Buying guides

Find the ideal cooker hood for you

STYLES

Cooker hoods come in many shapes and sizes, and all make a different statement. Choose between eye-catching, classic or the more discreet.

Island cooker hoods – The natural choice if you have a central island at the heart of your kitchen. These hoods are suspended from the ceiling.

Wall cooker hoods – Whether flat or a chimney style, these stand-out hoods come in a variety of sizes and are mounted to the wall.

Built-in cooker hoods – To blend in with the style of your kitchen, these can be hidden away in a kitchen cabinet or inside your worktop.

Built-under cooker hoods – Save space and put your hood under the cabinet above your hob. Virtually invisible when idle.

Top-tip: Check the recommended distance between hob and hood before choosing.

AIR CIRCULATION

Do you have an external vent?

Yes - Extraction hoods use an outside vent to evacuate the stale air. The air duct's length, curves and type of material will affect airflow.

No - Recirculation hoods do not require an outside vent. They purify the air through a series of filters, removing particles and odours, before recirculating it back in the room.

Top-tip: Turn on your hood before you start cooking to get the circulation or extraction going.

FOOD

If you regularly cook aromatic foods or if you have a large kitchen you will need a more powerful hood. Not only because of the odour but because grease can condense on hard-to-reach surfaces and damage your walls.

POWER

When choosing between hoods with different capacity, it's good to work out your minimum and maximum extraction rate. Follow these easy steps:

1. Measure your kitchen's length, width & height.
2. Multiply length x width x height = cubic capacity.
3. Multiply the cubic capacity x 6 = minimum extraction rate (6 changes of air per hour for light cooking, e.g. simmering).
4. Multiply the cubic capacity x 12 = maximum extraction rate (12 changes of air per hour for frying with oil).

A rate between 8 and 12 is recommended.

NOISE LEVEL

For a peaceful cooking environment, choose a hood with a lower decibel (dB) rating. AEG hoods range between 40 and 70 dB. For reference, a whisper is approximately 40 dB and a normal conversation measures in between 60 and 70 dB.

For extractor hoods, duct design affects noise level. Minimise the number of bends and cross-sections and choose sound reducing materials.

FILTERS & CLEANING

All cooker hoods are fitted with grease filters, which capture food particles from the air. Depending on the type, grease filters need to be replaced (disposable filters) or cleaned (reusable filters) on a regular basis. Permanent metal grease filters can be soaked and cleaned by hand or in a dishwasher on an intensive 60-70°C programme.

For recirculation hoods, active carbon filters that remove odours should be cleaned or replaced approximately every four months. Some carbon filters are washable.