The need for a range hood is to vent grease, smoke, heat, and odors from your kitchen. The need is based more on what you cook rather than the type of range you cook it on - although higher BTU ranges give you the opportunity to generate more smoke, heat, etc. There are people on this forum who will tell you that you must have a vent hood particularly for a high powered gas range but that's not absolutely true - people have lived for years without them - most areas do not have codes requiring them although you should check on your area. While you're renovating is the best time to put in ducting for the hood although it's up to you whether you can live without one.

Cooking (on any type of cooktop) creates airborne oil, smoke, odors, and especially, steam. All of those cooking byproducts will damage your home without external ventilation. That's why it is a code requirement. Some jurisdictions will allow an operable window within a certain distance to serve as the required ventilation, but that is awkward at best, and on very cold or very hot days, compromising for you HVAC system. You need to check with your local codes office regarding what requirements they may have for home ventilation. You may not be legally able to have a range at all unless you put in some form of vent.

you can buy a broan 41 series ductless hood for 50 bucks and that will satisfy your requirements for a co

Having lived without a hood for some 30 yrs of cooking in apartment kitchens, I can tell you that on an average stove, no you don't really NEED to have a hood, even if you're going to stir-fry.

But note that my apt kitchens were closed-off plans. I also put a regular window fan up to help get rid of the worst odors and steam, and pretty much had to replace it every 3 yrs or so, because the grease gunked it up to the disgusting point.

I live now in a small cottage with an open-floor plan. A hood proved essential, because in an open plan smells really do go everywhere.

The ductless hood is better than nothing, but be prepared to clean it out regularly. Good luck and I sincerely hope there is a true ducted hood someday in your future!

You can adapt your style of cooking as well. For years, I lived with a Jennair downdraft that had totally inadequate venting capabilities. Also, it had wimpy burners, particularly so because we are on LP. My method of cooking was often to place a cast iron skillet in the oven and heat it to 450 degrees. Then I would lob pieces of meat into the oven to sear them. It worked fine, athough I'd have to avert my face from the blast of heat as I opened the oven door. Most of the grease spatters were contained in the oven. I had to clean the oven every couple of weeks, though (fortunately had self clean).

Personally, I think airborne grease is a worse villain than steam.