A lot has already been said about the importance of having a hood in the kitchen. The modern model of such kitchen appliances is a multifunctional device that provides several important tasks. First of all, this is cleaning the air mixture in the kitchen from fat, combustion products, as well as neutralizing excess odors.
In addition, the cooker hood also provides illumination of the surface of the stove, which makes cooking more convenient.
In order for the device to easily cope with its duties, it should be chosen correctly, paying attention to some important parameters.
What parameters to consider when choosing
There are several important parameters that are important to pay attention to when choosing such equipment for the kitchen. Among them:
- productive capacity. For modern models, this figure is from 180 to 1300 cubic meters of air per hour of operation;
- operating mode - recirculation or exhaust. Everything here is determined by the peculiarities of the kitchen.
- installation method - wall mount, ceiling or built-in appliances. Such a parameter is determined by the characteristics of the room and the preferences of the consumer;
- sizes.
If everything is clear with the first parameters - they are largely determined by the preferences of the buyer or the features of the kitchen itself, then with the size everything is a little more complicated - for each stove and the room itself, the hood must have certain dimensions. Which ones - let's try to figure it out.
Dimensions of existing models
The market now offers a wide range of hoods of certain sizes. Among all the parameters, the width is the most important, since it is it that determines the performance of the equipment, as well as its ability to remove particles of fat, evaporation, and the like from the air.
There are models with a width of 30-120 cm.But the most widespread are hoods, the width of which is 90, 80, 60, 50 or 45 cm.
It is impossible to say unequivocally which option is better, since it all depends on the dimensions of the room. So, in a compact kitchen, a large-sized model will look simply ridiculous, moreover, it will take up extra space. Conversely, in a large kitchen, a compact model simply cannot cope with its functions.
It is also worth noting that the large dimensions of the cooker hood are not at all a guarantee that the equipment will have high performance.
How to determine the width of the hood
The main recommendation for choosing a suitable hood according to its width is the dimensions of the hob. It should always be remembered that the hood can never be smaller than the surface of the plate for which it is used.
It is allowed for the width of the slab and the hood to match, but it will be better if the width of this cleaning technique protrudes slightly above the slab.
This is due to the fact that the main function of the device is to draw in and remove particles of fat and vapors from the room. This will be most effective when the hood is located exactly above the surface of the plate.
If the stove is larger than the hood, then some of the combustion products, vapors and the like will not get into it, as a result of which the efficiency of the device will decrease. Most cookers are 60 or 50 cm wide, as a result of which you can find models with the same parameters on the market.
When choosing a hood according to its size, one should also not forget about the rest of the furniture in the kitchen. Most often, this technique is installed between wall cabinets or built into one of them. Therefore, the technique should be selected so that its dimensions correspond to the dimensions of the kitchen furniture.
The ideal option is when the width of the hood is slightly larger than the width of the plate. So, if this parameter for the stove is 60 cm, then the optimal hood will be a model with a width of 80 cm.In this case, the performance and power of the device will be exactly enough, it will not be able to work at full capacity. As a result, the noise level and the consumption of electrical energy will be reduced, as in the rate of wear of the device.
If you use a professional model of the stove in the kitchen, then it will be very difficult to do without a hood less than 90 cm wide, another device will not be able to provide high-quality cleaning of the air mixture. In this case, you need to choose furniture for the kitchen under the hood, and not vice versa.
Other parameters
In addition to width, other dimensions of the hood are also important - height and depth. In modern models, the depth is exactly equal to the width. Thus, for the most efficient operation, the hood should be located exactly above the surface of the plate, while their areas should be equal.
It should also be remembered that most built-in models are equipped with a pull-out element, which provides an increase in the working surface. This favorably distinguishes built-in models of equipment against the background of classical models that do not have such a function.
The area of the retraction surface is especially important in the case of a non-standard mounting option for equipment - if it is installed in the corner of the room, on the ceiling, it is located in the center over the island-type slab. Height is especially important in the case of dome versions, which are usually equipped with a long duct.
Before choosing a suitable hood, it is also important to understand what the optimal height of the appliance should be. This parameter directly depends on the height of the ceiling, since both the manufacturers of such devices and safety precautions recommend that the distance between the surface of the stove and the cleaning equipment be 65-70 cm.Reduction of this distance can lead to damage to the hood, while an increase significantly reduces the efficiency of the device.
Thus, there are many nuances in the choice of kitchen cleaning equipment. But the most important is the size of this type of household appliance, which greatly affects its performance.
Therefore, before visiting the store, it is important to decide what is required from your future hood - the usual trapping of fumes, fat and the like, ensuring high-quality air purification, a design element of the kitchen interior, or all of the above.
It is also very important to know exactly the dimensions of the surface of the stove in your kitchen, the area of the room itself, as well as the required dimensions of the equipment. When determining such important parameters, one should adhere to a simple rule - the depth and width of the hood should not be less than the similar parameters of the stove, otherwise the use of this technique in the kitchen will be devoid of any sense.
After the required dimensions of the kitchen appliances have been determined, you can go to the store, where consultants will help you choose the remaining parameters of the hood - the level of its performance, the supported operating modes, the installation option, and others.
