Which cooker hood will be the best choice for your kitchen?

There are many different types of cooker hoods to choose from in different styles. Ideally, you want one with a high extraction rate but low noise.

Smaller hoods tend to be quieter but can have lower extraction rates; however, they’re suitable for compact kitchens. A larger kitchen may need a bigger hood, but this will have a more powerful motor, which could be noisier, but will recycle more air.

How cooker hoods work

Cooker hoods generally extract air through a vent in the wall or recirculate air through a carbon filter back into the kitchen.

Extractor cooker hoods are more efficient; therefore, it helps if you can position your cooker where air can be extracted via an external wall. If you can’t do this, you’ll need to use the recirculation method where the extracted air is passed through grease and carbon filters that absorb odours before being circulated back into the kitchen.

The benefits of a cooker hood

The primary benefit of a cooker hood is that it removes smoke, steam and grease from the air in your kitchen. This cuts down on the toxic air in your home and helps reduce the growth of bacteria, germs and mould.

A cooker hood also reduces heat and steam coming from your hob. This makes it more comfortable for you when cooking.

Plus, an added bonus is the extra light that you gain from a cooker hood – giving you illumination just where you need it.

Where to position your cooker hood

It’s generally recommended that your cooker hood is 50% wider than your stove. There should be a maximum of 80 to 90cms between stove and hood, especially for induction hobs that cause steam to spread further.

With gas and electric hobs, steam is pushed straight upwards by the warm air around the pan. With an induction hob, steam is drawn up in a fan-shape.

Essentially, the bigger the distance from worktop to hood the wider the hood should be – and you need to be able to stand next to the hob and see into your pots and pans.

Styles of cooker hoods

Integrated cooker hoods are designed to be installed in fitted kitchens and are suitable for four-ring hobs.

A traditional visor hood sticks out horizontally from the wall above the hob and is ideal for extracting from smaller hobs. A canopy hood is a discreet hood that sits flush to or just below a wall cabinet above the hob – it could have a telescopic section that you pull out.

A chimney cooker hood is a powerful extractor and ideal if your cooker backs onto a wall. The chimney leads into a canopy, which extracts steam and smells. It has to be fitted to the wall and can be used for standard four-ring hobs but has the capabilities of working with eight-burner or wide-range cookers.

Alternatively, a downdraft extractor can be fitted below the kitchen worktop behind the hob. This is often used with a kitchen island. The extractor sits flush with the worktop when it’s not in use but rises up to extract air when you’re cooking.

Would you like advice on the right cooker hood for your new kitchen?

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