How to buy a cooker hood: offers from sellers
First decide where the air goes
The main decision when choosing a cooker hood is ducting to the outside or recirculation. With ducting, the air goes out of the building, and this is the most effective option. In recirculation mode the air passes through a charcoal filter and returns to the kitchen: you can do without a duct, but you will have to change the filters regularly.
The kit depends on this too: ducting needs a flexible duct or plastic pipe, adapters and a non-return valve. Recirculation needs charcoal filters, which are often sold separately.
Type, width and capacity
The hood should be no narrower than the hob. Standard widths are 50, 60 and 90 cm. Over a 60 cm hob, take a 60, not a 50: otherwise part of the steam will escape past it.
Capacity is worked out like this: multiply the volume of the kitchen (area times ceiling height) by about 10–12 air changes an hour, then add a margin for losses in the duct. So for a 130 sq ft kitchen people usually look for models from 500–600 m³/h and up. Chimney and island hoods look impressive, slanted and flat ones fit small kitchens better, and telescopic and built-in ones hide inside a cabinet.
What to put in your request
- Type — slanted, chimney, island, telescopic, flat or built-in.
- Width — 50, 60 or 90 cm, to match the hob.
- Capacity — m³/h or the kitchen area.
- Mode — ducting to the outside or recirculation with a charcoal filter.
- Model — brand and exact name, if you have already chosen.
- Colour — black glass, stainless steel, white enamel.
- Installation — whether you need fitting and connection to the duct.
- Warranty, new or used and budget.
Example: “I need a new 60 cm slanted hood in black glass, capacity from 600 m³/h, ducted to the outside. Kitchen of 130 sq ft, Toronto. I want installation and a brand warranty. Budget up to $240.”
How ordering works with BlaBlaPrice
You describe what you need once, and sellers of appliances reply with offers in chat: model, price, what is in the kit, whether installation is offered. The request is checked before it is shown, and you are told which details are missing. BlaBlaPrice shows the best-value offer first, and next to each you can see reviews of the seller. Your phone stays hidden until you choose a seller. More in how it works.
How to compare offers and what to watch
- Compare the same width and capacity. Often the maximum is quoted in “intensive” mode, and the real figure is lower.
- Ask about the noise level: a very powerful hood is loud at full speed.
- Check whether the duct, valve and charcoal filters are in the price.
- For a used one, check the motor, the grease filters and the lighting.
A typical mistake is buying a good-looking hood and then finding that the duct outlet doesn't fit in diameter. If you are renewing the whole kitchen, also look at cookers and ovens and dishwashers, and you will find more ideas in the Kitchen appliances section.
