’ll also be glad to know that this fan is ENERGY STAR certified and also HVI certified which provides a strong level of security and safety with this product.
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7. Broan-NuTone 423001 Convertible Range Hood Insert with Light Exhaust Fan
This exhaust fan is smaller than the rest that has been mentioned thus far in this article. It comes with a high-quality hood insert which aims to improve the lighting and ventilation of your stove.
This exhaust fan is especially designed to be placed under your kitchen cabinet and is drafted to fit into most cabinets.
It comes with a protective lamp lens that spreads light evenly over the cook-top. This exhaust fan also comes with an aluminum grease filter that can be washed in the dishwasher and make your life just a little bit easier.
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Cons
8. Broan-NuTone 8210 8 Vertical Discharge and 7-Inch Round Duct Ceiling Fan
The last product we have in this list for you is the Broan-NuTone 8210 8 Vertical Discharge and 7-Inch Round Duct Ceiling Fan 210CFM. It is another ceiling fan that is versatile as it can eliminate many different types of odors in the home.
You won’t have to worry about this fan being loud and annoying. It has 6.5 Sones and operates on 210 CFM to ensure a quiet performance.
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Things to Consider Before Buying a Kitchen Exhaust Fan
To ensure that you pick a kitchen exhaust fan that is perfect for you, we’ve come up with the most important factors you should consider before setting out to purchase your very own exhaust fan. We understand how important it is to have a fan that truly ventilates your home to the best degree so that your nose and future guests will always remain happy.
After all, the size, installation and decor of the fan that your friend may prefer for their home could be the complete opposite of what you would want in your own home. Also, there are many different types of exhaust fans that have unique features which you may be interested in.
Kitchen exhaust fans date back to the mid-20th century. Though they do not entirely resemble the kitchen exhaust fans that we know today, the first range hood aimed to eliminate the same odors that the modern-day exhaust fan aims to do too.
Here are a few important things to consider before buying your own kitchen exhaust fan.
Size and Number of Blades
Before purchasing or even considering an exhaust fan, make sure to check the available space you have in your home that could fit a fan. Thoroughly measure the space you have and then decide on the possible fans that could fit into that space. The last thing you’d want is to find the perfect exhaust fan and then find out that it doesn’t fit into your home.
The number of blades in the fan is also a point to consider. You can either opt for a single-bladed or double-bladed. The single blade fans are easy to use and straight-forward. However, if you like variety, perhaps having dual blades is something you should consider.
Most fans with two blades now offer several settings that you can use to get advanced settings and ventilation. You can even assign each blade to work independently from the other which is pretty cool and very convenient.
Remote Control or Manual?
In more recent years the option to control devices around our homes with remote control has become increasingly popular. Having a remote control allows us to control devices with much more ease and this is especially important if that device is hard to reach manually.
Some exhaust fans are made to install high on the walls or ceilings that may be difficult to reach. With such fans, it is best to consider looking into those that have remote controls so that you can adjust the fan with ease.
Manual exhaust fans also have their place, however. You may want to set your fan to a setting that stays constant and won’t change. If that is the case, you won’t need a remote control and a manual fan will suffice.
Sones
Sones measure how loud or quiet your fan is. Because the fan and its blades will be working at fast speeds and very often throughout the day or week, it is important to find a fan that is as quiet as possible. To find out this information, read the specs of a product beforehand and the Sones measurements should be available to you.
Installation
Another very important aspect to consider is how the exhaust fan is installed. Though in most cases you won’t need a plumber or professional to install the exhaust fan into your home, it is always good to read up on how a product is installed beforehand. Perhaps you may need to purchase extra parts such as light bulbs and it would be good to know this as early as possible.
The installation process will vary depending on where the product is being installed. Windows, walls and ceilings will all have its method of installation but all products come with a manual that you can read to install the product by yourself with ease.
In most cases, you'll simply need to plug the power cord to a nearby socket for it to work.
Cleaning and Special Features
A lot of exhaust fans are pretty easy to clean and some even come with parts that can be washed in the dishwasher. Make sure to check if this is the case before purchasing an exhaust fan.
Some exhaust fans also come with special features such as LED displays and automatic responses which may make your life just that little bit easier. If you enjoy technology to its fullest this may be something to look into. If you prefer simpler and easy-to-use fans, there are plenty of those that are on the market too.
Where to Place
Though exhaust fans are widely used in the kitchen (because the kitchen produces a lot of odors as your cook), they can also be placed in other areas of the house. Attics, bathrooms and even greenhouses are possible places where you can use an exhaust fan to ventilate the air and keep things clean and crisp.
If you do decide to place the exhaust fan in your kitchen, you can either opt for fans that can be fitted into your wall, window or even your ceiling. Consider how much space you have in your kitchen and how the fan will look in your home.
If you are particularly conscious of the decor of your home, this step is especially important. You may want to opt for a fan that can be painted and redecorated too.
Putting aesthetic reasons aside, it is even more important to consider placing your fan where it can work the best. Consider the walls and windows of your kitchen/bathroom and the power of the fan and place it in a manner that the entire room can be ventilated.
Conclusion
Kitchen exhaust fans are an essential part of the kitchen and home. They purify the air from bad smells that could linger in your home and make it feel unwelcome and uncomfortable. They are often easy to use and don’t take up much space in your home once properly fitted into your window, wall, ceiling or stove.
We hope that through this article you are now aware of the different types of exhaust fans that exist with all of their unique features and uses. We also hope that you know what to watch out for and consider when it comes to purchasing your kitchen exhaust fan so that you pick the best kitchen exhaust fan that you could ever hope for.