Learning about the different types of cooker hoods for your kitchen may not be the most glamorous of kitchen design topics.

However, it will be a decision you’ll have to make at some point and getting it right can be very important.

In this post, I’ll cover the different types of cooker hoods available as well as answer some common questions about cooker hoods.

So by the end, you will know exactly which type of cooker hood is best for you and your kitchen.

You May Also Like
Do You Need A Cooker Hood In A Kitchen? (UK)

Factors To Consider When Buying A Cooker Hoods

There are a couple of main factors I think are important to consider when looking at and comparing cooker hoods.

While I admit it’s probably not your top priority, it’s still something to consider and keep in the back of your mind when looking at different cooker hoods, especially if it’s an appliance you are going to use regularly.

Check the A rating or look at the estimated annual running costs to compare. Newer technology and LED lights will help keep energy costs down.

You May Also Like
How To Hide Cooker Hood Ducting – Practical & Stylish Solutions

The Different Types Of Cooker Hoods

I’ve outlined the main types of cooker hoods that you will most likely come across during your kitchen renovation.

Chimney Hood:

A chimney hood is probably the most common option, and likely what comes to mind most when you think about a cooker hood. A chimney hood is fixed to your wall and has a chimney coming out of the top of the appliance for venting the air. Most often, chimney hoods can be vented or recirculated.

Things to consider:

There are lots of options on the market, some nicer looking than others. If style is a factor, just remember that a chimney hood tends to dominate the room and can be a strong visual focal point, so pick one you love the look of.

Angled Hood:

These cooker hoods are really another form of the chimney hood; they are also fitted to your wall and can be vented or recirculated. The key difference here is the style of the cooker hood itself.

As the name suggests, they angle to help create a little bit more headroom space when standing in front of them. They will stick out further higher up and then angle back closer to the wall lower down.

Things to consider:

As with chimney hoods, angled hoods can be quite large and feel imposing in a room, as they are on display all the time. Arguably more stylish than the chimney hood, it’s still important to make sure you like the look of the hood you choose, as well as make sure it has all the functions you need.

Island Hood:

You can get island cooker hoods in various shapes and sizes, mostly due to what type of ventilation method they have. The most common style of island hood is the big silver box that comes down from the ceiling and hangs over your hob.

It’s basically a chimney hood but is finished on all four sides. These can normally be vented out, which is why they often look a bit chunky.

The other type of island hood is a ‘feature hood’, usually much more stylish, a bit smaller and often more decorative. These can be installed in pretty much any scenario, as they use recirculating extractors and don’t need a chimney to vent out.

This is what gives them the freedom to be designed in much more stylish and interesting ways. The picture here is just an example – some even look like chandeliers!

Things to consider:

The main factor to consider with island hoods is whether you want your extractor to be able to vent out or if you are okay to have one that is recirculating.

Deciding this will narrow down your options straight away when choosing, letting you focus on some of the other important factors mentioned above.  If you want an island hood that is vented out, you need to make sure you have enough space in between your ceiling joists to be able to run ducting along and outside your house.

You May Also Like
Do I Need A Charcoal Filter For My Cooker Hood? – Everything Explained

Ceiling Hood:

These are flat hoods that fit flush into your ceiling, so nothing is hanging down above your hob. Operated with a remote control (because you’ll never be able to reach it), these can be a stylish alternative to the island hood, especially if you don’t want to have anything hanging down from the ceiling and blocking views.

Things to consider:

As with a vented island hood, you will need to make sure you have enough space in between your ceiling joists to run ducting along and out. As well as this, you may also need to have enough space to house the motor of the cooker hood itself.

If you don’t have the space to do this, you could consider building a ceiling box to house the cooker hood and motor. These ceiling boxes can be turned into quite a feature if you add extra lighting around them and don’t make them bigger than they need to be. 

You May Also Like
The Best Ceiling Cooker Hoods – Ideal For Kitchen Islands

Canopy Hood:

These are cooker hoods that live inside a wall cabinet so as to appear hidden within your kitchen. The bottom of the cabinet gets cut out to fit the extractor so that just the part that sucks up the air and filters everything is exposed. Canopy hoods are becoming much more popular as the trend for a more modern and sleek kitchen grows.

Things to consider:

Canopy hoods can be a great way to achieve that modern look and can usually be installed vented or recirculating, giving more flexibility. As these cooker hoods are never seen, they don’t need to be the prettiest, and it’s often a good place to save some money by buying unbranded appliances, as you’ll never see the badge.

Just make sure they still meet your criteria in terms of functions and specifications. Canopy hoods can seem a bit more cost-effective when just looking at the price of the appliance, but remember you’ll also need to buy the cabinet for it to live in, so they can end up being more expensive than a classic chimney hood.

