If you don’t have a usable outside vent, first look at cooker hoods designed for recirculation and check which compatible charcoal filter you’ll need for the model you choose. Filtered air is returned to the kitchen, so filter maintenance, noise at the speed you normally use and keeping your home ventilated are just as important as the hood’s design. Extraction is only an option if there’s a usable outlet or if the proposed work is feasible and has the necessary approval.
Whether you can vent air outside determines which type of cooker hood to consider first, before you think about its style.
If your kitchen doesn’t have a usable extraction outlet, look for a cooker hood designed for recirculation and note the model number of its charcoal filter. Qualitel recommends considering this option when there’s no duct leading outside.
You can’t decide to add a new outlet based on your choice of cooker hood alone. ANIL notes that tenants need the landlord’s written permission to alter rented property or equipment. In a block of flats, you’ll also need to check what approvals apply if the work affects communal areas or the building’s exterior.
If you have an open-plan kitchen or cook often, compare noise levels at the speed you’ll actually use and check how easy it is to access the filters. To assess airflow in recirculation mode, look for figures measured in that mode with the charcoal filter fitted. This is how UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes airflow measurements in its test protocol.
Consider this: when there’s no usable outside vent and the cooker hood can take a compatible charcoal filter.
Bear in mind: air is returned to the room and the filters need regular maintenance. A cooker hood doesn’t replace ventilation in your home.
Consider this: if there’s already a usable outlet, or if you’ve established that the work is feasible and has the necessary approvals for your home.
Bear in mind: creating an outlet could affect rented accommodation, communal areas or the building’s exterior. Check what the work involves before choosing this type of cooker hood.
| Consideration | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Operating mode | Confirm that the cooker hood model can run in recirculation mode. Check which kit is required and the exact model number of the charcoal filter. | Without a usable outside vent, I want to choose a setup that doesn’t require a new duct to be installed. |
| Filter maintenance | Check the difference between cleaning the grease filter and maintaining the charcoal filter. See the instructions for your compatible filter to find out when to replace or regenerate it; intervals vary by model. | I’d like to know how to maintain my filter and how often it needs attention before choosing a recirculating cooker hood. |
| Noise and airflow | Compare the noise level in dB(A) at the speed you normally use. For airflow, compare figures for the same operating mode: UFC-Que Choisir measures airflow in recirculation mode with the charcoal filter fitted. | In an open-plan kitchen, noise while I’m cooking matters more to me than a single figure for the intensive setting. |
| Available space | Measure the space for the cooker hood and, for an integrated model, the cabinet dimensions. Make sure you can access the filters and check the model’s installation instructions. | If the cooker hood needs to fit inside a wall cabinet, I want to be able to remove the filters without the layout getting in the way of maintenance. |
| Plans for an outside vent | Check whether the work is feasible in your home before buying a cooker hood for extraction. ANIL notes that tenants need their landlord’s written permission to alter rented accommodation. In a block of flats, Article 25 of the law of 10 July 1965 covers, among other things, work affecting communal areas or the building’s exterior. | If I want to create an outlet, I’d like to confirm which approvals apply to my plans before choosing a cooker hood with external extraction. |
A cooker hood you like the look of may not suit the type of installation your kitchen allows. If you’re choosing an integrated model, you’ll also need to check the cabinet dimensions.
Note the exact model number, then check the instructions for the recirculation mode, the compatible kit and charcoal filter, and the required dimensions.
Depending on the model, the recirculation kit and charcoal filters may need to be bought separately.
An airflow figure for extraction doesn’t necessarily reflect performance with a charcoal filter fitted. Noise also varies by speed: the Franke Smart FSMS F42 specifications list 53 dB(A) at the lowest setting and 66 dB(A) at the highest, excluding the intensive mode.
Compare figures for the same operating mode and check the noise level at the speed you expect to use, rather than looking at just one maximum figure.
Maintenance instructions vary: Electrolux gives its OdourClean Standard ECFB01ST filter a lifespan of 4 to 6 months, while its LongLife EFF76 filter has treatment cycles after around 160 hours of use or every two to three months.
Find the filter compatible with your cooker hood and follow its own instructions to plan replacements or maintenance cycles.
Regularly replacing filters and regenerating filters involve different ongoing maintenance costs.
In France, ANIL notes that tenants need their landlord’s written permission to make alterations to rented accommodation. Article 25 of the law of 10 July 1965 covers work in blocks of flats that affects communal areas or the building’s exterior.
Before committing to any work, discuss your plans with the relevant people for your home and check that general, permanent ventilation will be maintained, in line with the principle set out in the Order of 24 March 1982 on ventilation in homes.
These examples highlight compatibility and maintenance questions to consider. The information applies to the specific models mentioned, not to every cooker hood from each brand.
Worth considering if you want to check which filters are needed for different installation modes on a Bosch cooker hood.
Worth considering if you’re comparing a replacement filter with a washable filter that’s compatible with a specific model.
Worth considering if a regenerable charcoal filter is listed among the accessories compatible with the cooker hood you’re looking at.
The Smart FSMS F42 is an example of an island cooker hood with specifications worth checking if you’re considering recirculation.
These wall-mounted cooker hoods are featured for kitchens without a usable outside vent. For each one, check which charcoal filter you need, how much space it requires and the noise levels at the speed you’ll use for cooking.
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For a wall-mounted installation without an outside vent, the product information lists recirculation mode and two CBCF003 charcoal filters. The aluminium grease filters are washable. Check that the charcoal filters are available and see how noisy the hood is at the speed you’ll use.
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This angled wall-mounted model is listed with recirculation mode and two CBCF055 charcoal filters. The title specifies three speeds and an airflow of 580 m³/h. To compare its performance in recirculation mode, check the conditions for this figure, the noise level at each speed and the maintenance requirements for compatible filters.
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Check that its 90 cm width suits your hob and the available space. The product information lists recirculation with two CBCF003 charcoal filters and washable aluminium grease filters. Confirm the filter maintenance requirements and noise level at the speed you plan to use.
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This 60 cm model is listed for recirculation with two CBCF003 charcoal filters and washable aluminium grease filters. Check that its width suits your kitchen, then read the maintenance instructions and noise information for recirculation mode.
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This model is listed with recirculation mode, but before buying, check with the manufacturer which charcoal filter is compatible and whether you need a kit. The title specifies an airflow of 650 m³/h; check which mode this figure applies to and how noisy the hood is at the speed you plan to use.
Don’t plan any alterations until you’ve checked what permissions you need. ANIL notes that in France, tenants must get their landlord’s written permission before making changes to rented property or equipment. If the work also affects the exterior wall or communal areas, check the relevant rules for your block of flats.
No. It filters cooking air and then returns it to the room. The Order of 24 March 1982 on ventilation in homes requires general, permanent ventilation, so keep your home’s ventilation system working independently of the cooker hood.
Check the existing ventilation and the manufacturer’s instructions before choosing a recirculating cooker hood. It returns filtered air to the kitchen, so don’t treat it as a replacement for general, permanent ventilation in your home.
Follow the instructions for your exact cooker hood and filter: how often they need attention depends on their model and how much you use them. As examples for specific products, Electrolux gives its OdourClean Standard ECFB01ST a lifespan of 4 to 6 months and recommends treating the LongLife EFF76 after around 160 hours of use or every two to three months.