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Range hood heights compared
As checked on 23 October 2026, KitchenAid gives 24 to 30 inches (61–76 cm) over a gas cooktop, called a hob in the UK. Its general range for a hood is 24 to 36 inches (61–91 cm). No source sets one height for every kitchen: the cooktop and the hood manual decide it.
| Cooktop or rule | Gap from cooktop to hood | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Gas cooktop | 24–30 in (61–76 cm) | KitchenAid |
| Electric cooktop | 20–24 in (51–61 cm) | KitchenAid |
| Induction cooktop | 18–22 in (46–56 cm) | KitchenAid |
| Island hood | At least 24 in (61 cm) over electric, 27 in (69 cm) over gas | KitchenAid |
| Any hood, highest | No more than 36 in (91 cm) | KitchenAid |
| Protected surface that cannot burn, such as a hood | At least 24 in (61 cm) | NKBA guideline 18 |
| Anything that can burn, or a metal cabinet | At least 30 in (76 cm), or 24 in (61 cm) with an approved hood | US code cited by NKBA |
| UK gas hob | At least 650 mm (25½ in) | Bosch UK, Rangemaster |
| UK induction hob | At least 500 mm (19¾ in) | Bosch UK |
| Rangemaster range hood, highest | 750 mm (29½ in) | Rangemaster |
Source: KitchenAid range hood guides; NKBA Kitchen Planning Guideline 18; Bosch UK and Rangemaster installation advice. Checked October 2026.
Read the table from the top: find your cooktop, then check the lowest gap your hood allows. The wall cabinets beside the hood follow their own heights, set out in our guide to upper cabinet height. Every other size is in our kitchen dimensions guides.
Most range hoods sit 24 to 30 inches above a gas cooktop
A range hood over a gas cooktop usually sits 24 to 30 inches (61–76 cm) above it. KitchenAid, a US appliance maker, gives that range because gas burns with an open flame and gives off more heat.
NKBA, the US National Kitchen & Bath Association, sets the same lowest figure. Its guideline 18 asks for:
- 24 inches (61 cm) between the cooktop and a protected surface above it that cannot burn, such as an approved range hood.
- 30 inches (76 cm) to anything that can burn, and to metal cabinets. This comes from the US building code NKBA cites, which allows 24 inches with an approved hood.
So plan the bottom of a gas hood at least 24 inches above the cooktop. A US countertop is 36 inches (91 cm) high, as our guide to standard kitchen countertop height explains. A hood 30 inches above it starts 66 inches (168 cm) from the floor.
Electric and induction cooktops can take a lower hood, if the manual allows it
An electric or induction cooktop can take a lower hood than gas, if the hood's manual allows it. KitchenAid lists 20 to 24 inches (51–61 cm) over electric and 18 to 22 inches (46–56 cm) over induction. Neither has an open flame like gas.
Those lower figures do not suit every hood. KitchenAid's sizing guide gives a typical lowest gap of 24 inches over electric and 27 inches (69 cm) over gas. NKBA's guideline 18 also asks for 24 inches. So plan on 24 inches, and go lower only if your hood's manual says you can.
If the hood manual and these figures differ, follow the manual. It gives the heights that particular hood was made for.
Induction still benefits from a hood. KitchenAid notes that cooking on it still releases grease, smells and smoke.
A range hood should be no more than 36 inches above the cooktop
A range hood should be no more than 36 inches (91 cm) above the cooktop, says KitchenAid. Higher up, the hood catches less of the smoke, grease and steam rising from the pans.
In the UK, Rangemaster, a cooker maker, recommends no more than 750 mm (29½ in) for its range hoods. It says that anything higher will begin to affect how well the hood works.
A tall ceiling does not change the gap. It changes the hood you buy:
- Chimney hood: add a chimney extension so the hood stays low and the duct still reaches the ceiling.
- Under-cabinet hood: fit it beneath a wall cabinet or on the wall, at the height its manual gives.
A hood that is too low is a problem too. KitchenAid says heat from the cooktop can damage it, and it gets in the way of cooking.
UK cooker hoods sit at least 650 mm above a gas hob
For cooker hood height in the UK, plan at least 650 mm (25½ in) between a gas hob and the cooker hood, or extractor hood, above it. Bosch UK and Rangemaster both give that figure.
- Gas hob: at least 650 mm, says Bosch UK.
- Induction hob: at least 500 mm (19¾ in), says Bosch UK.
- Rangemaster gas or dual fuel cooker: a minimum of about 650 mm, or 670 mm (26½ in) with a splashback.
- Rangemaster electric cooker: no less than 650 mm.
With Rangemaster's figures, a hood over a gas range cooker sits between about 650 and 750 mm (25½–29½ in). Over a standard UK worktop of about 900 mm, a hood 650 mm up starts about 1,550 mm from the floor. The wall units beside it start lower, as our guide to standard kitchen cabinet sizes shows. Take the final figure from your hood's installation guide, and see our guide to splashback height behind the hob for the wall below it.
An island hood sits 24 to 36 inches above the cooktop
KitchenAid expects an island hood at least 24 inches (61 cm) over an electric cooktop and 27 inches (69 cm) over gas. It should be no more than 36 inches (91 cm) up. It adds that island hood instructions may ask for a little more height than a wall hood.
An island hood hangs in the open room, with no wall behind it. So make sure nobody can hit their head on it as they walk past. A cooktop on an island also needs worktop either side and behind it, as our guide to kitchen island size explains.
Plan the island firstFind the island size that fits your room before you choose the hood.
Open the kitchen island size calculator →A range hood should match the width of the cooktop
A range hood should match the width of the cooktop under it. KitchenAid advises a hood the same width as the cooking surface, so it catches smoke from every burner. Most ranges and hoods come in 30, 36, 42 and 48 inch (76, 91, 107 and 122 cm) widths.
