Useful Tips

HOW TO CHOOSE A HOOD FOR THE KITCHEN - buy a grease filter for the hood

The hood for the kitchen is the most necessary and significant piece of furniture. It prevents soot and grease from settling on the kitchen ceiling, furniture and household appliances. Cleans the air from cooking odors. When choosing, pay attention to its type of installation.

There are the following types of cooker hoods, according to the installation method:

  • suspended (flat, standard) hoods - suspended under a wall cabinet or a shelf above the stove;
  • built-in hoods - built into a wall cabinet above the stove or into a decorative fireplace dome above the hob;
  • wall hoods - attached to the wall above the hob.

Remember that the minimum distance between the cooker hood and the electric hob is 70 cm, and that between the cooker hood and the gas hob is 80 cm.

Modes of operation

The hoods operate in recirculation mode, in air extraction mode and combining these two modes.

Recirculation mode... The polluted air, passing through the filters, is cleaned and goes back into the room. This option is convenient if it is not possible to conduct an air duct.

Exhaust air mode... Effective due to the removal of air through the ventilation system to the street.

Air extraction / recirculation mode. The characteristics of the previous two types are combined in themselves. Qualitatively purify the air in the summer due to the air extraction mode, and retain heat in the room due to air circulation in cold weather.

Performance

The capacity shows how much air the hood passes through itself in one hour. There is an algorithm for calculating the optimal performance for a certain volume of the kitchen. Multiply the area of ​​the kitchen by its height, and then by 10-12 (this is how many times the air should change during one hour when the stove is in operation). The resulting figure is equal to the minimum suitable performance.

For example, a kitchen with an area of ​​10 square meters and a height of 2.7 meters requires a minimum capacity of 270-330 cubic meters / h. The extraction performance depends on the engine power. Cooker hoods have motors of various capacities, with a capacity from 200 cubic meters / h to over 1000 cubic meters / h. The larger the kitchen, the more performance the hood should have.

Cooker hood filters

There are three types of filters: aluminum (grease), carbon and acrylic.

Aluminum (grease) filters clean the air from fat particles and gas combustion products. There are:

  • disposable - made from organic fibers. They require constant replacement. Sold in special service centers. Impractical and expensive option;
  • reusable - made of aluminum or steel. Wash with dish detergent.

Carbon filters remove odors in recirculation mode. They are made from activated or chemically treated carbon. The air inside the hood is cleaned through the granules of activated carbon filters. Under normal operating conditions, the charcoal filter is changed once a year. A set of charcoal filters is purchased separately throughout the life of the hood. The service life of the kit is 100-150 hours or six months of regular operation.

Acrylic filter protects the hood motor from grease particles. Changes as it gets clogged.

Noise level

The noise generated by the hood is distracting and annoying. Its level rises in direct proportion to productivity. The noise level is measured in decibels - dB.

It is impossible to determine the noise level of the hood in a store, since the conditions there differ from the actual operating conditions. The noise level depends on the length and diameter of the duct, the number of bends, the presence of a carbon filter and other parameters.To understand how the hood will work, compare the noise level with a normal conversation:

  • a quietly operating hood creates a noise of 45 dB. It is comparable to a conversation at a distance of 10 meters or the sound of soft music;
  • 50 dB - noise generated by a normally operating hood. This is a quiet conversation at a distance of 3 meters;
  • an increased noise is created by the hood at an indicator of 50 dB or more. Compare with a loud conversation at a distance of 5 meters.

The instructions for the hood indicate the noise level in each operating mode. Silent hoods are equipped with an anti-vibration gasket that separates the motor from the body. Also a set of sound-absorbing plates and noise-suppressing sleeves at the inlet and outlet of the motor.

Lighting

Represented by various types of lamps. Some models are equipped with incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, LED lamps of different power. In inexpensive hoods, they are limited to one lamp. In expensive ones, the number varies from three to five. There are models with focusing lighting (for example, over a stove) or diffusing it. The intensity of the light flux changes. Some hoods, thanks to motion sensors, shine brighter when the user approaches.

Backlight options:

  • Incandescent lamps have a high level of energy consumption. Short-lived - they burn out more often than other types, especially with daily use. These disadvantages are compensated by their availability and low cost;
  • fluorescent lamps ("daylight"), halogen, LED have high brightness, durability and energy saving. Equipped with modern medium and premium range hoods.

Hood control type

There are four types of control types.

Slider (slider type)

The horizontal mechanical switch is located at the base of the cooker hood. In some types, the slider is on the front of the hood. It is represented by a mechanical slider with several speeds. It turns on in one direction, turns off in the opposite direction. The slider is usually located at the bottom of the instrument.

Button type

The traditional option is push-button. The panel is located on the front and edge of the kitchen hood. When a button is pressed, the desired function is activated. Pressing the next button activates the next function. The first button returns to its original position, the function is disabled.

Electronic type

Electronic models with touch panel and display, located on the front of the hood. Each function is activated by pressing a button. Disabled when pressed again. The touch buttons are accompanied by LED indication. They have additional control options - automatic switching on using a sensor or an intensive mode of operation of the hood.

Mechanical type

The mechanical type of hoods is easy to operate. The user selects the desired modes and functions using buttons or rotary switches. The disadvantages are the tendency to quickly get dirty and limited reliability (frequently used buttons break faster than other types of controls).

Types of kitchen hoods

When choosing a hood, many buyers pay attention to its appearance, and only then to the technical characteristics.

  • fully recessed kitchen hoods - mounted in a wall cabinet, only the lower part with the dashboard and filter grill is visible. This hood is suitable for kitchens with cabinet or built-in furniture;
  • telescopic hood - saves space in the kitchen. Equipped with a retractable screen that removes soot and food odors;
  • flat hoods are compact and do not have an outlet for ventilation. They consist of a case, a filter and a fan, therefore they are easily mounted on a wall near a stove or on the bottom plane of a cabinet;
  • dome hoods are a stylish and functional addition to the kitchen interior. Due to their size and unusual shape, they have great power.Suitable for a spacious kitchen in an apartment and at home;
  • island hoods - attached to the ceiling above the stove. Made in different styles. Complementing the design of the kitchen with the island and the workplace for cooking;
  • T-shaped models of hoods - mounted to a wall or ceiling. Available in different sizes and designs. Made of chrome-plated metals, stainless steel or glass. Some models have two motors for quiet operation;
  • corner hoods - mounted in the corner of the kitchen. They perfectly clean the air. No special maintenance required. Easy to operate. Organically fit into the interior;
  • inclined hoods - form the style of the interior, emphasizing its modernity. Save kitchen workspace. Allow free access to the stove. They quickly remove fumes from cooking dishes without additional energy consumption.

We invite you to the Fotos.ua catalog, where you can, guided by the theses of this article, choose a model to your liking.

Note: "Which type of hood is better - with recirculation or with air extraction?"

Watch a video review of how to choose a hood

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