Cooker Hoods - I am confused. They all do a similar job and yet such a huge range in price. How to choose??

[BeatTheClock]

We need a 90cm hood vented against an outside wall. I prefer the ones with glass on them - curved preferably- to the big metal triangle shaped ones. It's not for an island.

But how can they vary so much in price? They all do roughly the same thing I assume? I'm getting confused and feel I'm missing something obvious that I should be taking into account. I can't for the life of me see what the more £ ones do that the cheaper ones don't. Help!

Vanity and Bling.

Ours is a Neff, built into the cupboard above, bought from SDES half price as it has a dent in the side (its built in ...) for £50

If I wanted a huge copper monstrosity hood thing I could have spent up to £1000

Lol I did wonder if they may be factors. Even so they all look much of a muchness to me.

Some are more powerful, some are quieter but, yes, most of the time you are paying for how pretty it looks.

Do not talk to me about bloody cooker hoods....arghhh...and never design a 5K range to go into a chimney...in the middle of the house with nowhere for an outside vent to go....

What I have discovered though is..

1. Noise is a factor. Though do not necessarily look at the max noise - as this is often just for when it is only full blast - ie when you have just burnt something. But you do want to make sure it is not too noisy on lo level - so not more than 55db
2. The power is another factor. Depending on the size of your kitchen you will need a certain extraction rate for it to work to an optimum level.. You need to work out the size in cubic meter of your kitchen which will give you an idea of how much extraction you need. Link provides guidance.
3. Should be as wide as the hob.
4. Apart from that it is just bling and shininess.
5. Make sure you have access to an outside wall if you are extracting - and check the vent size. If you only have rectangular smaller vent (think is 120mm) then you need to make sure tat matches the hood. If you are ducting make sure ducting kit included. If you are recirculating (ie it cleans the smells then send air back to kitchen as nowhere to vent outside) then make sure has a recirculating kit. Sometimes neither are included. I, sob have no way of venting outside. So I am hiding mine in my chimney and getting one with recirculating only.

I am going to John Lewis with my measurements and sobbing on them to tell me which one will do.
In the meantime the above is my recollection of my two wasted, frustrated evenings spent pouring over the interweb - so please do not take any of it as gospel. Though some of it was from PigletJohn so is probably gospel. I also found this useful:

www.pluggedin.co.uk/article/cooker-hood-buyers-guide

www.southerndomestic.co.uk/products-southampton/cooker-hoods

their graded stock is WELL worth checking out

Thanks so much for all posts and links.

Ah Fishfinger I know how it can get looking for that elusive something that sounds simple but maddeningly isn't (pushes soothing cake and alcohol through the screen). Googling until you are boss-eyed and banging your head on the table I am currently on another mission looking for an impossible to find piece of corner furniture for my living room - a whole other thread that is

Well I'm feeling a but more confident re hoods and about what I should be looking for now. Noise level is a good point...thanks again!

Thank you {soothed}. Especially frustrating when it is for something soooo dullllll.... (cooker hoods that is, not furniture)

Am sooo happy to have read this.

We've got a duff one, just makes a noise and doesn't extract anything at all, which is a shame as I often burn the fish fingers

And, I've been a bit put off them as a result, it's easier to just open the door and let the smoke steam out.

But, blokie, really wants a soooper doooper one probably after being nearly asphixiated by teh last lot of well done fish fingers

and, I'm so bored by it all, thanks for the threads!

recirculating

I suppose you can fit an extractor fan as well.

When we built our kitchen, the building regs man was VERY scathing of recirculating ones - especially in a big kitchen dining room.

good link.

Yep, going to put an additional extractor on the outside wall. RSJs making ducting a nightmare and the thought of a chimney fire (or a grand to line the chimney and faff around with drip trays to extract up the chimney) was a no brainer really. Not ideal. DH still not convinced we cannot just extract up the chimney so am calling fire safety office/building regs and the chap we are buying the range off tomorrow just to finally convince him.