Choosing the optimal hood in the kitchen

Why are hoods so necessary?

A lot depends on the air condition: on the taste of dishes that are cooked or stored indoors, to the well-being of family members. With insufficient air ventilation, dizziness may occur, and unpleasant smells spoil the mood and impair the appetite, which is why it is necessary to clean the air. Ventilation of the room slightly saves from the smell of burning directly in the work area, therefore, in order to improve the climate in the house, it will be better to catch smells just above the stove. To perform this task, and need a hood in any kitchen. Especially needed and important hood in the kitchen with a gas stove, it catches carbon monoxide, which is released during combustion.

When we choose a hood, I want it to be efficient, quiet, not very expensive, stylishly looked in the interior, required simple installation, reliably improved the home climate. How to choose a kitchen hood and how to find out which one you need is determined by many parameters, which we will list in this article.

Do you need an exhaust hood in the kitchen with an

electric stove? Many people buying an electric stove wondering if a hood is necessary? A common misconception about the unimportance of an exhaust when using an electric or induction stove is enough. Indeed, electric stoves do not emit carbon monoxide as gas, this is their main plus. But smells when cooking on an electric stove are the same as the presence of burning when frying dishes. The smell of food throughout the apartment is not the most pleasant moment. Therefore, we are confident with the answer - the choice of the hood for the electric stove should also be approached if you had a gas stove.

Types of exhaust devices

According to the form, the following types of hoods to the kitchen can be distinguished: flat suspended, built-in and domed.

Suspended

The most common type is suspended. Such devices are cheaper than other models, their installation is easy and does not require the participation of a specialist. Such a device is located above the cooking surface, and above it you can still place a cabinet, since the flat model does not require installation under the ventilation duct. Air cleaners of this type sometimes look cumbersome in the interior, however, with proper selection they will support both classical elements and notes of modern design. The flat model is equipped with replaceable filters, which are better to change in time for efficient operation.

Embedded

Embedded technology is installed in a special cabinet and almost invisible, only the exhaust surface is visible from the outside. These hoods in the kitchen are equipped with an air duct that enters the ventilation duct: it is located behind the cabinet doors. Many built-in models are equipped with a sliding panel, which allows you to increase the working surface of the device, when folded, the dimensions are narrow. These units have a low noise level, a laconic design that allows you to remain inconspicuous in the interior, both retro and modern.

Dome

Dome hoods are the most fashionable and interesting option. There are design models that will occupy a central place in the kitchen interior. They resemble a chimney flue: a thick canal and a dome, so they will perfectly fit into classic styles or retro. These air cleaners are the most diverse in terms of design. White, black or color, glass, metal or wood, retro or hi-tech - modern design ideas allow you to choose the perfect device that will meet the most exacting taste. Exhaust devices of such retro design are popular in country houses.

Sometimes they are referred to as domed ones, and sometimes they separately distinguish such types of kitchen extracts as an island air cleaner and extractor with glass.

Island

Located in the middle of the room, attached to the ceiling above the stove. Such an interesting installation is used in the interior, where the working area is designed as an island. Particularly interesting is the round shape, the surface can be both flat and with a bend. These types of devices are suitable for placement in retrodesign in the style of culinary television shows.

With glass

Hood with glass( modern) is designed to perform not only its main function, but also serves as a design element in the interior. In such devices, the backlight looks especially interesting, especially if the hood with glass is not easily transparent, but white, black or, for example, smoky. Glass types of hoods are not suitable for retro interior, as they look super-modern.

Air Purification Mode

According to the principle of operation, air purifiers are of three types:

1. are flow-through;
2. recycled;
3. combined.

Protodnymi called kitchen hoods with a connection to the ventilation( air duct).The air is captured by the fan impeller and is immediately removed through the channel from the room. According to this principle, the old classic retro style options we are used to. Flow-through device types produce less noise than recirculation.

Hoods in the kitchen with an air duct, although more efficient than recirculation, have one serious drawback: complex installation. Plus, it is not always possible to pierce the technological hole for installing the hood in the kitchen, the ventilation channel may be missing or be too far away.

