How to choose a hood in the kitchen

How to choose a hood in the kitchen? Professional Tips

Hood - a modern household appliance for the kitchen, which copes with unpleasant odors and smoke. Every owner knows that the air cleaner must be present in the house. After all, it is impossible to do with airing with persistent aromas, especially since there are times when windows are not possible to open.

What is the hood for?

Select the hood in the kitchen is first of all necessary to get rid of burning and unpleasant odors. Also, a cleansing appliance is installed directly above the stove to remove grease and fumes during cooking. And the built-in lamps in the hood panel will become indispensable for troubles in the kitchen, replacing the chandelier.

Basic constructions of hoods

Each of the forms of hoods has its own characteristics, nuances, positive and negative points. In order to choose the right duct you need professional advice from a specialist or you can rely on your own knowledge, experience and preferences. Each household item has its own subtleties.

• Built-in hood can be located in the closet or in the countertop. The big advantage of this duct is that it is almost imperceptible and it occupies the minimum amount of space. This option is convenient if the kitchen is small. And also it is possible to note the relatively low cost of a household appliance. The budget option is suitable for those who appreciate quality and at the same time do not want to overpay.

Another positive point is that the built-in hood can be selected to suit every taste and style of the room. It has a large number of different configurations.

The size of the hood varies mainly from fifty to ninety centimeters, and in order to purchase a suitable household appliance, you must first orient yourself on the cooking stove. Mandatory characteristic of the air cleaner is the ability to adjust power. An interesting fact is that the more power and performance a household appliance has, the more noise it makes. This must be taken into account when choosing a hood.

Built-in hood usually contains from one to four filters. They can be both metal and coal. It can be placed both vertically and horizontally. In addition, some models have a remote control, backlight and on / off timer.

The principle of the built-in hood is air circulation. That is, the fumes and unpleasant smell pass through the filter, are cleaned and returned to the room with clean air. But the fat does not go beyond the filter and settles on it.

It is worth remembering that the window or window in the kitchen should not be opened when the air cleaner is running. Otherwise, the hood will swallow air from the street, try to clean it and throw it back into the kitchen. But unpleasant smells will remain in the room.

• Suspended hood is different from the rest of the ease of installation above the stove, compactness, mobility and, in many cases, beautiful design. But there is one significant disadvantage - it is a little power and performance. Therefore, before buying you should pay attention to the size of the room and the amount of unpleasant odor. After all, for a large kitchen, this hood will be useless.

A household appliance is called a suspended appliance because the hood is always attached to the wall and does not interact with the ventilation ducts of the dwelling. Installing an air cleaner does not require any effort and experience. Simply read the instructions and have the necessary tools on hand.

Suspended hoods are divided into models by cleaning methods. This is a single-stage and two-stage cleaning. The principle of operation of the attachment is based on air circulation, but there is already a more complex process than the built-in hood.

Dirty air and various particles are sucked by the hood, they are first cleaned with the help of a grease filter, then coal filters do their job and then clean air goes to the kitchen.

Suspended hood is inexpensive and at the same time has a beautiful appearance. The compact device is ideal for small spaces. In addition, do not fear for natural ventilation. Attachment will not interfere with air circulation.

In addition to the positive aspects, there are negative sides. For example, regular manual filter replacement, increased noise and poor performance.

There is a widespread opinion that suspended hoods are a thing of the past and are not relevant today. But still, some consumers cannot afford expensive options and purchase household appliances of average quality, but at an affordable cost.

• Dome hood will ideally look in spacious and large rooms. Visually, it resembles a fireplace duct and always has only one shape, but two different positions — inclined or horizontal. But the pricing policy for such hoods is quite flexible and varied.

Dome hood is the highest quality of all types of air cleaners. It is always made of stainless steel and painted with a persistent substance. The presence of the duct allows continuous circulation. Equipped with two types of filters at once - it is coal and grease-absorbing.

This type of hood has two options for the motor. For small rooms, one unit, and for a rather spacious kitchen, you can choose a more powerful dual motor.

The dome device is considered the most modern device and has a touch-screen control. Plus, in the configuration can be found quite a large number of additions. It is worth noting that the hood has several options for the appearance and it will not be difficult to choose a model for any style of the room.

These are the three main and most popular models of hoods. But modern technologies do not stand still and constantly give consumers new forms. For example, such as "domino" and "island".

• Dominoes. A relatively new type of hood that hides in the tabletop from prying eyes and is advanced only during cooking or with unpleasant odors in the kitchen. Very compact and convenient hood, but it costs a rather large amount of money compared to the rest and is only suitable for small rooms.
• Island. One of the latest models of the hood, which is ideal for large rooms, such as a combined kitchen and living room. The hood has a stylish appearance and can visually separate the room areas.

Types of hoods

All kitchen hoods are divided into two types according to the method of air purification. It:

• Circulating. This exhaust sucks the dirty air that passes through the filters, the exhaust fan and releases back clean. The big advantage of this hood is simple installation and lack of interaction with the ventilation system. But from the minuses can be identified high noise. Especially this disadvantage will be very noticeable in small rooms and will bring a lot of inconvenience.
• Flow through. This hood must be connected to the ventilation system. In the configuration are always filters, fans and duct. The principle of operation of the flow hood is similar to circulating. It swallows dirty air, passes it through the filters and releases it back fresh and purified.

One of the advantages is a high and high-quality performance, easy cleaning of filters that just wash with soap and water, low noise. But to cope with the installation of this kind of hood can only professional. A rather laborious installation is the only negative.

