Ducted vs Ductless Range Hood Cost Compared

If your kitchen has an exterior wall or roof within reach of the cooktop, buy a ducted hood. The extra $400 to $1,000 for a new duct run (Angi) is paid once, and a ductless hood never removes heat or moisture however much you spend on filters. Ductless is the right call only when a duct cannot go outside: an interior kitchen with no wall or roof path, a rental, or a condo whose rules forbid cutting through the exterior.

The cost difference comes down to one line on the bid. A ducted hood costs more upfront because someone has to cut a hole, run metal duct and seal a cap outside. A ductless hood costs less upfront but charges you for charcoal filters every few months for as long as you own it.

We did not test any hoods for this piece. Every figure below is from a published 2026 cost guide or a maker's own listing, named where it appears.

A ducted hood pushes cooking fumes, heat and moisture out of the house. HVACDatabase describes it as the only type that "vents cooking fumes, heat, and moisture fully outside," and that is the whole case for it.

What you pay depends almost entirely on whether a duct already exists. If one does, Fixr prices an under-cabinet install at about $750 total: roughly $300 labor plus a $450 hood. If one does not, the duct run is where the money goes. HomeGuide and HVACDatabase both put new ductwork and a vent cap at $200 to $600 on top of the hood, and Homewyse puts a basic run of up to 15 feet of metal duct, with a watertight cap and exterior flashing, at $501 to $602 as of September 2026.

The Homewyse figure leaves out three things you will likely pay for: permit and inspection fees, drywall or framing repair, and general contractor overhead, which it says adds 13% to 22%. HVACDatabase puts permits at $50 to $250 and says one is required for any exterior wall or roof penetration.

Route matters as much as length. Arspura, a hood seller, prices a straight 6-foot run through a wall at about $200 and a 15-foot run through a ceiling with three elbows at $600 or more for the ductwork alone. It also warns that undersized ducts, unsealed joints and extra bends can cost a hood 30% to 50% of its airflow, so a cheap duct run can undo what you paid for.

One threshold to know before you shop: HVACDatabase says hoods above 400 CFM may legally require a make-up air system, at $1,000 to $3,000 more. Its sizing rule is 100 CFM per 10 inches of cooktop width, so a standard 30-inch range needs at least 300 CFM. Buying far past what your cooktop needs can trigger a cost bigger than the duct run itself.

Buy ducted if you have an exterior wall or roof path, you cook on gas, or you do much frying or high-heat cooking. ROBAM, a hood maker, states that gas stoves require ducted hoods to remove combustion byproducts; check your local code on this before you commit to ductless over a gas range.

A ductless hood pulls air through a charcoal filter and blows it back into the kitchen. It catches some grease and odor. It does not remove heat or moisture, in HVACDatabase's words, and ROBAM says recirculation limits odor and humidity removal compared with venting outside.

The upfront price is its strength. HomeGuide and Bob Vila both put a ductless hood at $200 to $400 installed, and Fixr prices a new ductless install with fresh wiring at about $300. It takes 1 to 2 hours, needs no hole in the wall and no exterior cap.

The cost it adds is the filter. Angi says charcoal filters need replacing every 120 hours of cooking or every 3 to 6 months. That works out to 2 to 4 filters a year. HomeGuide prices replacement filters at $15 to $40 per set, or $150 to $400 over five years. For a closer yearly figure, take the replacement filter listed for the specific model you are considering and multiply its price by 2 if you cook lightly and by 4 if you cook daily.

Buy ductless if a duct cannot reach the outside: an interior kitchen with no wall or roof route, a rental where you cannot alter the building, or a condo that forbids exterior penetrations. It is the wrong choice for anyone who has a workable duct path and is picking it only to save a few hundred dollars.

The duct run is a one-time cost; filters never stop. A new duct adds $400 to $1,000 upfront on Angi's figures, plus a permit of $50 to $250. A ductless hood avoids that, then needs 2 to 4 filters a year. Angi gives range hoods a 10 to 20 year life, which means 20 to 80 filter changes over the hood's lifetime. To find your break-even, divide the extra cost of the duct run by what you would spend on filters in a year. That tells you how many years until ductless stops being cheaper.

Existing ductwork erases most of the gap. If there is already a duct, a ducted replacement runs $300 to $850 installed on HomeGuide's figures, close to the ductless range, and you get outdoor venting with no filter bill. Replacing an old vented hood with a ductless one to save money rarely makes sense.

Hood size can cost more than the duct. A ducted hood above 400 CFM may bring a $1,000 to $3,000 make-up air requirement. Size to your cooktop (300 CFM for a 30-inch range) and you avoid it.

If you own the home and a duct can reach an exterior wall or roof, buy ducted and budget $400 to $1,000 for new ductwork (Angi) plus a permit. If ductwork already exists, ducted is the obvious choice, because it costs about what ductless does and has no filter bill. If you cook on gas, go ducted.

Choose ductless only when outdoor venting is not possible: an interior kitchen, a rental, or a condo that bans penetrations. Before you buy one, look up the maker's replacement filter price and count on 2 to 4 of them a year.

Once you know which type you are pricing, ask every contractor to list these lines separately: the hood, installation labor, duct length and number of elbows, the wall or roof cap and flashing, any electrical work, drywall repair, and the permit. A single lump sum hides the duct run, which is the number that varies most. Arspura reports a 15% to 25% premium in major metro areas, so compare bids from your own market rather than national averages.

For installed costs by hood type and by region, see our guide to range hood installation cost by type and region.