Meet the AirHood: The Transportable Kitchen Hood That Really Removes Smoke and Odors

The earlier house owners of my home reworked my kitchen nearly 25 years in the past. They introduced the 100-year-old galley kitchen into the beginning of this century with the best contractor-grade fixtures accessible. Amongst them is likely one of the most ineffective vary hoods recognized to humankind. Sure, it has a fan and a filter and it vents outdoor, however principally, it simply makes noise and supplies us with a Southern evening gentle. We depart the sunshine on for after we stumble into the kitchen earlier than daybreak and to maintain our cats from being in complete darkness. 

What my vary hood doesn’t do is take away smoke or odors when cooking. To remediate this, I attempted the AirHood, a transportable vary hood with a charcoal filter that guarantees to manage smoke, odors, and airborne grease. I used to be recreation to discover a higher answer than what I presently have, so I used the AirHood for a month, turning it on when cooking notably smokey issues, like searing steaks and cooking bacon, and stashing it away after. 

The Assessments

• Steak Check: Usually, searing steaks in my kitchen requires eradicating the smoke detector and opening each window in the home. My canines keep low to the bottom and sneeze profusely throughout this course of. I usually, out of an abundance of warning and sympathy for them, simply use the grill outdoors. To see if the AirHood may mitigate this unlucky state of affairs, I set it subsequent to the range, heated a cast iron skillet, and added two seasoned steaks, searing them for 3 to 4 minutes per aspect. I wished to witness how a lot smoke accrued, whether or not the smoke detector went off, and whether or not there have been any lingering odors.
• Fish Check: Who doesn’t just like the odor of pan-roasted fish lingering in the home? I seared some skin-on snapper fillets with the AirHood perched close by. Whereas fish doesn’t usually produce as a lot smoke as searing a steak, there’s loads of grease sputtering and popping, spreading the joyous odor of cooked fish all through the home. I exited the home and reentered a couple of minutes later, to see how properly the AirHood labored.
• Bacon Check: Bacon supplied the best-case situation for testing the grease and odor containment. I laid out a bundle of bacon on a griddle to see how a lot grease flew onto my stovetop and the way lengthy the hickory-smoked aroma lingered within the air.
• Usability Check: I monitored how straightforward the AirHood was to get began with and use in numerous positions round my range. I additionally checked how efficient it was at completely different speeds. I took under consideration placement and noise in my observations.

What We Discovered

It Was Extraordinarily Simple to Use

I examined the wired AirHood (there’s additionally a rechargeable wireless model), which is suitable with each electrical and gasoline stoves. It requires an outlet, a countertop massive sufficient to accommodate its 8.5- by 5.5-inch footprint and cupboard clearance for its 13-inch peak. I plugged the AirHood into the never-used second outlet behind my fridge and set it on an in any other case pretty ineffective strip of counter subsequent to my range, and I used to be able to go. Properly, nearly. 

The operation is considerably self-explanatory, however I did not discover the fast begin information helpful. It explains that making ready the AirHood includes plugging the facility twine into an outlet. The subsequent step says, “Don’t neglect to position a charcoal filter inside earlier than utilizing.” The next observe within the information is on security, which explains you must by no means disassemble or clear the AirHood with the twine plugged in. Let’s put the steps so as, okay? One other lapse within the fast begin information is the truth that AirHood requires two filters, a element solely revealed within the online user manual. Inserting one filter as initially directed led to disappointing ends in the primary take a look at spherical. 

After discovering correctly setting it up, I pointed the AirHood towards my range and chosen the fan pace. There are three speeds, so you may select a quieter, slower operation, a steadiness between quantity and effectiveness, or let it rip on the loudest setting. 

It Eliminated Smoke and Smells

After I managed the correct filter association, I used to be impressed by my first run with the AirHood. Whereas searing steaks, smoke was comparatively minimal. By minimal, I imply there was smoke within the air within the kitchen, however not sufficient to set off the smoke detector or unfold to different rooms. I’ll take that as a transparent win. There was a minor odor within the air, however not a lot that it might permeate material in the home, because it had with my built-in vary hood. However right here’s the caveat: A second try at smokey cooking didn’t fare as properly. However that was on me. Cleansing the grease filter within the AirHood is crucial to good efficiency since that filter is the primary line of the AirHood’s protection. If it’s even remotely clogged, the efficiency deteriorates considerably. Comply with the cleansing suggestions, and the AirHood does very properly. 

It Was Loud, Although

There’s no approach of getting round this: The AirHood is loud. At its lowest setting, it’s louder (but far more efficient) than the excessive setting of my vary hood. The medium setting is the very best steadiness between effectivity and quantity, however I wanted the very loud excessive setting to maintain smoke from accumulating through the steak take a look at.

It Was Simple to Retailer and Clear

You probably have an in any other case non-functional strip of countertop like me, the AirHood can reside there with out taking on an excessive amount of room. It may also be tucked away in a cupboard when you have area. There’s additionally a hook for hanging the AirHood if that’s extra handy on your state of affairs.

The complete person guide recommends cleansing the grease filter on the AirHood’s entrance after each use and tidying up the unit’s physique too. Don’t sleep on cleansing the grease filter, because it does its job properly, however accrued grease shortly reduces the AirHood’s airflow.  The charcoal filters are long-lasting and good for 100 hours of use between modifications.

The Verdict

Professionals

The convenience and effectivity of the AirHood bought me. Provided that I’ve heretofore needed to sear steaks outdoors for the well being and security of my furry youngsters, I’m fairly blissful that I can have a smokeless, considerably odor-free home and never must courageous warmth, bugs, or rain. I’ve bought a small kitchen, and the AirHood’s footprint is totally unobtrusive. With it, I achieve efficacy and lose nearly nothing. You possibly can all the time hold your AirHood up or stow it in a cupboard.

Cons

It is most beneficial to be used with electrical ranges or induction burners. You should use it with gasoline burners, however the model stresses you must guarantee correct distance from the burner’s flame to keep away from injury to the unit from the warmth. My chief criticism, which I can steadiness with the AirHood’s effectiveness, is how loud it’s. However to place that into perspective, the AirHood is way from deafening. You’ll have issue conversing with somebody in one other room or might need to show your music as much as hear it, nevertheless it received’t harm your ears. Whereas the AirHood does reduce smoke and odors, it was nonetheless clear that I’d been cooking smelly meals once I walked again in the home. However hey, my home smelled faintly of bacon. What’s incorrect with that?

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 13.15 x 8.70 x 5.51 inches
• Energy: 100 to 240 volts
• What’s included: AirHood, 5 charcoal filters, oil filter

FAQs

How does a charcoal filter work, precisely?

Carbon filters work through adsorption, which is sort of the direct reverse of absorption. Should you blot up some spilled water with a sponge or towel, they draw the water inside, nevertheless it doesn’t turn into a part of the towel; reasonably, it simply occupies area between the fibers. Carbon, the principle part of charcoal, types a lattice of atoms. In adsorption, the smoke and noxious smells cling to the surface of the carbon lattice, cleansing the air till there aren’t any extra surfaces to cling to, at which level it’s time to alter the charcoal filter.

Can you employ the AirHood outdoor?

It could seem to be the AirHood can be efficient at eradicating extra wooden or charcoal smoke throughout cooking. Nevertheless, the producer states that the AirHood is just for indoor use.

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