How to choose a cooker hood
Principle of operation
First, you need to accurately determine the features of the room in which the cooker hood will be installed. This will help you choose the operating principle of the equipment — extraction, recirculation or combined. Each mode requires compliance with certain operating conditions.
Extraction cooker hoods rely on ventilation ducts to draw treated air. This connection can be established through a rigid box or a flexible corrugated pipe. It's important to minimize the distance and bends from the hood to the duct to maintain efficiency. Ideally, design the kitchen with the cooker hood directly above the ventilation and hob.
Recirculating cooker hoods are autonomous and do not require special conditions from the room. Their work is based on built-in filters that purify the air and return it back. The advantages of this operating principle are especially noticeable in winter, when it is not possible to open windows to create natural ventilation. And in its absence, such models are the only option.
A schematic diagram of the functioning of extraction and recirculation cooker hoods is shown in the following image.
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| The principle of operation of the cooker hood in extraction and recirculation mode. |
The most popular are models capable of operating in extraction mode and, if necessary, switching to recirculation mode. They incorporate all the beneficial advantages, do not impose any restrictions, and the range is represented by thousands of models with different functionality. The user independently chooses the operating mode depending on the room, seasonality and his/her needs.
Cooker hood type and installation method
When designing a kitchen, it's crucial to consider the installation method based on the type of cooker hood. There are various options available, including wall (traditional, corner), ceiling (suspended), and built-in options integrated into cabinets, niches, or countertops. Let's explore these choices more closely.
The wall traditional hood is considered the most popular and can have different designs (dome, T-shaped, fireplace, canopy, cylindrical) to suit any interior style. The thing is that kitchen cookers and hobs are usually installed directly against the wall, so this approach is most often used. Installation is simple and does not require additional frames or fasteners. In rare cases, a corner wall cooker hood may be needed.
Built-in devices are almost as popular as wall ones, although their installation is more complicated and requires preliminary preparation. The most popular ones for the home are cooker hoods that are installed in the cabinet directly above the hob. This way the overall design concept of the kitchen is not compromised and good extraction efficiency is achieved. For professional kitchens, they often resort to the services of a high-power built-in ceiling cooker hood. Its installation is the most difficult, and the equipment itself is characterized by high prices, not to mention the increased noise level. Another expensive pleasure can be a cooker hood built into the countertop. Such models do not take up extra space, are completely hidden when not in use, but are often equipped with powerful motors with increased noise. Despite their large extraction capacity (from 500 m³/h), they are inferior in efficiency to classic devices.
When the hob is a central element in the kitchen, whether separate or integrated, consider island and suspended hoods with ceiling mounts. Despite their similar appearance, they differ significantly. The island type functions similarly to the wall type, offering both extraction and recirculation. On the other hand, suspended models focus solely on recirculation due to their unique installation — suspending on cables above the cooking area, making ventilation duct connection impossible.
Dimensions
The dimensions of the cooker hood must correspond to the hob. First of all, you need to pay attention to the width, which cannot be smaller than the kitchen cooker (hob), and for intensive and regular cooking on several burners at once, it is better to take a margin of 10 cm (5 cm in both directions) to completely absorb moisture and odors and grease particles.
Performance and noise level
We have already determined the key technical features, so now we can move on to other important criteria that will determine the comfort and efficiency of operation. The first thing to pay attention to is performance, which can have two parameters. The first determines the overall productivity of the motor, which is the amount of extracted air in no-load mode, when the cooker hood is not connected to the duct. The second parameter more accurately reflects the actual performance in extraction mode. It should not only correspond to the intensity of cooking, but also to the area of the room to cope with the treatment of a certain volume of air. There is no point in puzzling over this issue, it all comes down to a simple mathematical formula, which for convenience is presented in the following image.
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| Formula for calculating cooker hood performance. |
To begin with, the volume of the kitchen must be determined by multiplying the area (a x b) by the height (h). During cooking, the air must be refreshed 12 times per hour (every 5 minutes), so increase the volume by this value. Next, it is necessary to take into account the probability of reducing the efficiency of the extraction for a number of reasons (length and number of bends in the duct, contamination of filters). It is enough to multiply the finished figure by the coefficient of minimum power reserve 1.3 and get the recommended power of the cooker hood for your kitchen. The final formula looks as follows: (a x b) x h x 12 x 1.3.
To save users from tedious calculations, our experts have prepared a table of recommended performance depending on the area and height of the room.
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| Table of recommended cooker hood performance depending on the area and height of the room. |
When selecting a cooker hood, consider its noise level, often linked to the chosen performance (motor speed). Standardly, users are offered 3 operating modes, sufficient for most tasks, though advanced cooker hoods may provide up to 5 speeds. Higher performance results in increased motor speeds and, consequently, higher noise levels. The maximum comfortable value for home use is 60 dB, with the ideal range being up to 50 dB. There are effective cooker hoods within these limits for various preferences, even for spacious kitchens up to 20 m². Note that freestanding models tend to be noisier than built-in ones.
Controls
Selecting the operating mode, speed, and activating additional functions is usually done using the following controls:
- Push-buttons
- Rotary knobs
- Mechanical sliders
- Touch controls
Push-buttons are used in budget and mid-range cooker hoods. They are easy to find on the panel visually or by touch in any situation. They are quite reliable, although over time they can become jammed by dirt accumulated in the structure.
