Just moved into a NYC coop unit and am in the same boat. There is a high powered Bertazzoni range here with a vented microwave above it that does absolutely nothing.

We are redoing the kitchen but keeping the stove because it is new and works well. In my hunt to answer this questions, I did find a recirculating hood that has a tall vent (think upside down Y like many pro-hood are these days). At the top of the hood near the ceiling the air blasts out the sides. This at least thows the grease and smoke up high instead of in your face, but I wasn't willing to sacrifice the upper cabinet space needed for that configuration.

Our range is a foot from the kitchen window, which can be opened at the top as well as at the bottom. When I open the window at the bottom, the wind often blows the flame out on the stove. (We live in a *really* windy location.) So we have begun opening the window at the top. It helps let off some of the gas and smoke. After we cook we wipe down the range because even the knobs and oven handle get covered in grease. We keep meaning to invest in a good splash guard for our fying pans.

These buildings were not meant for professional ranges. I've just learned to make do. It is kind of gross. Our cabinets have not yet been installed. I think I will dislike the situation even more once I have to clean off my beautiful new cabinets all the time too.

Let me know if you come up with something else.

You can get recirculating hoods that work pretty well but the filters need constant cleaning if you do not do that they are pretty useless. There is one from Vent-a-hood that is ductless

You can't install a stove with high BTUs and expect a recirculating fan to do anything to address the heat and the odors. I would certainly not select gas. Better that you consider induction which will add no heat from the cooktop and an electric convection oven in this type of location. I can't believe your HOA would even allow these monster stoves to be installed in the building.

Even DeGulion who is known for doing over-the-top kitchens doesn't show commercial ranges in NYC condos.

https://degiuliodesign.com/project/new-york-city-new-york/

There is one extensive report here indicating that the VaH ARS system is adequate under most conditions. See https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2347276/vent-a-hood-ductless-ars-range-hood-update#n=65. Just don't expect either perfect capture and containment, or perfect filtering.

You cannot tame a fire breathing dragon and keep him in a 7x9 unventilated room. Things will get pretty darn hot. And scorched. And dirty.

Pick a hood with the biggest coverage over the range as possible, but forget super high CFM, etc. It can’t do anything without an exit. Spend the extra money on a weekly cleaning service to get the grease off of everything, and clean the filters. Expect accelerated wear and tear on the cabinets, walls, furniture, etc.

This is why townhomes had separate kitchens located remotely in the basement with dumbwaiters up to the dining rooms. They were filthy service areas fit only for servants, not part of gracious living. Todays homeowners want it all. Whether or not that is physically possible. Which it is not.

Having lived in a tiny NYC apartment back in the day, I can tell you that @User’s comment just above is hyperbole. I had a gas range, no ventilation, no kitchen window, and I managed, cooked every day, and kept things clean. There was no ”accelerated wear and tear” and I didn't need an extra cleaning service just because I didn’t have a hood that vented outside. Having said that, you should definitely not get a pro-style gas range. These days, even lower-end gas ranges have more btus than high-end ranges did 20 years ago.

I recommend you get an induction range if possible. You will be happier without the gas btus. While a recirculating hood is of course not going to be as effective as one that exhausts to the outside, it’s better than nothing. Be diligent about keeping the filter clean and replacing the charcoal filter.

"There is one extensive report here indicating that the VaH ARS system is adequate under most conditions. See https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2347276/vent-a-hood-ductless-ars-range-hood-update#n=65. Just don't expect either perfect capture and containment, or perfect filtering."

@kaseki, I didn't see a link to a report anywhere in that thread (but I only looked very very quickly). Can you provide the link or the date it was posted? Thanks.

I think we may have found our Sophie Wheeler in Verbo! Love that witty, truthful response!!!

Ooooh! I think I ambiguously worded my comment. There is no separate report; the thread content is the report, particularly the information from @garyvp. In reviewing it just now, I didn't see one thing I remembered being reported; details of the filter packs. There may be another ARS related thread.

Thanks @kaseki.

There are two problems for the OP here;

1) Harmful byproducts of Gas Combustion - Much of which, to the best of my knowledge, cannot be filtered effectively by something as small and inexpensive as the ARS. Personally, there is no way I'd do a gas range without proper ventilation that exhausts to outside. There's a reason that all other gas appliances ALWAYS exhaust to the outside and why so much effort was invested in making them sealed combustion. Easy choice for induction for me.

2) Harmful byproducts of Cooking - These vary considerably by what's being cooked and how. We know that pan frying bacon produces PM and Carcinogens but have no idea how effectively the ARS will filter the harmful stuff.

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Without some tests to indicate how well the ARS system deals with a bunch of different elements produced from combustion and cooking we have no idea how effective it is. Since most of the harmful VOC's and PM and Carcinogens are not visible and have no odor the only way to know that they are being dealt with to a safe level is measurement and I'm not aware of such data. As far as I know the ARS simply does a good job of recirculating CO₂, NO₂, Carcinogens and other stuff to make sure that we breath as much of them as possible.

With something like an ARS as the only option I'd definately do induction because that is one source of harmful stuff that we can eliminate. I'd also not fry bacon every morning or some other things that I'd know could be especially harmful. Otherwise I'd carry on with life.

Test results would be best. In the meantime, relative efficacy of adsorption by charcoal vs. representative chemicals might provide some insight. This is not a research project that I would take on, but I raise it as a suggestion.