Buying a new kitchen and household appliances for it is not complete without purchasing a hood. It is simply necessary to use this device, since it allows you to effectively rid the air of various impurities formed during cooking: burning, odors and gas.
The choice of a kitchen hood has a lot of nuances regarding the technical component. For this reason, users experience serious purchase difficulties. To avoid them, we will figure out how to choose the right hood for the kitchen and what are the main points to pay attention to when going to a home appliance store.
Content
Why is it worth buying a hood for the kitchen?
The need for a cooker hood in the kitchen is mainly due to its pulling work. The absorption of parts of the air containing various kinds of impurities, including cooking odors and burning from food, is necessary to maintain freshness, which cannot be provided by conventional ventilation with the help of windows. In addition, an important mission of the hood is to absorb carbon monoxide, which has an extremely negative effect on the human body. Various additional elements in the composition of the air contribute, with prolonged exposure, to a deterioration in a person's condition, the appearance of dizziness and nausea, as well as some other not very pleasant effects.
Selection criteria for the hood
The question of how to choose the right hood for the kitchen is always relevant, at least for the reason that most users initially understand the technical parameters of this device rather poorly. There are a number of basic criteria, the adherence to which will greatly facilitate the task:
- type of construction;
- performance;
- the principle of operation of the device;
- type of filtration system;
- control methods;
- the presence of backlight during operation;
- compliance with the noise level;
- material from which the hood is made;
- actual dimensions of the device;
- availability of additional functionality.
Of course, it is hardly possible to comply with each of the above criteria in an ideal ratio, since each device has its own pros and cons. Nevertheless, this is sufficient in order to decide which hood to choose for the kitchen and how not to go wrong with the purchase of a suitable model.
Construction type
The appearance of the appliance plays an important role in its ergonomic placement in the kitchen. In this regard, the buyer has a fairly free choice. You can determine which type is better to choose for a particular setting, but only after familiarizing yourself with all the options.
Suspended
The most common type of hood is the classic of the genre. The devices are located parallel to the surface of the slab and are fixed separately from the cabinets, which makes it versatile, convenient and aesthetic. Suspended hoods look very cumbersome, but if you harmoniously surround the structure with suitable accessories and a kitchen set, then the picture will become more than aesthetic.
Embedded
The best type for neat modern kitchens is built-in hoods. Their air duct is neatly hidden in the drawers and practically does not take up any space, since it quickly passes into the ventilation duct. The purchase of a built-in hood will be the ideal solution for kitchens with monotonous wood-like panels in the Scandinavian style.
Dome (fireplace)
Perhaps the most interesting type is the dome hoods. Outwardly, in design, they resemble a real fireplace due to a powerful air duct extending to the ceiling. The dome also looks quite impressive, while the entire hood takes a central place in the kitchen due to the fact that no cabinets or shelves can be placed above it.
Island
The use of an island-type hood is due to the format of the kitchen itself. The device is located above the stove not against the wall, but exits from the ceiling. This option is used in cases where the working area is located in the center of the kitchen in the form of an island. The rounded design looks especially impressive, but in most cases everything again depends on the design of the kitchen set.
Dominoes
The most modern type of hood is also the most extravagant. The device is located not above the stove, but on the side of it, and some of the models can even slide out of the tabletop only when cooking. Such a solution will be very stylish and modern, but you will have to purchase a domino-type kitchen hood at a price 2-2.5 times higher than that of other options.
Power and performance
Oddly enough, the kitchen itself will help determine how to choose the power of the hood for the kitchen. The performance is calculated using a special formula that takes into account the area of the kitchen space, as well as the distance from the ceiling to the floor in a straight line:
V = l × w × h × Sk × Pk
l - the length of the kitchen;
w - width;
h - height;
Sk - special coefficient of sanitary standards;
Pk - correction factor.
The last two coefficients are constant. The factor of sanitary standards takes into account the fact that the device must pull at least 12 cubic meters. m of air per hour of operation and, accordingly, is equal to 12 cubic meters / h. The second indicator is used to take into account the gradual wear and tear of equipment, which must have 20% capacity in reserve in order to ensure stable operation. Thus, the correction factor is 1.6.
A conditional calculation of the hood power for a kitchen 3 m long, 5 m wide and 3 m high will look like this:
V = 3 × 5 × 3 × 12 × 1.6 = 864 m3 / h
Do not forget to take into account the fact that when buying a hood, it is worth choosing the model that will have a performance margin of 10-15% of what you calculated, in this case the device will not constantly work at maximum load, thereby increasing the service life.
Principle of operation
If you decide to choose a cooker hood for your kitchen, information about the principle of operation of the device will not be superfluous for you. There are two main types of devices for this indicator: branch and circulating. In addition, combined options are also distinguished. But first things first.
Diversion
All modern houses have ventilation systems, which are also designed to work with hoods. This option is the most successful, since it allows you to get rid of all odors irrevocably. In addition, in this category, as a rule, there are inexpensive hoods, since their design does not require additional filter elements.
Circulation
In the absence of ventilation in the house or using ceiling hoods, the only reasonable option is a circulation system. Their work is based on filtering the drawn in air, which is eventually fed back to the kitchen in a purified form. Hoods of this kind are usually used in private houses that are not equipped with ventilation systems, as well as in other outdated premises.
