How to choose a hood for the kitchen - professional advice

It is impossible to imagine a modern kitchen without a hood. This indispensable device not only cleans the room from odors, steam and gas soot, but also prolongs the life of kitchen furniture, protecting it from greasy deposits. The device should fit perfectly into the interior, but you should not focus only on the appearance of the hood. It is important that it has good characteristics - sufficient to effectively update the air in the kitchen.

The best cooker hood manufacturers - which company to choose

Many famous brands of household appliances are engaged in the production of kitchen hoods, and they are quite widely represented in our market. In terms of the number of positive consumer reviews, technical characteristics, ease of use and service life, the leaders in this segment are devices of the following brands:

  • Bosch
  • Maunfeld
  • Gorenje
  • Ardesia

Also read the details of these manufacturers. In the meantime, let's figure out how to choose the right technique for your kitchen.

The principle of operation and the device of the kitchen hood

An exhaust hood is a device that captures and removes steam, fumes and food odors formed during cooking. The engine of the mechanism starts the fan, which draws in polluted air, drives it through the filter system and outputs it to the ventilation pipe or returns it back to the room.

The classic forced air ventilation device consists of the following elements:

  • Body with a wide bell;
  • Grease nets;
  • Additional cleaning filters or ventilation outlet;
  • Electric motor with fan;
  • Control block;
  • Built-in lighting.

However, the principle of operation of the hood may differ slightly, depending on the air exhaust scheme implemented in it.

Flow models draw steam and odors through a special duct (corrugated pipe, plastic or metal box) into the ventilation shaft of the house. Alternatively, exhaust air can be discharged through a hole in the wall directly to the street.

Such hoods are efficient and in great demand due to their relative cheapness, high performance and durability. However, it is problematic to integrate such a device into an already finished interior, therefore the installation of the unit must be foreseen in advance - at the stage of kitchen renovation.

Recirculation units pass air through themselves, cleaning it with a system of grease traps and carbon filters, and returns it back to the room. The main advantage of such hoods is their ease of installation anywhere in the kitchen and relative compactness. Among the disadvantages are lower efficiency (-30% to flow rates) and the need to change filters regularly.

Combined (universal) hoods combine the advantages of the two previous types - the desired operating mode is simply set by a switch. To purify the air at the time of intensive cooking, you can use the flow system, in other cases, recirculation is enough.

Now many manufacturing companies are focusing on universal hoods, as the most functional and convenient for everyone.

Types of hoods

In addition to the already considered classification of hoods according to the principle of air removal, there is a more traditional division of this technique - according to the type of construction.

Flat hanging models are simply attached to the wall above the stove and do not interfere with the installation of the upper cabinet. As a rule, these are combined units, which, if desired, can be connected to ventilation.

Pros:

  • Compact dimensions;
  • Easy to install;
  • Suitable for any modern interior;
  • The top cover can be used to store kitchen small things;
  • Affordable price.

Minuses:

  • Require regular replacement of filter cartridges;
  • Low performance;
  • Narrow range.

Such hoods are in increasing demand among buyers, because hidden appliances do not spoil the overall interior and at the same time calmly perform their functions. Built-in models are mounted in a hanging cabinet so that only a narrow strip of the working panel remains visible.

The principle of air removal here can be any: recirculation, flow or combined. Among such structures, deflecting and retractable hoods are often found, in which the suction area increases.

Pros:

  • Saving space in the kitchen;
  • Invisibility of built-in equipment;
  • Good air purification efficiency;
  • Fairly quiet operation.

Minuses:

  • Low power.

They got their name for their resemblance to the truncated cone of a classic chimney vault. Initially, these were rather large devices, but today manufacturers produce a lot of T-shaped island hoods, as well as inclined hoods, which are also domed, although they look different from their predecessors.

All fireplace models work on the principle of complete air removal, although expensive appliances are additionally equipped with a recirculation function. In any case, these are always quite powerful units of high performance. Depending on the shape of the umbrella, the equipment can be installed against the wall, in the corner and even under the ceiling.

Pros:

  • Efficient air purification;
  • High performance;
  • Rich functionality;
  • A variety of design solutions and models.

Minuses:

  • Bulky;
  • The need to install a ventilation duct;
  • Relatively high cost.

Performance

The main indicator of the effectiveness of the device is the volume of air that the device manages to take away per unit of time (measured in m3 / h).

To determine which hood is suitable for your kitchen, you need to calculate the cubic capacity of the room and multiply it by 12 - that is how many times, according to the requirements of sanitary standards, the air must be updated in 1 hour.

The resulting figure must be multiplied by a safety factor of 1.3 if the duct works for a ventilation shaft, and by 1.1 if you just need to put in a little more power. This will allow you to use the technique at an average speed without losing efficiency.

