On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 19:56:45 +0000, Richard Savage
wrote:

Would like to hear your views/experiences concerning kitchen extractor
hoods. I'm planning my replacement kitchen and am debating the pros
and cons of extractor hoods that vent through an outside wall compared
with those that, by virtue of location on an internal wall must clean
and then recirculate the air.

The hood will be located over a 900 mm wide 5 burner gas hob. The
current layout includes an extracting hood but I'm conscious of all the
(expensive) warm air that will be extracted along with the smell of
burning food! I'm also aware that one can run ducting from hoods
mounted on internal walls across cupboards to external vents but the
'internal' location of the hob would be on the opposite side of the
kitchen from the outside wall. I could run ducting across the ceiling
(unsightly) or through the ceiling void of the room above (difficult to
clean the duct work).

Any views etc on which hood to buy would also be welcome. BTW I'm 6'2''
and resent banging my forehead on cooker hoods when peering into pots on
the hob!


TIA Richard

There's really not a lot of point to recirculating hoods. The carbon
filters will absorb certain of the smells etc for a short while but do
nothing to deal with water vapour.

I would try to find a way to do a ducting arrangement since the
results of extraction to the outside are very much better.

One solution that I have seen for ducting is to use a flat, wide type
and run it along the top of the kitchen cupboards. You can create a
flyover shelf between them and in other areas to continue the line.
This also has the advantage that you can run cables and pipes and even
locate LV halogen lamps which are very effective next to walls.

In terms of manufacturer, a large proportion of hoods sold, many as
branded to appliance manufacturers, are made by Elica.

Elica has a wide range themselves and the UK distributor is DR
Cookerhoods. www.cookerhoods.net

They sell through dealers and will recommend one. The last hood I
bought came from TLC Direct on special order.

Some of the models in the range come with metal mesh washable grease
filters. These can be removed and washed in hot water and detergent,
so no consumable filters are required.
..andy

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