In The Hood

There are so many cooker hoods on the market today, it’s hard to know where to begin when it comes to choosing one. Take a look at our quick guide to what’s going down in the hood.

Canopy hood

A canopy hood is fitted flush with or attached beneath the wall cabinets. Some designs include a retractable section which is pulled out when the extractor fan is in use but can be tucked back in line with the cabinets when you are not cooking.

Chimney cooker hood

Usually made of stainless steel, sometimes incorporating glass in the design, this type of hood consists of a canopy and flue, and is attached to the wall. They come in a range of sizes, so whether you have a four ring burner or larger, you will find a cooker hood in a suitable size to deal with the steam and cooking smells.

Downdraft

Built into your worktop adjacent to the hob, a downdraft extractor is pulled up into position when it is needed to draw in cooking smells and steam. Afterwards it retracts into the work surface for a sleek look. This style of extractor works particularly well on an island.

Hob extractor

For the very sleekest look, opt for an extractor built into an electric hob. Strong suction draws steam and smells into a central extractor – perfect if your hob is on an island.

Island cooker hood

Designed to be installed in the ceiling above an island, this type of hood can be pricier than other extractors, but rather than being simply functional, it will be a key design feature. Look for stylish glass and steel hoods to complement your contemporary kitchen.

Ceiling cooker hood

Designed to either sit flush to your ceiling, or within a purpose made bulkhead. This type of hood will allow unrestricted views when you have an open plan space, such as a kitchen/diner. They will require careful planning at an early stage, to get the best out of the design.

Capacity

The capacity of a cooker head tells you the number of cubic metres of air which are filtered or extracted in an hour. Ideally you should have a hood with a capacity ten times the volume of your kitchen space, to allow ten air exchanges to be made per hour.

Maintenance

Cooker hoods require very little maintenance. Apart from replacing disposable filters, there is not a lot to be done. The easiest way to clean your metal mesh grease filter is just to pop it in the dishwasher. Most cooker hoods are now fitted with LED lights, which last for such a long time that you are unlikely to need to replace them.

Noise

Hoods and extractors tend to generate around 40-75 decibels. As a rule of thumb, the more expensive the model, the quieter the operation of the extractor will be.

Ducted

Generally where you have the option of extracting odours through ducting to an exterior wall, this is the preferred option.  Otherwise, you will need to go for recirculation (see below). Most hoods and extractors are designed to work either in ducted or recirculation mode.

Recirculation

Grease and carbon filters are used to remove odours from the extracted air before it is recirculated into the kitchen. If extraction outside is not an option, recirculation is the next best thing.

If you have any questions about how to choose the best cooker hood for your kitchen, speak to a member of the team at Schwarz Kitchens. Call us today on 01323 301916 or visit one of our showrooms in Eastbourne, Haywards Heath and Brighton, where you can see a range of hoods and extractors on display.

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