Combined
Quite often you can find devices with a combination of both principles of operation. The use of this kind of technology allows for a more versatile purification of the air, and, moreover, makes it possible to easily rebuild to one of the types, if necessary.
Filtration system
When choosing circulating hoods, you should pay attention to the filter system provided by the design. When choosing this kind of device, it is recommended to give preference to the technique with two-stage filtration. A system of this type allows the most complete air purification from various kinds of impurities. The first level of cleaning should be carried out by the main external filter, and the second by the built-in one.
It is best to use reusable filters as a basic element. They cost a little more, but the constant purchase of new parts is not required, since periodic cleaning is sufficient. In addition, according to the advice of professionals, you should pay attention to the carbon filter elements that are installed in the hood above the main panel inside the device. They neutralize odors, making the air clean and fresh, and the cost of replacing them is low.
When buying an exhaust device, pay attention to the material used to manufacture the oil particle filter; it is best to choose models with aluminum or steel execution, they are more practical and durable.
Control type
There are three main ways to control the cooker hood: via mechanical buttons, via a touch panel and remotely. The first option is used on cheap models, since it is quite simple in structure. Moreover, the manufacturer spends a minimum of money and effort on its implementation. Touch buttons can be found on inexpensive but good models, since the technology is considered quite widespread and modern and is widely used by manufacturers to increase interest in their products. For lovers of remote control, there are special devices whose functions are controlled using a remote control or even a voice.
Backlight options
Almost all models have their own light source, with the exception of some budget hoods. The type of lighting is mainly reflected in the interior of the kitchen, of which lighting is an integral part. When choosing not too expensive models, it is better to give preference to LED lamps that save energy, or halogen ones, but you will have to pay a little extra for them. Exotic lovers may prefer lighting with several color variations for more variety in the kitchen and livening up its interior.
Noise level
The volume of work is an extremely important parameter for any model. The best option is considered to be devices with an indicator of 45 dB. As practice shows, in terms of noise level, these hoods are practically invisible, while the quality of work is not affected in any way. Of course, the quietest models are at least in the middle price category, but you can also find a noise level among budget options that does not exceed 50 dB.
Manufacturing material
Good quality hoods differ, first of all, in the material from which they are made. Not only the appearance depends on it, but also many other parameters, in particular, the level of pollution, refractoriness and the complexity of cleaning. Among the budget options, the best choice is an enamel surface that allows you to easily wash grease, dust and dirt from the hood and is distinguished by good durability. Stainless steel is more expensive. It slows down wear for years, while also avoiding oxidation of the metal surface. The most prestigious, stylish and, unfortunately, expensive option are devices with an abundance of tempered glass elements. Such devices look very stylish, but, judging by user reviews, they quickly get dirty.
Overall dimensions
The hoods also vary in size. As a rule, the width of the device is considered the key dimension, while not only the appearance, but also the area covered by air intake depends on it. Classic sizes correspond to the width of kitchen cabinets - 45, 60 and 90 cm. A number of manufacturers also offer to choose a hood for a kitchen with a width of 50 cm, since this indicator is most often found among non-standard dimensions. There are no specific variations in the length of the hoods, so you need to select them based on your kitchen set. An indicator such as the distance from the plate to the bottom panel of the unit matters. For gas stoves, 80 cm will be ideal, and for electric ones - 60-70 cm.
We recommend watching a video with useful recommendations:
Useful functions
Naturally, the best in terms of price and quality models of hoods differ from competitors not only in the parameters considered, but also in functionality. In this case, we are not talking about additional options, but about specific useful actions that the device can perform, in addition to the main work.
- Interval inclusion. Periodically starting the fan is a very useful solution for both large and small kitchens. For example, turning on the hood at intervals of 2-3 hours will keep the room fresh and maintain excellent air condition.
- Remaining stroke... As you know, the exhaust fan rotates at a very high speed. After switching off, it stops, however, the residual stroke does it slowly, stretching for 5-10 minutes by gradually reducing the rotation speed. This function will allow you to gradually absorb the remnants of various odors even after the end of cooking.
- Filter clogging indicator... This function is not so common, but its usefulness is quite great. In order not to bring the hood to complete contamination or even breakdown, it is best to change the filters or clean them in advance. The presence of a special indicator will allow doing this rationally.
The number of additional options can be wider, we have selected only the most necessary ones on which comfort in use largely depends.
Which company to buy the hood?
There are many manufacturers on the market that offer good hoods at an affordable price. The segment leaders are well-known firms MAUNFELD and Kronasteel. Buyers are attracted by the ratio "price - quality" of these hoods, as well as durability and wide functionality. In addition, there are several other excellent manufacturers on the market that are also worth paying attention to:
- ELIKOR (Russia)
- Gorenje (Slovenia)
- LEX (Poland)
- Hansa (Germany)
- Kuppersberg (Germany)
Summarizing
The ability to navigate in various parameters of exhaust devices makes it easy to make the right choice of the required equipment. However, the question of how to independently choose a high-quality range hood for your kitchen rests on a number of additional criteria that each of the buyers determines for themselves. In particular, you need to focus on the budget allocated for the purchase, as well as the size of the kitchen and the design of the apartment as a whole.
