Type 1 vs Type 2 Hoods: Which Commercial Kitchen Hood Do You Actually Need?
Type 1 vs Type 2 hoods explained — learn which commercial kitchen exhaust hood NFPA 96 requires for your cooking equipment, and why choosing wrong can shut your kitchen down.
If you are outfitting a commercial kitchen, the first question you have to answer is not "what size hood?" — it is "what type of hood?" Get this wrong and your health inspector will shut you down before your first service. Get it right and the rest of the ventilation system falls into place.
Here is the plain-English breakdown of Type 1 vs Type 2 hoods, when each one is required, and how to make the right call the first time.
What Is a Type 1 Hood?
A Type 1 hood — often called a grease hood — is designed to capture grease-laden vapors and smoke from cooking equipment. It is built with:
Liquid-tight welded stainless steel construction
UL-listed grease baffle or cartridge filters
An integrated grease collection trough and cup
A connection point for a fire suppression system (typically Ansul or Amerex)
Under NFPA 96, any appliance that produces grease-laden vapors requires a Type 1 hood — period. That includes fryers, charbroilers, griddles, ranges, woks, salamanders, and most ovens. NFPA 96 does not care whether your heat source is gas, electric, or induction — it cares about what you are cooking.
What Is a Type 2 Hood?
A Type 2 hood — also called a condensate or heat-and-steam hood — is designed to capture heat, steam, moisture, and odors with no grease. It has:
Lighter-gauge stainless steel construction (usually not liquid-tight welded)
No grease filters (though some models use mesh filters for lint or particulates)
No fire suppression connection
Type 2 hoods are correct for dishwashers, steam kettles, pasta cookers, some pizza and bakery ovens, and rethermalizers — equipment that produces only water vapor or dry heat.
The One Rule That Decides It
If your equipment produces any grease-laden vapor, you need a Type 1 hood. If it produces only heat, steam, or moisture, a Type 2 hood is legal.
This is where operators get in trouble: installing a Type 2 hood over a griddle or induction burner to save money. The "electric loophole" is a myth. If you are searing, frying, or grilling on it — even electrically — NFPA 96 requires a Type 1 hood with fire suppression (NFPA 96).
Quick Reference
| Application | Hood Type |
|---|---|
| Fryers, griddles, charbroilers, ranges | Type 1 |
| Woks, salamanders, most ovens | Type 1 |
| Dishwashers, warewashers | Type 2 |
| Steam kettles, pasta cookers | Type 2 |
| Bakery ovens (no grease) |
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Cost Difference (And Why It Matters Less Than You Think)A Type 2 hood costs less up front — no fire suppression, lighter construction, simpler filters. But choosing Type 2 for a grease application costs far more later: failed inspections, forced re-installation, higher insurance premiums, and shutdown risk. Buy the right hood the first time. Shop the Right Hood for Your KitchenMr. Hood USA stocks both Type 1 commercial exhaust hoods and Type 2 condensate hoods in standard sizes for restaurants, food trucks, ghost kitchens, and institutional cook lines — with fast shipping and volume pricing for contractors. Browse commercial exhaust hoods → Not sure which type you need? Request a free quote and we'll size it with you. Previous
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