Cooker hood buying guide

By Ruislip Appliances, independent kitchen and laundry appliance specialist in Ruislip since 1958. Updated October 2026.

A cooker hood removes steam, smells and grease while you cook. The style depends on your kitchen; the performance depends on the extraction rate and how it is installed.

1. Styles

• Chimney hoods fix to the wall above the hob, with a decorative chimney to the ceiling.
• Canopy, integrated and telescopic hoods fit into or under a wall cupboard, so they are almost hidden.
• Island and ceiling hoods hang above a hob on an island.
• Downdraft hoods rise from the worktop behind the hob when needed. A venting hob is another way to avoid a hood.

2. Ducted or recirculating

Ducted hoods take air outside through a duct and are the most effective. Recirculating hoods clean the air through charcoal filters and return it to the kitchen; they suit flats and kitchens without an outside wall. Charcoal filters need replacing regularly; grease filters can usually go in the dishwasher.

3. Extraction rate

Extraction is shown in cubic metres per hour (m³/h). A common rule is that the hood should change the air in the kitchen about 10–12 times an hour: multiply the kitchen's length, width and height in metres by 10–12. Open-plan spaces need more.

4. Width and height

Choose a hood at least as wide as the hob, ideally wider. Follow the manufacturer's minimum height above the hob, which is usually greater for gas than for electric hobs.

5. Noise

Noise is shown in decibels at different speeds. Look at the figure for the speed you will use most; boost settings are louder but only needed briefly.

We take away and recycle your old hood.

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