Cooker hood/extractor - how to choose type of hood

[Beanz]

Can anyone help....I want to buy a cooker extractor hood but need some advice - the sales assistants in the kitchen stores could not help!
I wanted to buy one of those stainless steel column & glass type hoods (eg Baumatic BT6.3gl) but Im not sure how these operate. I believe that integrated hoods have an enclosed extractor fan which is built into external wall & the cupboard casing surrounds the hood unit with a front panel that lifts up to operate the hood - therefore unit must be attached to external wall. The steel `column` type hoods do not appear to attach to the wall & I cannot work out where the extractor fan is, so Im not sure if it is possible to install one in my kitchen as I have gas & water pipes running along the top of the wall where I want the hood installed. Can anyone tell me how they are installed - I do not plan to do it myself, just don't want to buy something & find it not suitable for my kitchen.

 

[Richard C]

The back to wall type column extractors are fitted to a wall plate. The fan unit is located inside at the bottom of the column, immediately above the filter & a flexible duct is connected between the fan outlet & an outlet grill; which must be on an external wall. The extracted air runs through the internal duct & the outer cover is just for appearance really so you could probably notch this to fit around service pipes. If the extractor is not located on an external wall, you can buy a ducting kit; I have a rectangular Marley duct which runs between the joists above the ceiling to an outside wall. You can run the duct across the top of the kitchen units but it will obviously be visible; check the fan is suitable for extended ducts before you buy.

I would advise you get a hood with the biggest extraction rate you can find, many look good but provide little more than background ventilation which isn’t enough if you do any serious cooking!

 

[bernardgreen]

I would advise you get a hood with the biggest extraction rate you can find, many look good but provide little more than background ventilation which isn’t enough if you do any serious cooking!

I would second that, some are in-effective with a couple of pans boiling on the hobs. Get a two or three speed one. The full power may be noisy but better noisy than a room full of steam / cooking smells. A vent into the room to replace the air extracted helps to get a good extract. A grill in the bottom of door to the hall or similar for example.

Do NOT put it lower than the minimum height above the hobs stated by the manufacturer and consider heads banging it when cooking.

The fan is very close to the filter and often the outlet point vertically upwards. You therefor need head room above the fan to fit in a curved duct from fan to hole in the wall.

 

[Belle427]

charcoal filters can also be fitted to most models if you cannot get a duct to an external wall,dont know how effective they are though and they are expensive

 

[bernardgreen]

charcoal filters can also be fitted to most models if you cannot get a duct to an external wall,dont know how effective they are though and they are expensive

The filters soon clog up and become in-effective.

But my main objection to re-circulating via a filter is that a charcoal filter filled with grease and a forced draft is a fire risk.

 

[Beanz]

Thanks to all - now I know what I can & can't have!