A cooker hood (or extractor) clears steam, grease and cooking smells — keeping your kitchen fresher and your walls cleaner. With several styles to choose from, here's how to pick the right one.
The main types
- Chimney hood: a statement stainless or glass hood on the wall above the hob.
- Canopy/integrated: built discreetly into a cabinet above the hob.
- Island hood: hangs from the ceiling over an island.
- Downdraft/venting hob: extraction built into the hob itself — no overhead unit.
Ducted or recirculating?
Ducted hoods vent air outside and extract best; recirculating hoods filter the air and return it (handy where you can't duct outdoors, with filters to replace periodically).
What to look for
- Extraction rate (m³/hr): match it to your kitchen size — bigger or open-plan rooms need more.
- Width: ideally as wide as your hob (60cm, 90cm…).
- Noise level: check the decibels for open-plan living.
- Lighting and easy-clean filters.
Our picks
- Classic chimney: the Belling 60cm or 90cm chimney hood.
- Discreet: the Bosch Series 2 canopy hood — see the full cooker hoods range.
Final thoughts
Pick the style to suit your kitchen, match the width to your hob, and check the extraction rate and noise. Browse cooker hoods online or ask in any of our 60+ stores.
