Browse Forums Kitchen Corner 1 Sep 01, 2010 8:40 pm Continuing on from my previous post regarding overhead US-style microwaves, I've noticed many other differences between typical US and Australian kitchens. One of which is that most kitchens in the US do not have rangehoods over the stove. Yes, they do exist there, but they are usually only found in much larger, expensive, or extravagent kitchens. Yet here in Australia, it seems almost compulsory to have a rangehood in a kitchen. My question is - are they really necessary in today's modern kitchen, or are they a relic of a past era? I feel that the latter is the case. These days people use the stove less and the microwave more. But this question really pertains to me specifically, and an apartment I'm moving into shortly. I do not use the stove that often (maybe once or twice a week). But the kitchen is on the smaller side. So do I really need a rangehood? What I really want to do is instead, rip out the existing rangehood and replace it with an overhead "US style" microwave (see my other post). But I can't find these kind of microwaves here. Also why are fridges so damn expensive in this country? I'm looking at just a basic, simple, white 500+ litre freezer top/fridge bottom unit, and most places are charging nearly $1200. Guess how much one costs in the US? $330 USD. I'm not joking. That gets you a basic white Westinghouse 18 cubic foot (approx 500L), with internal ice maker. *shakes head* Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 2Sep 01, 2010 8:45 pm Everything is more expensive here or at least everything that hubby wants is. As for the rangehood I always want one as I don't use the microwave for cooking at all and prefer to remove the kitchen smells as much as possible. I don't like the lingering cooking smells through the house ... unless it's cake, love the smell of cake. ~ trying to build our dream home by the sea ~ Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 3Sep 01, 2010 8:46 pm Rangehoods are great for preventing the smoke detectors going off viewtopic.php?f=31&t=37229 - our Iris 4! Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 4Sep 01, 2010 8:51 pm We don't have a rangehood at our rental and it's horrible. The smell of anything you cook stays in the room for days, even with the windows open. If your apartment is small, I guess it is open plan living. If it was me, there would be no way I'd rip out the rangehood, the food smells get into all of your fabric furniture and carpets and any clothes you may have on a clothes horse in the lounge. As for the fridge, if you don't want to spend that much money why don't you just use ice cube trays instead of having an ice maker?? Personally I think ice makers are the biggest croc! Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 5Sep 01, 2010 8:54 pm It's not open plan - it has a separate kitchen which can be closed off. Also, I don't need an ice maker, but I do need a freezer. Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 6Sep 01, 2010 9:24 pm I never really thought about it, or noticed that American kitchens rarely have rangehoods. However, having had a kitchen without a rangehood for 5 years, there is no way I would consider being without one. We rarely cook in our microwave, preferring to use the cooktop, and having the rangehood means that our kitchen doesn't get nearly as steamy as it used to, nor do cooking smells linger in the air. Personally I don't like the large fixed rangehoods, prefering a slimline retractable model that doesn't interfere with the look of a kitchen, but thats just my personal opinion Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 7Sep 02, 2010 11:16 am Rangehood is just about THE most valuable kitchen appliance IMHO. If you don't have a good one you will be reluctant to cook because of the smells created. Whenw e did our kitchen recently, the rangehood was the one item that we went absolute top of the range and the best one we could find. But I understand if you do not use your cooktop anyway then a rangehood is not going to be necessary. Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 8Sep 02, 2010 11:26 am It's easy enough to vent off steam & smells from the kitchen with an exhaust fan (that's what we have). if you want to rip out the rangehood, can you instead install a good fan & vent it out the ceiling? BTW, i don't think anyone really knows why basic goods are so much pricier here than in the US other than the comparatively small size of the market. Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 9Sep 02, 2010 12:33 pm We have a pull out rangehood in our kitchen and we never turn it on. Never had the need to. Demolition August 2009, Construction Started September 2009, Completed December 2010 Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 11Sep 06, 2010 11:49 am MisterMister One of which is that most kitchens in the US do not have rangehoods over the stove. Yes, they do exist there, but they are usually only found in much larger, expensive, or extravagent kitchens. Not really. My not-so-extravagant kitchen has one (it vents out the top of my built-in microwave)... and my previous even-less-extravagant kitchen had one too. Comparing prices in US to prices in Aus is like comparing apples to oranges. Different market, different economy, different prices Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 12Sep 09, 2010 8:38 am Quote: Also why are fridges so damn expensive in this country? I'm looking at just a basic, simple, white 500+ litre freezer top/fridge bottom unit, and most places are charging nearly $1200. Guess how much one costs in the US? $330 USD. I'm not joking. That gets you a basic white Westinghouse 18 cubic foot (approx 500L), with internal ice maker. *shakes head* Possibly because most of us are working. Hows that double dip recession going? Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 13Sep 09, 2010 8:59 am I could not imagine cooking one thing at all in my new house without the rangehood extracting the steam (which is laden with either evaporated fats or smoke). The rangehood extracts these gasses, filters them, and pushes out the warm air outside. Continual use cooking without a rangehood leaves minute particles misted over the whole house. Before our place was renovated, we had no rangehood. Every few weeks I would need to clean all of our glasses in the dishwasher, because if I was wok cooking. It would spray a fine mist of oil over the whole kitchen. This oil was picked up in the smoke, and due to not being extracted went on a holiday all over the place. So yes, rangehoods are needed. We cook food from scratch in Australia, I've been to the states many times and we don't heat up our frozen packaged meals like the majority of yanks . Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 14Sep 09, 2010 11:46 am Nathan SteelFab We cook food from scratch in Australia, I've been to the states many times and we don't heat up our frozen packaged meals like the majority of yanks . Majority? Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 15Sep 09, 2010 12:03 pm Kaffy Nathan SteelFab We cook food from scratch in Australia, I've been to the states many times and we don't heat up our frozen packaged meals like the majority of yanks . Majority? errrm yeah.. I was thinking the same thing?????? Maybe we need to edjumacate ourselves by watching more American TV shows. Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 16Sep 09, 2010 2:08 pm TheOK Kaffy Nathan SteelFab We cook food from scratch in Australia, I've been to the states many times and we don't heat up our frozen packaged meals like the majority of yanks . Majority? errrm yeah.. I was thinking the same thing?????? Maybe we need to edjumacate ourselves by watching more American TV shows. Yeah right, show me how many 9-5 workers have time, once they get home from their hour long commute, to spend another hour or so cooking dinner every night. I'd be very surprised. Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 17Sep 09, 2010 3:38 pm Depending on what I cook depends on if we need it on but we tend to use it a bit. Regarding the fridge/freezer thing I would put it down to population and demand. I also have two small children and work long hours but still cook home meals Cooking good decent food doesnt have to take long and it sure beats microwave food RHI - BALDIVIS PERTH 2005 Bought/Finished WA Housing Centre Home 2010 Building the Benchmark with REDINK Homes in The Avalon 2013 Building the Michigan with Cont3nt Living In Highbury Estate! Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 18Sep 09, 2010 3:48 pm Majority (bulk, mass, preponderance, best part of, greater part of, etc etc). You know, that was a dig, a poke in the ribs, a joke. Me, I, we, us (wife and I). Work pretty long hours. I work 7:00am to 5:30pm most days. Saturday sometimes 8:00-12:00. We cook at least 5 times per week. It's cheaper. It's not hard to make some Mexican, a spag bol, steak and salad on the nights that you want something easy. I cant remember the last time I ate a packaged meal for dinner. It's not something that I relish. Takeaway or eating in somewhere, yeah sometimes twice a week, curry or fish and chips. Just like you said, can't be bothered cooking. Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 19Sep 10, 2010 8:41 am I'm sure many people do what we do and cook some things in bulk on the weekend & then freeze for theweek. We make homemade soup etc almost every week. Easy peasy! Re: US versus AU kitchens (cont..) and are rangehoods needed 20Sep 10, 2010 8:44 am FWIW I tend to beleive Nathan that the majority in the US do not. We have a few sets of friends in LA and some north of Sacramento. The latter are quite rural and I stayed there for 2 weeks without a proper cooked dinner in sight! 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