Your In-Depth Cooker Hoods Buying Guide

Not all kitchens will have a cooker hood while things like a cooker, fridge or freezer will usually all be common sights in a kitchen cooker hoods are a bit more niche. They are more bonus appliance than essential ones but they are incredibly beneficial.

If you’re the type of person who spends a lot of time in their kitchen then a cooker hood is pretty much invaluable. They contain powerful ventilation systems and extractor fans and remove grease, fume, smoke, and steam for the air. So, they definitely provide a safer more efficient cooking experience.

How to buy the best cooker hood

When it comes to buying a cooker hood there a lot of things to consider and think about, so let’s look at the main features in our in-depth cooker hood buying guide.

The Space You Have Available

Cooker hoods come in many different sizes and shapes and your kitchen might not always be able to accommodate the larger hoods available. So, make sure you examine your kitchen carefully before choosing a hood to buy. Hoods can be mounted in a number of different positions they are most commonly fitted above the cooker directly.

But there really is no one rule to where they can be placed, some people choose to have them fitted in the centre of their kitchen for example. So, think carefully about how much space you have available when it comes to choosing a cooker hood.

The Exhaust System

Cooker hoods are all about the exhaust system, they’re the main reason to buy a hood after all aren’t they? But cooker hoods come with a number of different possible exhaust systems and they all work differently.

kitchen hood exhaust system

The main two exhaust systems are a ducted system which works venting the air into your home’s duct system and then drives it away from your home. With a ducted system, the air isn’t ventilated into another area of your house it will be vented outside so the person of your hood and your homes duct system are very important.

A non-vented exhaust system works a little differently the hood still takes in the air but instead of releasing it outside it will instead clean the air and release it back into the kitchen. They are less efficient than duct systems but are generally easier to position and place and are not as expensive on average.

The Exhaust Fans

Yes, all cooker hoods will have exhaust fans, won’t they? But the power and size of the fans will be very different from model to model. If you have a small kitchen then you might be able to go for a smaller cooker hood with less powerful fans, but the larger the kitchen is the bigger the cooker hood will need to be.

So, don’t opt for the largest cooker hood available just because it gives you the most power if you have a relatively small kitchen a larger cooker hood just won’t be needed. So, remember when looking at the fans and motor you should first consider the size of your kitchen.

The Noise Level

Cooker hoods can be surprisingly noisy and this doesn’t just mean the larger models! Even smaller more miniature cooker hoods can make quite the racket so make sure you inquire about the noise level before buying a cooker hood.

The hoods that work by bringing air towards them are generally much more quiet than the hoods that work by moving air over a larger area. The position of the cooker hood can also play a part when it comes to the noise level as well. So, make sure you take all the variable factors into account before buying a cooker hood.

The Style and Price

Well, we might as well group these two factors together because they are heavily connected. You’ll want a cooker hood that matches the style and décor of your kitchen won’t you? And the good news is there are cooker hoods in all kinds of styles from modern chrome shiny appliances to more rustic hoods and everything in between the two.

designer island cooker hood

However, be warned because the more fancy the cooker hood looks the more it will cost. Because cooker hoods are a more luxury appliance even the more basic models can still come with a hefty price tag.

However, because they do give you a great number of benefits and help provide a more efficient and healthy household and kitchen they certainly are worth it to some people. So, cooker hoods are worth saving up for if you are a proud home chef who enjoys spending time in their kitchen. They don’t just look stylish but also provide many great benefits.

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