Should a commercial oven be placed under an extractor hood?

Must a professional oven always be placed under a range hood? Not necessarily. It depends on factors such as the oven, what you are preparing, the kitchen's existing ventilation, and the requirements that apply to the specific premises.

In many professional kitchens, the oven is placed under an existing industrial range hood. However, it is also possible to mount a condensing hood, often called a steam condenser, directly onto the oven.

What actually comes out of a combi oven?

A combi oven does not only release steam when the door is opened.

During cooking, the oven regulates the climate in the oven chamber, and steam and humid air can be continuously vented out through the oven's flue. When the door is opened after cooking, hot and humid air can also escape into the room.

The amount of fumes, odors, and grease generated depends largely on what is being cooked. There is a big difference between baking bread and frying large quantities of bacon or meat.

Do you already have a professional range hood?

If there is already a suitable professional range hood and exhaust system above the oven's location, that is typically the solution we start with.

This is especially appropriate in larger production kitchens, canteens, and restaurants where a ventilation system for the kitchen's other equipment is already established.

The problem arises more often in smaller spaces where there is no existing exhaust system.

An alternative: a hood directly on the oven

For many professional ovens, a condensing hood can be mounted directly on top of the oven.

On the UNOX ovens we work with, this solution is typically called a steam condensing hood or ventless hood. It collects a large portion of the steam from the oven's flue and simultaneously helps collect steam that escapes when the door is opened.

It is a very compact solution compared to installing a traditional industrial range hood with ducting through the building.

When is a steam condenser a good option?

We use this solution especially in places where traditional exhaust is difficult or expensive to install.

This could include, for example:

• cafés and smaller restaurants in rented premises
• bakeries and shops where the oven is located front-of-house
• premises with limited ceiling height
• properties with residential units above
• premises where it is difficult to route ventilation ducts through the building

Another advantage is that the solution travels with the oven itself. If the business moves to new premises, the oven and hood can therefore be taken along.

At the same time, the integrated hood takes up relatively little space and is usually much less extensive than a complete ventilation installation.

A steam condenser is not the same as an industrial range hood

It is important to understand the limitations.

A standard condensing hood is primarily effective at handling steam and humid air from the oven. It cannot simply be equated with a traditional professional range hood with exhaust to the outside.

This becomes particularly relevant if the oven is used for production that generates a lot of fumes, grease, and strong odors.

This includes, for example:

• large quantities of fried meat
• bacon
• other high-fat products
• intensive grilling

For that type of production, we would be more hesitant to recommend a standard steam condenser as the only solution.

There are also hoods with extra filtration

There are more advanced condensing hoods with extra filtration, such as activated carbon, which are better at reducing odors and fumes from cooking.

They are more expensive than standard models, and the filters must be replaced regularly. Therefore, it is a solution we sell relatively rarely.

If production requires extensive filtration, one should also consider whether a traditional ventilation solution is the right long-term option instead.

What happens when the oven door is opened?

The integrated hood also helps with the steam that comes out in front of the oven when the door is opened.

On modern programmable combi ovens, the oven itself can also reduce the problem. At the end of cooking programs, the oven can extract moisture from the oven chamber before the program ends.

This can mean that less steam escapes toward the employee and the room when the door is subsequently opened.

What do the regulations say?

Here, it is important not to just look at the oven manufacturer's options.

The required ventilation depends on the specific workplace, the production, and the applicable official requirements. A condensing hood on the oven is therefore not in itself a guarantee that no further requirements will be placed on ventilation or exhaust in the room.

If you are establishing a new kitchen or changing the use of a space, we therefore recommend that the ventilation conditions be clarified with the relevant professionals and authorities before the installation is completed.

Investigate before ordering the oven

A situation we sometimes encounter is that the customer only discovers after ordering the oven that a traditional range hood is very expensive or difficult to install.

This can often be avoided by investigating the ventilation at the same time as selecting the oven.

We therefore look at both the oven, the production, and the premises: What needs to be cooked? How much steam and fumes are expected? Is there an existing exhaust system? And is it practically possible to install new exhaust?

If traditional exhaust is difficult, an integrated steam condenser can in many cases be an interesting solution – but it must be chosen based on the specific production and installation.

You can also read our guide on installation of an industrial oven or see our selection of professional industrial ovens.