There are different Cooker Hoods?
You would think that all cooker hoods are the same. But in fact, there are more to it.
Here are some of the things you’ll need to know before choosing the right cooker hood for your kitchen.
Click here for a bite-sized infographic or continue reading below.
Hood Type
Firstly, there are different hood types to choose from. It depends on where your hob is located.
Chimney
Chimney Hood comes in T-Shape, U-Shape and Slanted. All three types are versatile in terms of installation: within the kitchen cabinet (concealed and hiding the chimney) or left exposed (revealing the chimney). It’s ideal to pair with a hob that is installed against a wall.
Slim
Slim Hood has no chimney and can be installed under an overhung kitchen cabinet. Standalone is also possible but additional chimney flue can be installed above the hood to cover the ducting hose. It’s ideal for smaller kitchens with limited space.
Telescopic
Telescopic Hood must be fitted into an overhung kitchen cabinet and flushed in with the cabinet for a neat and sleek look. To operate the hood, it can be pulled out like a drawer and pushed back in when not in use. It’s also ideal for smaller kitchens such as in apartments or SOHO.
Island
Island Hood is attached directly onto the ceiling and sits above a central kitchen island unit. The design is usually stylish as it acts as the center piece of the kitchen.
Size & Distance
The width of the hood and the distance between the hob and the hood is very important to ensure the hood’s suction efficiency.
- Width
The width of the hood must be at least the same size or wider than your hob in order for the suction to be able to cover the full diameter of the hob. Fret not, Rinnai’s Cooker Hood are designed to cater to the widest hobs of 90cm. - Distance
As for the distance between the hood and the hob, it is recommended that there is at least a 60cm height distance (for Electric Hob) or a 70 – 75cm height distance (for Gas Hob), to ensure the maximum performance efficiency of the cooker hood.
Note: If the hood and hob are placed too near to each other:
• In the event that the oil cup is not emptied, there is a possibility that the accumulated oil might spill onto the hob and catch fire.
• In the event that the mesh filter is not cleaned regularly, there is a possibility that the accumulated oil on the filter might drip back onto the hob and catch fire.
• The strong direct heat of the hob might melt any plastic material that is on the surface of the hood.
Suction Power
The suction power depends on:
- The volumetric of your kitchen area
- The usage of your hob
Once you’ve calculated your kitchen area’s volumetric, depending on your usage of the hob, you’ll be able to identify the estimated suction power required for your cooker hood with the calculation method below.
Light use (Simmer/Steam): Volumetric multiply by 9
Normal use (Stir fry): Volumetric multiply by 15
Intensive Use (Strong frying): Volumetric multiply by 25
Note: Rinnai’s Cooker Hood extraction rates are tested in line with EU standards.
Types of Grease Filters
Different type of hoods will have different types of filter. By knowing the functions of these filters, couple with your needs, kitchen layout and cooking frequency, you’ll be able to know which hood to choose.
Aluminium Mesh Filter
The filter layer that screens the fumes. As the screening layer, grease will still build-up on the mesh, but it is easy to remove and washable.
Hence, it is more recommended for light cooking. If use for heavy cooking, the grease build-up is faster and will require frequent cleaning.
Note: For selected models, there may or may not be an oil cup included to collect excessive oil captured.
Baffle Filter
It comes with grease trap and the filter is sloped to allow grease and moisture to easily drip down into the oil collector at the back of the hood. It is easy to open for cleaning too.
Recommended for heavy cooking.
Rectifier Panel
Air will be drawn in from all directions rather than just being drawn vertically into the filter. The grease will be trapped on the rectifier panel and the slanted design of the panel will allow the grease to automatically flow into the oil cup for easy disposal. The panel can be detached without any difficulty for cleaning.
Pyramid Filter
The filter is shaped like a pyramid. The slanted design will allow the grease to easily flow into the oil cup located at the bottom of the pyramid filter. It is suitable for Asian cooking.
Perimeter
Air is extracted from around the edge of the panel; hence the extraction rate is higher compared to traditional filters as it covers a wider suction area whereas for traditional filters the suction area is concentrated in the middle. It’s also easier to clean.
Charcoal Filter
It’s a filter for recirculation cooker hoods where air passes through a grease filter followed by the charcoal filter (for odour removal) before being recirculated back to the kitchen through the vent opening at the top of the hood. It needs to be replaced every 6-12 months depending on the usage of the cooker hood, but its lifespan can be extended by exposing it to the sun.
Note: No matter what cooker hood you have, it is recommended to clean the grease filter frequently according to your cooking frequency and to chemical wash the motor once a year to maintain an efficient and long lasting cooker hood, just like you would with the maintenance of your air conditioner.
Ventilation or Recirculation
Depending on the condition of your kitchen, you will need to choose between Ventilated/Ducted or Recirculation (Recycle)/Ductless installation method for your Cooker Hood.
Ventilated / Ducted Installation
The oily fumes are drawn into the hood, and after passing through the grease filter to screen out the grease the air is channelled out to the outside of the house through a ducting hose.
Note: It’s recommended to keep the ducting hose within 10 feet in length and less than two bents to achieve maximum suction efficiency.
Recirculation (Recycle)/Ductless Installation
The oily fumes are drawn into the hood and first passes through the grease filter to screen out the grease. The air then passes through a charcoal filter to purify the air by removing the odours before being release back into the kitchen.
Now that you know about all these facts, we hope you’ll be able to choose the right cooker hood for your kitchen to have a great cooking experience.
You can check out our range of cooker hoods here.