Rotary knobs look more stylish and allow you to quickly change operating speed. But in practice, such models turn out to be more expensive and limited in functionality, and therefore have received the least popularity.
Mechanical sliders are more often found in budget cooker hoods due to their simplicity and cheapness, although they are sometimes an integral part of premium country-style devices. In practice, they may not be very convenient — to switch to third speed you will have to go through the previous ones. To turn off the cooker hood, do the same. Not widely used.
Touch controls are popular in all price categories. It fills the kitchen with modern trends, makes cleaning the surface much easier, and is not subject to mechanical wear and contamination. On the other hand, the touch controls are not so clearly visible on the surface, so blind control can be difficult.
A very advantageous addition to traditional push-buttons and touch controls is gesture control, which eliminates direct contact with dirty hands. But you will have to pay more for this functionality, although the cost will be recouped by the always clean surface of the cooker hood and controls.
More advanced modifications are equipped with a built-in Wi-Fi module and the ability to remotely control via the Internet. The user gets full control over the device, the ability to turn it off remotely from anywhere if they forgot to do it at home.
Additional features
Manufacturers attempt to entice users with various features, though not all prove to be in demand, as their effectiveness may be questionable. For instance, features like a display or remote control may not offer significant benefits for this type of equipment. Let's examine which additional features are genuinely crucial when selecting a cooker hood.
Lighting
Very often the cooking area does not receive sufficient light from the ceiling chandelier or spotlights. Therefore, most cooker hoods are equipped with their own lighting systems, which are worth paying attention to.
Old-fashioned flare lamps are best skipped immediately, as they burn out frequently, get very hot, have a low light factor and consume a lot of electricity. To everyone's delight, they are quite rare in modern appliances.
Halogen lighting has become widespread in the budget and mid-price segments of the market. In fact, this is the optimal option in all respects — affordable price, sufficient level of brightness, average durability.
LED lighting is the most advanced, and is therefore found in mid- and premium-class models. LED lighting consumes minimal energy, has a natural spectrum of light that is pleasant to the eye, and is not afraid of vibration or accidental shocks, so you won’t have to think about replacing such lamps for several years. And most importantly, a high level of lighting in the cooking area.
Slot and perimeter extraction
To increase the efficiency of the cooker hood, manufacturers use some technical additions. Slot extraction is inherent in traditional wall-mounted slanted models and significantly improves performance without the need to increase motor speed. Slots at the bottom of the air intake create directional funnels that better draw air inside. Perimeter extraction works on a similar aerodynamic principle, only the holes are located around the entire perimeter of the primary filter, and not just at the bottom. Both technologies save energy and reduce noise levels.
Timer
The presence of a timer can be a very useful feature in many cases. Especially if there are cookers and hobs with similar functionality. It allows you to automate the process of cooking and air refreshing, freeing up time for other activities.
Automatic control
Sometimes kitchen equipment manufacturers offer to combine the functionality of a kitchen cooker (hob) and a cooker hood. The latter will work in fully automatic mode depending on the intensity of cooking (the number of burners used). Convenient, but quite expensive.
Smoke detector
Another way to automate the operation of a cooker hood is due to the presence in the design of a detector that monitors the composition of the air. In this case, the system itself starts and stops the motor based on the received data. The function can be convenient when children are cooking in the kitchen, whose height does not allow them to reach the cooker hood controls.
Maintenance
During the selection process, do not forget about the need for further maintenance of the cooker hood, as sometimes it can turn into a big problem. We are talking about a filtration system here.
All models come with a grease filter, essential for safeguarding the motor and preventing grease buildup on kitchen surfaces. These filters can be made of ordinary metal, aluminum, or stainless steel. Ordinary metal is the least durable due to its vulnerability to corrosion. Aluminum is the most common and offers optimal characteristics, while stainless steel is considered a premium option. Grease filters can last several years with periodic cleaning, but eventually, they need replacement. Some manufacturers provide original components, which can be expensive and might be the only option. There are also compatible universal models, but they may not always be suitable in terms of installation method and fastening.
As for carbon filters that are used for recirculation, the situation can be even more complicated, since they are replaced much more often (1 – 2 times a year) depending on the intensity of use of the cooker hood. They can be made in the form of a plate that is installed above the grease filter, or an attachment to the motor. In both cases, it can be difficult to find a compatible replacement that fits the specifications.
Which cooker hood is better to choose?
When choosing a kitchen hood, much depends on the room itself and the frequency of cooking, but general recommendations are as follows:
- Give preference to the combined operating principle (extraction + recirculation). They are suitable for any technical conditions and provide benefits in summer and winter.
- Dimensions in width are no less than a kitchen cooker or hob, but it is better to take 10 cm more
- The performance should be sufficient for effective air purification. It is better to take it with a margin of 20%, then you can avoid working at maximum speed, which also ensures a lower noise level. Productivity is easily calculated using the formula, but for convenience you can use the ready-made table in the article or the filter (recommended area) on the website
- Pay attention to electronic controls (touch), which will make cleaning easier and last longer than mechanical controls (push-buttons, sliders, knobs). If the budget allows, then gesture control will allow you to avoid unnecessary contamination of the cooker hood during the cooking process
- It is advisable to choose a model for which a range of consumables and filters are available for sale, which will have to be changed sooner or later
- Additional features will never be superfluous — LED lighting, timer, slot extraction, which will greatly simplify the cooking process and increase the efficiency of the cooker hood.
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