Downdraft Extractor:

These are cooker hoods that live in your worktop behind your hob and rise up out of the work surface about 30-40cm when in use. They work by drawing the air back and then either venting it out or recirculating it back into your kitchen. The motor and housing are installed in the cabinet below the extractor.

Things to consider:

As the extractor is installed into the cabinets beneath them, they will take up space in those units, so you will lose storage capacity in the base units.

I also find that they are not as effective as a cooker hood that is directly above a hob. As they are behind the hob, a lot of the time the hot air and grease are travelling too fast upwards for the extractor at the back of the hob to be able to draw the air in and catch the grease/smells.

Similarly, because of its positioning, pans at the front of the hob don’t get the same extraction as pans at the back (and therefore closer to the hood) of the hob.  If you are planning to have a gas hob, a downdraft hood may also affect the power on the back burners, as the flame can be drawn towards the hood.

Saying this, however, the downdraft can be a good choice, especially if you want extraction on an island but can’t have (or don’t want) anything on the ceiling above. 

You May Also Like
The Best Downdraft Extractors – Sleek and Secret Ventilation

Venting Hob (Hob With Built-In Extractor):

Venting hobs have a cooker hood built into the centre of the hob itself, drawing the air and grease down as you cook. The hood then either vents it out or recirculates it, depending on the model chosen.

Things to consider:

These appliances will cost more, but you are getting two in one. They can take up quite a bit of cabinet space under your hob, depending on the model, so you may have to sacrifice that cutlery tray under your hob.

You May Also Like
Best Induction Hobs With Integrated Extractor

Vented And Recirculating Extraction

When it comes to installing your cooker hood, you have two options for what it’s going to do with the steam and grease that it sucks up. Vented or Recirculating.

Depending on your project, you may or may not have a choice, but these are the options.

Vented Extraction (also known as Ducted Extraction)

• What It Does: Vented extraction hoods pull the air in from your kitchen and then expel it outside through a duct. This means that all the smoke, steam, and odours generated while cooking are directly removed from your kitchen and discharged outdoors.
• Pros: More effective at removing hot air and odours because everything is vented outside, keeping your kitchen cooler and fresher.
• Cons: Requires ductwork to the outside, which can be more complicated and expensive to install, especially if your kitchen isn’t already set up for it.
  
  

Recirculating Extraction (also known as Ductless Extraction)

• What It Does: Recirculating extraction hoods filter the air through charcoal or carbon filters, then recirculate the cleaned air back into the kitchen. These hoods capture grease and odours as the air passes through the filters.
• Pros: Easier and generally cheaper to install since there’s no need for external ducting. This makes them a good choice for apartments or situations where venting outside isn’t possible.
• Cons: Less effective at removing heat and moisture compared to vented systems. The filters also need to be replaced periodically, adding to maintenance.
  
  

Which Is Better, Vented or Recirculating Extraction?

Hands down, vented is better.

Physically removing all the grease and smells from cooking to the outside is always much better than having them pumped back around and into the room.

However, if you live in a flat with no outside wall in your kitchen, or you don’t want to have to dig up the floor to lay ducting for a venting hob, then recirculating is your only option, and it’s certainly better than nothing.

Top tip: Vented can lose its benefits if done poorly. If the ducting isn’t sealed well or has to take turn after turn to wind its way to an outside wall, the effectiveness of the extractor starts to get compromised.
So if you are venting out, always make sure the duct is taking the most direct route outside your house. This will ensure you get the absolute best results from your cooker hood, whatever that may be.

You May Also Like
Cooker Hood Dimensions & Installation Factors – A Complete Guide

How Do You Work Out The Extraction Rate Needed For Your Kitchen?

Working out the correct extraction rate needed for your kitchen is simple. Just follow these steps:

1. Measure the height, width and depth of your kitchen.
2. Multiply these three numbers together to get the total volume of your kitchen.
3. Multiply your total volume by 10 to get the extraction rate needed.
4. Compare the cooker hood model’s extraction rate to make sure it is enough for your kitchen.
   
   

Example:

A kitchen is 2.4m high x 5.2m wide x 4.6m deep.

So, 2.4 x 5.2 x 4.6 = 57.4

57.4 x 10 = 574

You need to find a cooker hood that has an extraction rate of 574m³h or above to be sufficient in extracting the air for the size of your room.

(m³h = meters cubed per hour)

DISCOVER MORE

• 
  How To Hide Cooker Hood Ducting – Practical & Stylish Solutions
• 
  What Is Perimeter Extraction In A Cooker Hood?
• 
  Downdraft Extractor Vs Venting Hob – Comprehensive Comparison