How much air the hood moves matters too. NKBA's guideline 19 says:
- Recommended: a hood ducted outside, moving at least 150 cubic feet per minute (cfm).
- US code minimum: 100 cfm, ducted to the outside.
- Over 400 cfm: the US code asks for make-up air, a supply of fresh air to replace what the hood takes out.
Where the cooktop goes in the room is in our guide to choosing a kitchen layout.
How to set range hood height in five steps
Start from the cooktop and the hood manual, not from the cabinets.
- Find your cooktop type: gas, electric or induction.
- Read the lowest and highest height in your hood's installation manual.
- Pick a height in that range: about 24 to 30 inches (61–76 cm) over gas, or at least 650 mm in the UK.
- Measure up from the cooktop surface, not the floor, and mark the bottom of the hood on the wall.
- Check the gap: no more than 36 inches (91 cm), and at least 30 inches (76 cm) to a cabinet that can burn, unless an approved hood protects it.
Common problems with range hood height, and how to fix them
Most range hood problems come from a hood hung too high, too low or too narrow.
| What you see | Why it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Smoke drifts past the hood | The hood is more than 36 in (91 cm) up, or narrower than the cooktop | Lower it within the manual's range, or fit a hood as wide as the cooktop |
| The hood gets hot or gets in the way of cooking | The hood is lower than the manual allows | Raise it to the manual's height: 24–30 in (61–76 cm) is usual over gas |
| A cabinet sits less than 30 in (76 cm) above the cooktop | The US code cited by NKBA asks for 30 in to a cabinet that can burn | Fit an approved hood under it, or raise the cabinet |
| Steam escapes an island hood | The island hood is more than 36 in (91 cm) above the cooktop | Lower it to 27–36 in over gas or 24–36 in over electric, as the manual allows |
| A hood over 400 cfm has no make-up air | The US code cited by NKBA asks for make-up air above 400 cfm | Ask an installer about a make-up air supply |
Source: KitchenAid range hood guides; NKBA Kitchen Planning Guidelines 18 and 19. Checked October 2026.
An island cooktop also needs free floor around it, as our guide to the space around a kitchen island shows. New guides in this series appear in all our kitchen planning guides.
Quick questions
- What is the standard height for a range hood?
Not one fixed height. Over a gas cooktop, KitchenAid gives 24 to 30 inches (61–76 cm), and no more than 36 inches (91 cm) for any hood. NKBA asks for at least 24 inches under a hood.
- What is the minimum height for a range hood?
Not less than 24 inches (61 cm) in NKBA's guideline 18. The US code it cites asks for 30 inches (76 cm) to a cabinet that can burn, unless an approved hood is fitted. KitchenAid gives lower figures over electric and induction cooktops, so follow your hood's manual.
- What is the maximum height for a range hood?
No more than 36 inches (91 cm) above the cooktop, says KitchenAid. In the UK, Rangemaster recommends no more than 750 mm (29½ in) for its range hoods, because higher up they work less well.
- What size range hood do I need for a 30-inch cooktop?
Only a hood that matches it: 30 inches (76 cm) wide. KitchenAid advises a hood the same width as the cooktop, so a 48 inch range takes a 48 inch (122 cm) hood. Common widths are 30, 36, 42 and 48 inches.
- What are the venting requirements for an induction cooktop?
Not different from any cooktop. NKBA recommends a hood ducted outside, moving at least 150 cubic feet per minute (cfm). The US code minimum is 100 cfm, with make-up air over 400 cfm. KitchenAid notes induction still releases grease, smells and smoke.
- What is the recommended height for a cooker hood in the UK?
Not less than 650 mm (25½ in) over a gas hob, say Bosch UK and Rangemaster, and 500 mm (19¾ in) over induction for Bosch. Rangemaster recommends no more than 750 mm (29½ in) for its range hoods.
How we check
We take every clearance from published planning guidelines and manufacturer guides, and record the page and the date we checked it. Our examples are drawn to scale from the dimensions they state. They are planning examples, not approvals for installation: services, fixings and local rules need your designer or installer. Our editorial policy.
Sources5 published guidelines and guides behind this page
Numbered in order of first use.
- Kitchen Planning Guidelines: guideline 18 (24 in between the cooking surface and a protected noncombustible surface; code: 30 in to combustible material and metal cabinets, 24 in with an approved hood, IRC M1901.1; over-the-range microwave set by the manufacturer) and guideline 19 (ducted ventilation, 150 cfm recommended; code minimum 100 cfm ducted outside; make-up air over 400 cfm), National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). Checked 23 October 2026.
- What is the right range hood height above a stove? Gas 24–30 in, electric 20–24 in, induction 18–22 in; island hood at least 24 in over electric and 27 in over gas, no more than 36 in; no more than 36 in for any hood; over-the-range microwave about 12–13 in, KitchenAid. Checked 23 October 2026.
- Range hood sizes: hood the same size as the cooktop; common widths 30, 36, 42 and 48 in; 24 to 36 in between hood and cooktop; typical minimum 24 in over electric and 27 in over gas, KitchenAid. Checked 23 October 2026.
- Chimney hoods tips: at least 650 mm from the hood over a gas hob, 500 mm over an induction hob, Bosch UK. Checked 23 October 2026.
- What clearances are required between a cooker top and a cooker hood? About 650 mm over dual fuel or gas (670 mm with a splashback), no less than 650 mm over electric, 750 mm maximum recommended, Rangemaster. Checked 23 October 2026.
The hood heights, widths and airflow come from the NKBA planning guidelines and maker guides, checked on 23 October 2026. Inch-to-centimetre conversions are ours, rounded. They are planning references, not a check of your room, your hood or local building rules.