One of the main appliances in a kitchen is the cooker hood. Not only does it remove odors, it will also make sure the heat and smoke emitted while cooking does not bother you. It also keeps the grease from staining your walls or cabinets.
The main purpose of a cooker hood is to improve the air quality in your kitchen. It sucks up the polluted air and ensures you don’t have to breathe in the aftermath of your dinner. It prevents the buildup of carbon monoxide, making your kitchen safe and healthy. By ensuring proper ventilation it cuts down the growth of mold and bacteria.
You can find a wide range of cooker hoods that suit a variety of kitchens and stoves. Available in different sizes, shapes, and designs, these cooker hoods fit in every budget and style.
With so many options available, it could prove to be quite a difficult task to look for the best cooker hood for open plan kitchen. Here are a few things you may want to look into, before you make your final decision:
Power of extraction
The purpose of every cooker hood is to extract the polluted air so as to fill up the kitchen with fresh air. However, some cooker hoods do this in a better way because of their extraction power. There are a few models that come with a powerful boost function, which when activated can extract 100m3 of air more than its usual capacity. Nevertheless, this can only be activated for a few minutes. The one that you buy will depend on your extraction requirements. If you have the dimensions of your kitchen, this shouldn’t be too difficult. Just calculate the volume of your kitchen by multiplying its length, width, and height (in meters). Now multiply this volume by 10 to get the extraction power that you need.
Noise
If you are looking for a silent cooker hood, you will have to go for one that emits less than 55 dB (A), while on “maximum” power. Stand at a distance of 1.3 meters from the center of the cooker hood while measuring its noise level. If you are comparing the noise levels of two cooker hoods, make sure their air extraction capacities are identical.
Width
Always consider the width of your stove while buying a cooker hood. Ideally the width of the hood has to be 1.5 times the width of your stove. If you are going for a free-hanging hood for your kitchen island, make sure its width is twice that of your induction hob.
Lights
Lighting is very important while choosing a cooker hood. Go for one with LED light sources and make sure they are angled correctly.
Maintenance
Ease of maintenance is one more thing you need to check, if you are buying a cooker hood. Make sure the filters are easy to access. Look for one that doesn’t have too many places for the grease to gather. Go for something that is easy to clean and doesn’t highlight dust.
Explore your options and compare their features before you make the decision on the best cooker hob for your kitchen.