In the mainstream and mid to low end markets, AC motors remain the absolute mainstream due to their ultimate cost advantage and simple and reliable structure.
Brushless DC motors, with their excellent performance, mainly occupy the high-end market and are the future development trend.

1、 The advantages of AC motors (why are they still mainstream)
Ultimate cost advantage:

Motor itself: AC induction motors have an extremely simple structure, usually consisting of stator windings and squirrel cage rotors, without permanent magnets and complex control circuits.
Low cost of raw materials.

Control circuit: AC motors are usually directly driven by mains power, and speed regulation relies on simple taps or simple AC voltage regulation circuits (such as thyristor speed regulation), with very low circuit costs.
Many low-end models even have only two gears, “high speed/low speed”.

This is the most crucial factor.
The competition in the range hood market is fierce, and price is the primary sensitive point for the vast majority of consumers.
The use of AC motors can minimize the overall cost of the machine.

Simple structure, sturdy and durable:

AC induction motor is a century old technology, very mature, and has few fault points.
As long as the bearings are not damaged and the coils are not burned, they can continue to rotate and have strong overload resistance.

Maintenance is relatively simple.

Mature supply chain:

There are a large number of mature AC motor suppliers in China, which are easy to purchase, have low technical barriers, and can be easily integrated by manufacturers.

2、 The advantages of brushless DC motors (why is it a high-end choice)
Higher efficiency and energy conservation:

The efficiency of brushless DC motors is usually 20% -30% higher than that of AC motors.
It can automatically adjust power according to the resistance of the air duct, saving more electricity when reaching the same suction force.

Better performance and control accuracy:

High air volume and high static pressure: The DC motor has a higher speed and is easier to achieve high speed, which can easily provide larger air volume and static pressure, suitable for complex public flues and high-rise residential buildings.

Infinite speed regulation: With intelligent control, it can achieve seamless speed regulation from hundreds to thousands of revolutions per minute. Users can accurately find the suitable air volume, and the noise is also more controllable.

Better matching of air volume static pressure curve: Advanced models can monitor flue resistance in real time and automatically adjust motor power to maintain optimal smoke exhaust effect (i.e. “automatic cruise boosting” function), which is difficult to achieve with AC motors.

Lower operating noise:

DC motors run more smoothly with less vibration, and due to their ability to achieve more precise speed control, they can be very quiet at low speeds.

More intelligent and easier to integrate:

The DC motor itself requires a drive controller (ESC), which provides a natural hardware platform for integrating various intelligent functions such as gesture control, smoke sensing linkage, networking, etc.

3、 Manufacturer’s Choice: Market Stratification and Strategy
Based on the above characteristics, the selection of oil fume machine manufacturers is actually a precise market segmentation strategy:

Entry level/economy market:

Target users: Extremely price sensitive, with performance requirements of ‘as long as it can be used’.

Choice: Use AC motors without any doubt.
Meet the most basic smoke exhaust needs with the lowest cost and seize market share.

Mid to high end/performance market:

Target users: Emphasize suction, noise, aesthetics, and basic intelligent functions, with certain purchasing power.

Choice: Start widely adopting brushless DC motors.
Promote as core selling points (such as “DC frequency conversion”, “silent”, “intelligent suction and exhaust”) to increase product premium.

Flagship/Intelligent Market:

Target users: Pursuing the best experience, intelligent kitchen ecology, and top-level performance.

Choice: High performance brushless DC motors must be used.
And build a complete set of intelligent suction and exhaust systems, gesture interaction, air management and other high-end functions around it.

4、 Future Trends
The penetration rate of brushless DC motors is rapidly increasing for the following reasons:

Consumer upgrade: Consumers are increasingly willing to pay for better experiences (quiet, intelligent, efficient).

Cost reduction: With the large-scale development of rare earth permanent magnet material technology and motor control technology, the cost of brushless DC motor systems is also slowly decreasing year by year.

Energy efficiency standards: Energy efficiency regulations in various countries are becoming increasingly strict, and high-efficiency DC motors are more in line with environmental trends.

The demand for intelligence: The popularity of smart homes requires the development of functions based on precisely controllable DC motors.