Cooker Hoods
Introduction
Cooker hoods may be vented to the outside or they may simply recirculate the air within the room.
Those that are externally vented fulfill the necessary building regulation requirements, but those that simply recirculate the air must be complemented by a further vented extractor fan that is capable of moving 60 litres per second (l/sec) or 216 cubic metres per hour (m3/hr).
If you do not choose to include a cooker hood, air extraction in a kitchen should be ensured using an extractor fan.
- Building regulations require that every kitchen must have ‘adequate means of extraction’ to remove steam, grease and odours from the kitchen atmosphere.
Cooker hood sizes & formats
Most manufacturers design a matching hood for each of their cookers, or hobs, to create a complementary look.
Electrical connections
- A cooker hood will require an electrical supply, usually via a fused connection unit fitted with a 13amp fuse.
- A vented cooker hood should carry air to the outside via fire-resistant plastic or aluminium ducting of a diameter to fit the specific model.
- Cooker hoods must be mounted no less than 760mm (30in) above a hob.
Key Features
Even the most basic cooker hood will offer a minimum of three extraction speeds and a light to illuminate your work on the hob. More expensive models will however offer a range of other benefits;
- Most current cooker hoods simply have a metal grease filter, which can easily be removed and washed in a dishwasher before being replaced.
- Inferior models have paper grease filters which should be regularly renewed.
- Models that can only recirculate air include a charcoal or carbon filter to remove odours from the air.
- As a cooker hood uses a fan to draw air through it, they can create a considerable noise when they’re working. However some machines do work more quietly than others, so consider selecting a model that has a lower decibel (dB) rating.
- The greater the extraction rate, the quicker a cooker hood will clear steam and odours. Extraction rate is measured in litres per second (l/sec) or cubic metres per hour (m3/hr), and these figures are detailed on each model for comparison purposes.
Further information and useful links
- Attributes common to all kitchen appliances
- Extensive guide to cooking appliances
- More kitchen appliances topics
- Find a Kitchen Appliances supplier near you
- Find an Electrician near you
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