If you want to find the best range hood insert on the market, you are in the right place!
In this product review, I will go over…
- My #1 top pick range hood inserts
- Tips on picking the right range hood insert
- Frequent complaints of homeowners
As a licensed home inspector, I have inspected tons of range hoods, and inserts offer great flexibility.
Inserts can blend seamlessly into the kitchen cabinets. Or you can build your own custom wood hood that stands out with a unique look!
Check out our list of top picks below or keep on reading to see our buyer's guide and various tips!
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Top Pick  | Top Pick | Kobe Brillia
|
| View on Amazon |
 | Broan PM390
|
| View on Amazon | |
Best Controls  | Best Controls | Iktch
|
| View on Amazon |
 | Ancona Inserta
|
| View on Amazon | |
 | Kobe Deluxe
|
| View on Amazon |
My Overall #1 Rated Pick
Updated On January 7, 2023
- 550-cfm fan speed for effective ventilation
- Trademarked QuietMode fan speed for ultra quiet exhaust
- Commercial grade stainless steel
- Two 3-watt LED lights
My overall top pick for range hood inserts goes to the Kobe Brillia. This 550-cfm range vent insert comes in a 30-inch and 36-inch model. It is made of commercial grade stainless steel with a satin finish. It also includes two 3-watt LEDs for energy efficient cooktop lighting. The Kobe Brillia has a trademarked QuietMode fan speed so you can ventilate your kitchen with low noise.
Our List of Highly Rated Range Vent Inserts
Only have a minute? Check out our top 5 range hood inserts below! Keep reading for more details:
Vent Hood Inserts Are Enclosed By Custom Cabinetry Or Wood Shells
A range hood insert is a type of range hood that inserted into either a wood hood or a custom cabinet.
A wood hood is a manufactured wooden shell that is specifically made for range hood inserts. There are also range hood inserts that are already installed into the wood hood by the manufacturer. I invite you to read my guide on custom wood hoods right here.
Homeowners also like to build out custom cabinets for hood inserts which is basically a wood frame with some type of aesthetic wood installed over it.
The nice thing about range hood inserts is that they can provide a unique and seamless look to your kitchen. Metallic range hoods don’t exactly match kitchen cabinets, and not everyone likes the look of stainless steel or black.
Most Inserts Can Be Installed Ducted Or Ductless
A big decision in picking the range hood inserts is between installing it ducted or ductless.
Almost all manufacturers allow their range hood inserts to be convertible from ducted to ductless with the addition of a charcoal filter kit. You can read my complete guide on how ductless range hoods work here.
The filter kit includes a charcoal filter which helps remove smoke and particles before recirculating the air back into the kitchen. It will also need a grease filter that will capture the airborne grease from cooking.
If you have the option, going with a ducted range hood insert is always advisable. The performance of ducted vent hood inserts will always be superior to ductless installations — but sometimes there are reasons to go ventless.
Make Sure It Will Fit Into Your Wood Hood Or Custom Cabinet
One of the biggest considerations will be the size of the range hood insert.
If you already have a wood hood or plan to build a custom cabinet, you want to make sure that the hood insert will actually fit into it. The last thing you want is to build out a custom frame and the range hood insert doesn’t fit.
For the width, you want the range hood to be at least as wide as your cooktop or range. If the range hood insert is slightly wider than your range, then that is even better, and will capture more exhaust fumes.
30-inch Wood Hood
Read Also: Our #1 Pick For Island Range Hoods?
Minimum Fan Speed Should Be 100-cfm Per Linear Foot of Range
After the range hood insert size, probably the biggest consideration will be the exhaust speed which is rated in CFM or cubic feet per minute. This is the amount of air that the insert will move in one minute. Here is my full guide on picking the right CFM for your range hood.
Most range vent inserts will range from a low of 250-cfm and all the way up to around 900-cfm for most residential kitchens.
According to HVI, the recommended minimum will be 250-cfm for a 30-inch range, 300-cfm for 36-inch range, and 400-cfm for a 48-inch range. Another CFM rule of HVI is to have at least 100-cfm per linear foot of range.
Just remember that if you install a range hood greater than 400-cfm, you may need an additional source of makeup air to prevent a negative air situation in your home.
Negative air suction in your home may cause gas appliances to backdraft carbon monoxide back into the home (rather than exhausting to the outside).
Read Also: How To Clean Range Hood Baffle Filters?
Insert Range Hoods Range From 40-dB to 75-dB in Loudness
Most range hood inserts will state their sound levels in decibels and or sones. Decibels is a little different measurement than sones. Decibels is something that you can actually measure with a sound meter.
Sones is the loudness perceived by human beings — it is a somewhat subjective scale. But 40-decibels is roughtly equivalent to 1-sone, and a whisper measures 30 decibels.