The size

At first glance, the larger the hood, the better. But a too bulky option is unlikely to decorate the interior, and even steal a lot of usable space above the stove. Here you need to proceed from the size of the hob - the socket of the kitchen hood must correspond to its width.

For compact three-burner stoves and dominoes, a small model of 45 cm is enough; ventilation equipment with a socket of 60 cm is suitable for traditional 4-burner stoves. For large panels with 5 or more burners, hoods with a width of 90 to 120 cm are produced.

Control method

Modern air cleaners provide 2 control options: mechanical and electronic. The first is carried out with the help of buttons or a slider, the second - with a sensor or pseudo-sensor.

Mechanical units are cheaper than their electronic counterparts, but older people are much more accustomed to using buttons than imperceptible sensors. The most sophisticated models involve remote control.

Housing material

The material from which the air cleaner body is made depends on the service life and features of caring for the equipment. The main criteria that should be given preference are practicality and durability.

Modern manufacturers offer us the following options:

  • Enamelled steel is the most unpretentious, easy to clean and inexpensive.
  • Stainless steel looks stylish and expensive, but requires constant care and always “pleases the eye” with fingerprints.
  • Plastic is a budget and fairly quiet option, but its service life is much lower than that of metal cases.
  • Tempered glass in the interior looks luxurious and even futuristic, but like stainless steel, it causes a lot of maintenance problems.

Filters

Filters in air cleaners are installed in 2 types: grease and fine filters.

The first ones are a metal mesh on which particles of hot fat from the air “condense”. It is easy to remove and wash, and then put it back in place.

Recently, along with such grease traps, acrylic meshes have also begun to appear (most often in inclined models), but they cannot be cleaned and require regular replacement.

"Thin" filters containing ground activated carbon are designed to eliminate food and smoke odors. This is a consumable item that requires replacement on average every six months.

Noise level

The noise performance of exhaust technology is an important indicator, especially for a small kitchen or a kitchen combined with a living area. In order not to exceed the allowable values ​​of 40–50 dB, do not take a hood that is too powerful for your room.

Be sure to check the technical documentation before buying, so as not to run into a loud-voiced assistant, and at the same time ask the store to turn it on at the second or third speed.

If you need a powerful model for a large kitchen, look for a unit in a plastic sound-absorbing case or with two motors at once.

Backlight

This function is present in almost all modern hoods, but it is not always implemented correctly. The brightest light is given by halogen and LED bulbs - they are also the most economical. With such a backlight, you will clearly see the food being cooked even with the overhead lighting turned off.

You should be more careful with fluorescent bulbs - you can easily make a mistake with the real color of the dishes, for example, when assessing the degree of roasting of meat or pastries. It is better to refuse incandescent lamps at all - they are “gluttonous” and get very hot, which is why plastic shades are often melted.

Additional functions

Electronically controlled hoods offer a wide range of useful features. Do you need them - decide for yourself, because the extra options not only simplify the work with the device, but also significantly increase its cost.

Today, the most popular options are:

  • Automatic start and gear change. The sensor built into the housing reacts to the level of air pollution and independently selects the appropriate operating mode.
  • Filter indicator - will warn you when it is full and needs to be replaced soon.
  • Residual stroke - in this mode, the fan will continue to work slowly for another 10-15 minutes after the equipment is turned off in order to completely eliminate all odors.
  • Intermittent switching - the unit periodically starts itself, updating the air in the kitchen.
  • Timer - allows you to set the time for automatic switching on or off of the hood.

1. In a small kitchen up to 16 m2 with a stove against the wall and free access to the general ventilation system, a suspended or built-in flow hood with a capacity of up to 500 m3 / h is suitable. If you cannot make an air duct, buy a circulation model.

2. For a medium sized kitchen up to 28 m2 with a hob against the wall, where it is easy to connect to the ventilation shaft, you can choose a full exhaust dome hood with a capacity of 500-1000 m3/h.

3. For a large and spacious kitchen with an area of ​​​​more than 28 m2 with a cooking area in the center, an island combined hood with a capacity of at least 900 m3 / h is needed.

1. A suspended model with mechanical or electronic control can be purchased at a price of 1,700 to 12,000 rubles.

2. A dome hood, working only for removal, will cost from 1800 to 28 thousand rubles, the ceiling for the combined model - 150 thousand.

3. The cheapest inclined hood will pull 3700-4000 rubles, the upper limit reaches 265 thousand.

4. Island models are the most expensive - from 10 to 320 thousand rubles.

5. Embedded appliances will not be cheaper than 2500, the price ceiling is kept at the level of 290-300 thousand rubles.

Fitting © 2022 Design and interior of apartments