If you’re remodeling and trying to decide between an over-the-range microwave or a dedicated range hood, first consider what kind of stove you have. A microwave hood or range hood is really there for ventilation, not odors or smoke, notes Jessica Petrino Ball, who runs the education programs at the kitchen appliance retailer AJ Madison. Vents or exhaust hoods work by sucking up and removing steam and gases as you cook, she says. (That action also tends to move smells, heat, and tiny steam-borne grease particles out of the kitchen—which keeps it cleaner and less smelly, as well.)
