For an open-plan kitchen, first check whether a dedicated external vent can be installed and whether it’s permitted. This carries cooking air out of your home, while a recirculating hood filters odours before returning the air to the room. If external extraction isn’t an option, choose a model that supports recirculation. Then compare its extraction rate and noise level at the speed you’ll use, as well as its installation dimensions and filter maintenance requirements.
If you often cook greasy or strong-smelling food, your first priority is to stop steam and odours spreading into your living room. Check whether a dedicated external vent is possible before choosing how the hood will operate.
When your kitchen shares space with dining, conversation or working from home, a hood’s noise level matters just as much as its extraction rate. Compare both figures at a speed you’d be happy to use regularly, not just on the intensive setting.
If your hob is against a wall, on an island or beneath a unit you want to keep, start with its position and the space available. Then check the hood’s capture width, the space needed for installation and, if you choose recirculation, access to the filters.
Decide how the air will be treated before choosing the hood’s shape: UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between extraction, which vents air outside, and recirculation, which filters it and returns it to the room. Once you’ve made that choice, compare the model’s specifications with your open-plan space and the speed you expect to use.
Consider this: if a dedicated duct to the outside can be installed in line with the requirements for your home.
Bear in mind: this option requires a duct to be installed and, depending on the work involved, you may need to obtain permission before installation.
Consider this: if external extraction isn’t possible and your chosen model is compatible with recirculation.
Bear in mind: filtered air is returned to the room. Carbon filters need to be maintained or replaced as specified for the model.
| What to consider | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Capturing odours and steam | Whether the installation method is compatible with the hood; extraction rate at the speed you expect to use and the total volume of the open-plan space. | When I often cook food with strong smells, I want to stop steam spreading into the living room. Around 33% of consumers rank effective capture as their top priority. |
| Noise in the living room | Noise level in dB(A) and the corresponding extraction rate, using the same installation method and speed. | If people chat near the kitchen, I don’t want to have to choose between hearing my family and running the hood. For around 27% of consumers, keeping the living room peaceful comes before other considerations. |
| Suitability for your layout | Hob position, capture width, cut-out dimensions and space available for installation. | With an island hob or a unit I want to keep, I first need to find a hood that can be installed in that position. This is the main consideration for around 20% of consumers. |
| Maintaining a recirculating hood | Carbon filter model and availability; access to the filters and maintenance instructions in the manual. | Without an external duct, I want to be able to maintain the hood and find compatible filters when needed. Around 20% of consumers prioritise ease of maintenance. |
A figure measured at the highest speed doesn’t necessarily tell you how the hood will perform at a setting you’ll be happy to use every day in your living room.
Compare extraction rate and noise at the same speed and in the intended installation mode. To work out what capacity you need, Bosch recommends taking the entire open-plan area into account.
Knowing a hood supports recirculation doesn’t tell you which carbon filters to use or how to maintain them. Elica notes that not all models can be converted from one mode to another.
Find out which filter is compatible, check what accessories you’ll need and follow the model’s maintenance instructions.
Cleaning or replacing carbon filters is an ongoing task to factor in.
Choosing an extraction hood doesn’t mean you have permission to alter the building. ANIL states that in a block of flats, work affecting communal areas or the structure requires approval from the general meeting of co-owners.
Before work begins, check the rules that apply to your home and the route for a dedicated duct. UFC-Que Choisir advises against connecting a cooker hood to a mechanical ventilation system (VMC) or chimney.
A hood that doesn’t cover the full width of the cooking area may allow emissions to escape at the sides. Bosch and Novy recommend choosing a hood at least as wide as the hob.
Measure your hob and check the width of the capture area, especially if you’re choosing an integrated hood where the unit may conceal the usable dimensions.
Bosch’s range lets you explore different layouts, including wall-mounted and island models, depending on where your hob is positioned.
Elica offers wall-mounted, island and integrated cooker hoods, giving you different options to suit your hob’s position.
Novy integrated hoods are worth considering if you need to fit a cooker hood into a unit or recess.
These models are primarily suited to a hob positioned against a wall, with an angled hood offering an alternative wall-mounted style. Before choosing a model for an open-plan kitchen, check the installation requirements, its width in relation to your hob and its specifications at the speed you expect to use.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if your hob is against a wall and you’re looking for a 90 cm model. The product title states an extraction rate of 370 m³/h; also compare the extraction rate and noise at the speeds you’ll use.
Check your hob’s width and the installation requirements before choosing this model.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if a 90 cm angled hood suits your planned layout. The title lists extraction and recirculation modes, four speeds, an extraction rate of 620 m³/h and a noise level of 59 dB, but doesn’t link the last two figures to the same operating speed.
Check the installation dimensions and which filter you’ll need if you plan to use recirculation.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if your hob is against a wall. The title states an extraction rate of 670 m³/h, but doesn’t specify the noise level at a speed you’d typically use for cooking.
Confirm the exact installation dimensions and, if you want to use recirculation, check which accessories are compatible.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you’re looking for a 90 cm wall-mounted model with extraction or recirculation. The title lists four speeds plus Boost, an extraction rate of 650 m³/h and app control.
For an open-plan living space, focus on comparing the noise level and extraction rate at everyday speeds. Also check which filters are compatible with recirculation.
Image unavailable
Worth considering for a 90 cm wall-mounted installation, with extraction or recirculation depending on your setup. The title states an extraction rate of 564 m³/h and includes a carbon filter.
Before choosing this hood for a living space, check its installation dimensions, as well as the noise level and extraction rate at the speed you expect to use.
Consider extraction if a dedicated external duct can be installed and permission granted, as it carries cooking air out of your home, as explained by UFC-Que Choisir. If this isn’t possible, look for a hood that supports recirculation and remember to maintain its filters.
No. UFC-Que Choisir states that an extraction hood needs its own dedicated duct and advises against connecting it to a mechanical ventilation system or chimney. Ask someone to check the proposed duct route rather than assuming an existing opening will be suitable.
Check the rules that apply to your home before drilling. ANIL explains that, in a block of flats, work affecting communal areas or the structure requires approval from the general meeting of co-owners. You should also check any other rules that apply to your address and, if you’re renting, get your landlord’s permission.
Follow the instructions for your exact model: how often maintenance is needed depends on the filter type and how you use it. Elica and Novy distinguish between maintaining grease filters and carbon filters. Check the filter references before buying so you can follow the instructions for your model.