Filter systems

Filters are one of the most important components of a hood. Through them passes all the dirt, soot, fats, which are deposited on the filters and thereby clean the air, as well as protect the mechanisms of a household appliance.

Filters are of two types:

• Metal filter. Its main function is to remove fat and to prevent fatty deposits on the mechanism of the device. The metal filter is a very economical addition, as it does not require regular replacement, but only washing under running water with soap.
• Carbon filter. Such addition can be included in the package, or purchased separately. Requires a regular change as pollution. On average, with not very dense work, it is necessary to change it once every four to six months.

We determine the power, given the size of the kitchen

Hoods are always powered by electricity and have one or two fans. This is with regard to additional characteristics that are interconnected with power. After all, the quality of air purification depends on the work of the fans. But to choose the hood for power is wrong, you must always consider the performance, which is measured by cubic meters per hour and is always indicated in the description of the device.

The most important thing is the maximum air discharge readings. Fans have different speeds that can be monitored and switched. For a small kitchen, an air-cleaning device with an average speed of the fans and the same average exhaust performance is quite suitable.

But for a large room it is best to choose appliances with four fans and a high speed of rotation. It should be noted that in the presence of four fans and high speed operation, there will be quite a loud sound.

To determine the right choice of hood can be on the parameters of the kitchen. It is very easy to do. First you need to take the total volume of the kitchen and subtract from it the volume of all the furniture that is in this room. Then, multiply the resulting number by ten. The final figure will indicate the power factor of the hood, which is ideal for the room.

It is also very easy to calculate the required performance. To do this, the kitchen area is multiplied by the height, and then by twelve. The number twelve is the air rate in cubic meters, which the hood must necessarily suck in one hour. Further, it is necessary to add twenty percent to the resulting number, that is, a certain power reserve of the device. The number will turn out to be three-digit, which should be rounded up.

Control Panel - which one to choose

Modern hoods can have three different panels. These are:

• Push button. Simple and uncomplicated management, with which any person will immediately understand.
• Sensory. More modern and functional control, as opposed to push-button. A light press on the panel includes this or that command for the hood. A household appliance with such a panel will be much more expensive than others.
• Slider Mechanical slider moves along the panel.

There are no right or wrong panels and the choice is always left to the buyer. After all, each person has his own preferences, tastes and financial capabilities.

Additional functions

As mentioned above, extracts may have additional functions that will facilitate the management and life of all household members.

• Backlight. On the hood panel can be built-in light bulbs. It is best to purchase a device with halogen or LED lamps. Since these devices give a brighter and better light.
• Material. There are only five types of material: enameled steel, stainless steel, aluminum, plastic and tempered glass.

On the material of the device depends on the care and life of the hood. For example, the enameled air cleaner is very convenient and easy to clean. Enamel body will work reliably and for quite a long time. And the cost of exhaust is on average. But stainless steel will cost a little, but it will delight with its perfect and stylish appearance.

Aluminum is durable, lightweight and harmonious material. It is easy to take care of it, since it is practically not polluted. Excellent value of the product and appearance will easily find their fans.

• Automatic change of speed. This is a very important feature that will appeal to all hostesses. The principle of operation is based on the fact that the device itself determines when to reduce the operation of the fans, and when to increase. It depends on the amount of dirty air, soot, burning.
• Emergency indication. A very important feature for those who care about security. The hood sends out a signal when the filter is already as dirty as possible. And it can also turn off the device, if necessary. In this way, manufacturers have taken care of fire safety, because when the filter is full of grease, dirt and soot, it can easily ignite at any time.
• "Residual move". This feature allows you to better and better clean the air in the room. After the hood is turned off, the fans can run silently for another ten to twenty minutes.
• Auto power on and off. The hood can be adjusted in such a way that the fans will independently operate at different intervals.

If there is a desire and, of course, financial opportunity, then you should definitely buy a product with these functions. They make life easier and will become faithful helpers.

Most Popular Manufacturers

Very often, people want to choose the best quality product, but not overpay. Today it is difficult to do due to the fact that in the household appliances market a large number of firms and a huge number of models with additional functions, without an air duct and with it, various configurations and color solutions.

The best manufacturers are selected by customer reviews and, of course, by professional evaluations. So, the best hoods produce:

• Bosh.
• Siemens.
• Coopersberg.
• Best
• Zanussi.
• Elika.
• Gorene.
• Samsung.
• Hansa
• Kronastil.

It should be remembered that even time-tested firms may produce not very good quality models. Therefore, always before buying is to consult with more experienced people and read the reviews.

Subtleties of choice. Professional Tips

There is a list on which you need to navigate when choosing a hood. Professional advice will help you make a quality and successful purchase. Just pay attention to the subtleties:

• Filters. Can be both removable and aluminum.
• The appearance of the hood and installation method.
• Fan power and performance.
• Control Panel. Touch, button and slider.
• The size of the household appliance.
• Additional functions.
• Noise.
• Cost

According to experts, if you follow all these points, you can save a lot of time and effort to find a suitable air cleaner.

Customer Reviews

The choice of hoods for the kitchen is actually not such a complicated operation as it seems at first glance. Just before buying, you need to find out all the positive and negative aspects of the appliances, determine the cost that the family budget allows and correctly calculate the size of the kitchen.

Customer reviews have always been and remain different. It is difficult to find such a thing that absolutely everyone on earth would like. Someone does not like the size, someone filters or cost, but someone can not find a suitable design style or color. In any case, you must rely on your own tastes and capabilities, but do not keep out of customer feedback and professional advice.