If you can use a dedicated external outlet as part of your planned work, consider an extraction hood. Otherwise, choose a model designed for recirculation, with compatible filters and, if needed, a compatible kit. An integrated hood and a venting hob are installation options, but you’ll still need to decide where the air will go. Measure your units before you buy, and factor in filter maintenance if you opt for recirculation.
First, find out whether you can use a dedicated external outlet or whether your cooker hood will need to recirculate the air. If your project involves a rented home or a flat in a block of flats, check whether you need permission before planning the work.
How the air moves matters just as much as the style of cooker hood. Extraction sends the air outside when this is possible, while recirculation filters the air and returns it to the kitchen, so you’ll need to keep on top of filter maintenance.
Before choosing an integrated hood or a venting hob, compare its measurements with those of your unit, housing, hob or cupboard beneath the worktop.
Consider this: if your project can use a dedicated duct and an external outlet.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to be able to connect the duct and make any necessary changes to your home before choosing this installation.
Consider this: when your project can’t use an external outlet.
Bear in mind: the air is filtered and returned to the kitchen, so you’ll need to maintain the filters and may need a kit designed for the specific model.
| Factor | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Property and building work | Check whether you can use a dedicated external outlet. If you’re planning alterations, find out what permissions apply to your home. | If my project depends on an air outlet or prior permission, I need to sort that out before choosing a cooker hood. Around 37% of consumers prioritise this compatibility. |
| Cooking air | Compare the specifications for the mode you’ll actually use, along with the requirements for ducting or filtration. | If I cook regularly, my main concern is managing smells, steam and grease without choosing a mode I can’t install. This comes first for around 27% of consumers. |
| Space | Measure the hob, housing and unit. For a venting hob, check the cupboard and airflow route too. | In a kitchen where the units are already in place, the appliance needs to fit properly. Around 18% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Noise and maintenance | Check the noise levels for the mode and speed you expect to use, then check the filter models and maintenance instructions. | If my kitchen is open-plan, noise and routine maintenance may matter more than how the cooker hood looks. Around 18% of consumers put these first. |
An integrated cooker hood can use extraction or recirculation, depending on the model, so its format doesn’t determine where the air goes. A hob with built-in extraction needs the same checks, as well as measurements for the base unit. For the Elica recirculation configurations covered by its guidance, the brand specifies a minimum plinth height of 6 cm. Check the instructions for the model you’re considering rather than applying this measurement to all venting hobs.
For Bosch cooker hoods, the starter kit you need depends on the model. So, seeing recirculation mentioned in a product description isn’t enough to tell you which components you’ll need.
Before ordering, check the manufacturer’s documentation for the right kit, compatible filters and exactly what’s included with the version you’ve chosen.
Depending on the system, you may also need to replace or regenerate the filters.
A recirculating cooker hood filters cooking air and returns it to the room; it doesn’t replace the air inlets and outlets that ventilate your home.
Keep your existing ventilation in place. If the work could affect it, get this checked separately before installing the cooker hood.
An integrated hood needs to fit inside the unit or housing. Novy also recommends taking the width of your hob into account when choosing a cooker hood.
Measure the finished units and check their dimensions, clearances and airflow route against the instructions for your chosen model.
If the measurements aren’t compatible, you may need to adapt or replace the unit.
Whether you can drill through a wall or make other alterations may depend on your home and the work involved. ANIL distinguishes, in particular, between alterations to rented homes and work affecting a block of flats.
Before choosing a cooker hood that needs a new outlet, get the proposed work clarified and check with the relevant people which permissions apply.
A range to explore if you’re deciding between extraction and recirculation, depending on the model you choose.
A range of cooker hood styles and venting hobs to consider for an integrated kitchen design.
Wall-mounted and integrated cooker hoods to consider when available space in your units is a key factor.
These wall-mounted and under-cabinet cooker hoods offer different formats to consider for a renovation. Compare the intended installation with your home, then check the measurements and accessories for the model you choose. A venting hob involves a different type of installation.
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Worth considering for a 60 cm wall-mounted installation, particularly if you’re looking at recirculation.
The product name lists an extraction rate of 650 m³/h and four speeds with a Booster function. Check the installation measurements and what’s included in the kit and filters for this model.
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Compare its wall-mounted installation with the space available above your hob.
The product name mentions LED lighting and a dual air-circulation system. Check the instructions for the installation mode, measurements and accessories required.
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Worth considering if a wall-mounted cooker hood with extraction can connect to a dedicated external outlet.
The product name also lists recirculation and an extraction rate of 650 m³/h. Check that the duct connection is feasible and, for recirculation, which filters and accessories this model needs.
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Consider this style if the cooker hood needs to fit beneath a compatible unit.
The product name lists an extraction rate of 370 m³/h. Measure the housing and check the installation measurements and requirements for the intended mode in the instructions.
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Worth considering if space beneath the unit is limited.
The product name mentions two air-circulation options. Compare its measurements with your unit and confirm which accessories you’ll need for your chosen mode before buying.
No. A recirculating cooker hood filters the air and returns it to the kitchen; it doesn’t replace your home’s general ventilation. The order of 24 March 1982, published by Légifrance, requires general and permanent ventilation. Keep existing air inlets and outlets in place as part of your project.
If the work would alter the rented property or its fittings, check with your landlord and get written permission before starting, as ANIL advises. Make sure you know exactly what work is planned rather than assuming an external outlet is already permitted.
It depends on which parts of the building the work affects. In its guidance from October 2024, ANIL says that work affecting communal areas, the structure or the exterior appearance requires approval from the general meeting. Check the proposed route and the building’s rules before making any changes.
No. Bosch says its kits need to be chosen to match the cooker hood model. For any brand, check that the model, filter and kit match the installation mode specified in the instructions.
Measure the base unit and check the installation measurements and airflow route in the instructions. Elica specifies a plinth of at least 6 cm for the recirculation configurations it lists. This measurement doesn’t automatically apply to other models.