First, choose a cooker hood with an installation method that suits your home. Ducted extraction requires a dedicated outlet to the outside, either already in place or possible to install with the necessary permissions. If that isn’t an option, recirculation avoids the need for an external duct, but requires a compatible odour filter and returns the air, including its moisture, to your kitchen. Then check the hood’s size, the space available and the accessories required for the specific model.
If you cook regularly and have a suitable duct, you can consider ducted extraction to send moisture and odours outside. However, installing an outlet means checking whether the work is feasible and what permissions are required.
If there’s no dedicated duct that you can use or install, focus your search on a cooker hood that can be set up for recirculation, and find out which odour filter or kit is compatible. UFC-Que Choisir points out that this mode requires a carbon filter.
If you’re choosing your kitchen units, hob and cooker hood together, check the installation dimensions, whether the hood is wall-mounted or island-mounted, and the space needed for the duct or recirculation accessories against the model’s installation plan.
Consider it: if a dedicated outlet is already in place, or if installing one is technically possible and permitted.
The trade-off: it sends moisture and odours outside, but may require ducting and building work. UFC-Que Choisir advises against connecting a cooker hood to a mechanical ventilation system (VMC) or chimney.
Consider it: when there’s no dedicated external outlet that you can use or install.
The trade-off: filtered air, including its moisture, is returned to the kitchen. The compatible odour filter needs to be maintained in line with the instructions for your model.
| Factor | What to check | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Home and permissions | Identify a dedicated external outlet and check what permissions you need before making any changes to your home or building. | I don’t want to choose a ducted cooker hood until I know whether the duct can actually be installed in my home. Around 33% of consumers rank this compatibility as their main concern. |
| Odours, grease and moisture | Compare the model’s specifications for the mode you’ll use at home. Check the grease filters and, for recirculation, the required odour filter. | When I cook often, I want to know whether the hood will send air outside or return it to the room. Around 27% of consumers put air management ahead of other factors. |
| Filters and maintenance | Check the filter or recirculation kit reference, whether it’s included and the maintenance instructions for the exact model. | If I choose recirculation, I want to be able to get the right filter and plan for its maintenance. Around 20% of consumers rank accessory availability as their main priority. |
| Positioning and noise | Check the installation dimensions, access to the filters and the stated noise level for the mode and speed you plan to use. | In a kitchen where space is limited, I want a hood that can be installed without making maintenance difficult, and whose noise level I’m comfortable with. Around 20% of consumers put everyday practicality first. |
According to UFC-Que Choisir’s installation guide, the extraction duct must be dedicated to the cooker hood: a mechanical ventilation system (VMC) or chimney is not a substitute.
Have the proposed duct route checked before choosing a ducted model. If there’s no dedicated outlet you can use or install, look into recirculation instead.
This mode requires a compatible carbon filter. Depending on the model, you may also need a recirculation kit.
Check the accessory reference in the instructions and confirm with the seller what’s included in the box.
If you need to buy a filter or kit separately, you’ll have an extra step before you can use the hood.
The cooker hood, duct or recirculation unit needs to fit into the space provided, while still leaving the filters accessible.
Before finalising your kitchen units, compare their dimensions and hob position with the measurements and access requirements in the hood’s instructions.
UFC-Que Choisir measures the extraction rate with a carbon filter in recirculation mode and without one in ducted mode, so the test conditions matter.
If you’re assessing a model for recirculation, look for specifications that match this setup rather than relying only on a figure given for ducted extraction.
Worth considering if you’re planning to use recirculation and want to find odour filters by cooker hood reference.
Worth considering for a project without an external outlet, especially if a recirculation unit needs to be incorporated into your kitchen.
Worth considering if your cooking area means you need to choose between a wall-mounted, island or integrated cooker hood.
Worth considering if you want to compare installation plans for wall-mounted and island hoods, as well as integrated units.
These wall-mounted cooker hoods are worth considering for installations with or without an external duct, depending on the mode specified for each model. Make sure the style suits your cooking area. If you plan to use recirculation, always check which filter or kit you need before ordering.
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Worth considering for cooking against a wall, with ducted extraction or recirculation depending on your chosen setup.
Stated extraction rate of 580 m³/h, three speeds and touch controls.
For recirculation, confirm the reference and whether carbon filters suitable for the version on sale are included. Check the installation dimensions too.
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Worth considering for a 90 cm wall-mounted installation if recirculation suits your home’s layout.
Stated extraction rate of 650 m³/h, with touch controls and an app.
Confirm which filter is suitable and check the installation dimensions. Also check the speed settings for the version on sale, as these are described differently in the title and product description.
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Worth considering for cooking against a wall if you’re still deciding between a duct and recirculation.
Stated extraction rate of 611 m³/h. The title says it works in both modes and includes a carbon filter.
For recirculation, confirm the reference of the compatible filter and check the detailed dimensions in the instructions.
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Worth considering for cooking against a wall if a dedicated external outlet is available and you have permission to use it.
The title also mentions recirculation, an extraction rate of 620 m³/h, four speeds and an aluminium grease filter.
If you’re planning to use recirculation, find out which odour filter or kit is compatible and confirm what’s included.
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Worth considering for a wall-mounted installation with a dedicated external duct, subject to your kitchen’s dimensions.
The title also mentions recirculation, an extraction rate of 650 m³/h, touch controls and a five-layer filter.
For recirculation, check the reference of the required odour filter or kit and whether it’s included.
No. UFC-Que Choisir’s installation guide says a ducted cooker hood must have its own dedicated duct and must not be connected to a mechanical ventilation system or chimney. Have the proposed outlet checked without altering your home’s general ventilation system.
For an unfurnished rental, ANIL says any alteration to the property or its fittings requires the landlord’s written permission. Get this permission before going ahead with a project involving drilling or ducting. Other permissions may also depend on the building and the work involved.
According to ANIL, work affecting the building’s structure or communal areas requires approval from the general meeting of co-owners. Before planning an outlet through an external wall, check the project against the co-ownership rules, the areas affected and any relevant local requirements.
A recirculating cooker hood needs a compatible odour filter as well as its grease-filtering system. Check the instructions for your chosen model to find out which filters are suitable and how to clean, regenerate or replace them.