Cooker hood - all about the looks?

[Rojak]

Looking for a new cooker hood - is it just all about the style? The prices vary so much but apart from energy rating, I have no idea how to compare them.

Do you get what you pay for? Is there much of a difference between a £300 & £700 one?

Ime it what makes the biggest difference is whether the hood is vented outside and is therefore a proper extractor or whether it is just recirculating, in which case they are really just a grease trap you have to clean!

Other variables include how powerful it is (how efficiently it ventilates) and how quiet/noisy it is.

Also look for one where you can clean the filters in the dishwasher. You also need to ensure it is wide enough for your hob or if not that the extraction rate is adequate for the size of the room that you are using it in. There is a formula to find the size of the room and you then need to look for a hood that will deal with that. A lot of the trendy looking ones that are cheap are underpowered.

Thanks :)