Most range vent inserts will state their decibel range anywhere from 40-decibels and all the way up to 75-decibels. The Kobe Brillia range hood insert has a QuietMode setting where its fan speed is equal to 1-sone. One sone or about 40-decibels will probably be the quietest you will hear a vent hood insert.
Before installation, I recommend hearing all fan speeds of your vent hood insert to make sure that it isn’t too loud for you.
Loud and rattling built-in hood inserts is one of the biggest complaints of homeowners.
Read Also: What Are The Best Range Hoods By Broan?
LED Lights Between 1-3 Watts And With Adjustable Direction
Most built-in range hood inserts will have LED lighting. These LEDs will range anywhere from 1-watt and all the way up to 3-watts per LED.
Another common complaint of homeowners is that the lighting isn’t bright enough on their hood insert. Also, the LEDs may not be shining in the best location, and the LEDs may not be adjustable as to where the light goes.
You may also not be satisifed with the LED light color.
So again, prior to installation, check out the lighting and make sure you are satisfied.
Read Also: How Does A Ductless Range Hood Work?
Always Test Your Vent Hood Insert Prior To Install
I highly recommend that when you receive your kitchen hood insert, you take it out of the box, and plug it into an outlet.
You want to test the lighting, and the fan speeds prior to actually installing it. If you don’t like the lighting, or if the fan speed is too loud for you — it’s best to make that judgment before the installation. If you find issues after installation, it will be a pain to return it.
Also, you want to verify that all of the parts you need are actually in the box — look at the part list in the manual.
Read Also: How Many CFM Do I Need For My Range Hood?
Our Reviews Of The Highest Rated Insert Range Hoods
Here are my full reviews of the top range hood inserts including their pros & cons…
Pick #1. Kobe Brillia
Best Overall
My #1 top pick is the Kobe Brillia because it is an excellent 30-inch (or 36-inch) range hood insert that can be installed inside a cabinet.
This range hood insert is rated at a powerful 550-cfm which is a lot of suction power to remove cooking fumes and odors.
It is made of commercial grade stainless steel with a satin finish. The Brillia also comes with two 3-watt LED lights for cooking illumination. This Kobe insert includes two stainless steel baffle filters and two mesh filters (layers).
The nice thing about this Kobe model is that it has a trademarked QuietMode setting which is only 1-sone (very quiet).
The Broan-Nutone PM390 is a premium range hood insert for your kitchen. This hood insert is rated at 390-cfm and it includes dual 40-watt lighting (bulbs sold separately).
The PM390 has a unique heat sentry safety feature that will automatically turn your range hood to high fan speed if it detects excessive heat.
It also comes with an aluminum mesh filter that is washable and reusable. The hood comes with a three speed slide control on the underside. You can also wire a standard 2 or 3 rocker wall switch for controls.
Pick #3. IKTCH Built-In
Best Controls
The IKTCH range hood insert is a powerful kitchen appliance that is rated at 900-cfm for incredible suction power.
This insert by IKTCH comes with some unique features such as gesture control (waving your hand in front) to turn on/off the hood and to control the speed.
In addition to gesture control, this range hood insert also comes with a remote control so you can turn off the hood from another room. The IKTCH range hood is made of stainless steel, and it comes with two LED lights, and two washable steel baffle filters.
The Ancona Inserta is a great built-in range hood to add function and style to your home kitchen.
This built-in hood insert is rated at 420-cfm, and it is 36-inches wide. It comes with two 2.5-watt LED lights for improved cooking visibility and a long bulb life.
The Inserta Plus by Ancona has 3 fan speeds (3 control buttons) as well as a delayed auto off fuction which is adjustable up to 10-minutes.
This insert is made of stainless steel and it includes washable (stainless steel also) panel filters.
The 30-inch Kobe Deluxe range hood insert is an ultra premium insert capable of 700-cfm at max power.
This insert is specially made to be installed flush at the bottom of a cabinet without the need of a liner. It is made of 18-gauge commercial grade stainless steel and completed with a satin finish.
The two 3-watt LEDs has three lighting levels for cooking illumination.
The exhaust fan has 6-speed levels with push button controls and the steel baffle filters are dishwasher friendly.
My #1 Top Pick: Kobe Brillia Range Hood Insert
My top pick for built-in range hood inserts goes to the Brillia by Kobe. Here’s why…
#1. QuietMode Setting
The Brillia has a trademarked QuietMode exhaust speed that is only 1-sone which means it is whisper quiet. Loud range hoods is probably the top complaint of homeowners.
#2. LED Lights
The Brillia comes with two 3-watt energy efficient LED lights so you can properly see your cooktop or range.
#3. Stainless Steel
This insert by Kobe is made of commercial grade stainless steel with a satin finish to give you that professional chef look in your home kitchen. The baffle filters are also made of stainless steel and are washable & reusable.