The majority of modern hoods in the kitchen with an air duct work in a combined mode( drainage - circulation), can be brought under the ventilation duct, and can be used independently. They are also equipped with an ARS system that reacts to the smell of burning. Thanks to this system, the air cleaner is turned on automatically by a sensor signal, which allows better capture of even the smallest odors.

Performance

Performance is one of the important parameters that indicates how much air the unit “pumps” per unit of time. The larger the size of the kitchen - the greater should be the performance. In order to determine what performance to choose for your kitchen, to maximize the climate, calculate the volume of the room by multiplying its area by the height, and then multiply the resulting number by 12. But even for a small kitchen it is better to choose models with a capacity of at least 350 cubic meters /hour. The most common performance of modern air purifiers: 702, 851 and 1020 cubic meters / hour.

Control Panel

Exhaust devices differ in their method of control. The following types can be distinguished:

• push-button( convex buttons),
• touch( flat, convex buttons),
• slider( mechanical horizontal switch),
• remote( using the remote control).

It is difficult to say which types of cooker hoods are better for the kitchen - the choice is determined only by your preferences and general style in the technique and interior: the slider or keypad fits better into the retrostyle, and the touchscreen fits into the modern one. However, it is worth noting that the sliders and buttons are more susceptible to pollution and more difficult to clean, which is not true of their more modern counterparts.

Connection to communications

Proper installation of the cleaner is a prerequisite for high-quality work. To connect the device with the ventilation system, use short connections. The greater the number of knees has a ventilation channel, the lower the performance of the device( each bend reduces this figure by 5%).

It is better to choose a duct with smooth walls and a larger diameter. Corrugated hoses, despite their convenient installation, significantly reduce performance.

Dimensions

The choice of the size of the hood depends on the area of ​​the gas or electric stove, the size should not be less( and better - more), narrow devices can not fully perform their functions. Standard sizes, which are most often on sale, are 45, 60 and 90 cm. The height of the air cleaner depends on the type of cooking surface. Air purification requires all, without exception, cooking surfaces - from the old Soviet retro stove to the modern electrical or induction panel. Above the gas stove, the level at which the air cleaner is installed is not higher than 80 cm, and above the electric one it can be lower - around 70 cm.

Noise level

Noise level is one of the important indicators when choosing any home appliance. No matter how effectively he copes with his task, an excess of noise will cause discomfort for the owners, cause irritation and even provoke a headache. The ideal model should be powerful enough, but at the same time quiet, not create excessive noise in order to effectively purify the air without causing inconvenience to the owners. Experts advise to choose a hood with a noise level no higher than 50 dB.The lower the manufacturer claims the noise level - the better, it will be correct to make a choice in favor of minimum noise.

Case Material

The choice of quality material for the hood body is quite important. Inexpensive exhaust devices are made of enamel. Polished stainless steel looks much more solid, but it affects the price of such devices. In addition, steel is more fastidious in care, carbon deposits stick to it more, but it is impossible to clean with abrasives - scratches remain. Hood with glass is made of tempered glass, resistant to damage and temperature, it closes the ventilation channel, protects it from pollution. However, the glass surface, especially white, needs almost daily cleaning, otherwise stains and stains will spoil the whole look. To properly care for such a surface need household chemicals for cleaning glass.

Lighting

Lighting over the stove is never superfluous, so modern air purifiers are equipped with lighting. It can be halogen, fluorescent or incandescent. Most often, light sources are located in the distant part of the device. In the new models there is a turning lamp, with which you can focus the light flux in the desired area and change its intensity. Hood with glass is usually equipped with a large number of lamps and can replace even a full-fledged chandelier. In case of insufficient lighting, you can choose this type of hoods.

Additional Functions

Modern exhaust hoods have, in addition to the main function - air purification - additional. It will be correct to choose a good model equipped with them. Most often there are two functions: interval activation and residual travel. What are they needed for?(See also: How to clean the hood in the kitchen from fat at home)

1. "Interval inclusion" - the exhaust device is periodically turned on after a certain period of time, this function is needed to ensure a constant flow of fresh air.
2. “Residual stroke” - after turning off the device, the fan will operate in silent mode for 5–15 minutes to perfectly purify the air and get rid of odors left on the stove after cooking.