How to choose a domed hood for the kitchen

Still wondering if your kitchen needs a dome hood? There are four reasons to seriously think about installing it.

1. You are the owner of a spacious kitchen, which is equipped with an arsenal of cooking equipment.
2. You love culinary experiments and often use the oven, grill and stove.
3. A greasy coating gradually appears on the surfaces of kitchen furniture and appliances, which is difficult to remove.
4. The dwelling has a persistent smell typical for a dining room.

A domed hood for the kitchen is required not only to fight aromas. Also, it is usefull for:

• to maintain clean air,
• creating comfortable conditions.

In order not to get lost in choosing a device for air purification, it is worth following a pre-formed algorithm. An analysis of the features and technical characteristics of the hoods will help not to get into a mess.

Construction type

The most common and versatile type of dome hoods is wall-mounted models. They are installed above the stove or hob. Fasteners are used for wall mounting.

This option is perfect for overhaul kitchens. It looks harmoniously with a variety of kitchen sets.

Wall-mounted hoods can be used in tandem with freestanding and built-in cooking devices.

If the stove in the kitchen is installed in a corner, it is advisable to take a closer look at the corner-type dome devices. They are attached immediately to two walls located at right angles to each other.

In kitchens with an island, it is better to use island hoods with a dome. They are also called ceiling mounts because the base is fixed to the ceiling and not to the wall.

Dimensions

The size of the hood should be selected based not on the footage of the kitchen, but on the size of the working surface of the stove. The width of the dome must not be less than the width of the hob. It is better to choose a device with a small ‘margin’.

Important: too small hood, although it will not be completely useless, will not be able to provide optimal efficiency.

It is worth considering the height of the hood (the dome with the base). For a room with high ceilings, you can choose a higher model, for low spaces it is better to choose the most compact solutions.

The distance between the cooker hood and the cooking zones must not be less than:

• 60 cm for electric stoves,
• 80 cm for gas stoves.

Noise

Electric range hood is noisy by default. If it works too loudly, there can be no talk of any comfort.

To avoid problems during operation, choose hoods whose motor makes the quietest sounds. Normal noise level – 45-50 dB.

Productivity

On average, during cooking, the air in the kitchen should be completely cleaned (renewed) up to 12 times in 1 hour.

It is worth choosing a hood based on performance indicators taking into account this fact.

To find out what productivity will be enough for your kitchen, you need to carry out simple calculations.

• Find out the volume of air mass in the kitchen. To do this, the area of the room (in meters) should be multiplied by the height of the ceilings.
• Multiply the volume by the number of recommended cleaning cycles (12).

The resulting number is the minimum capacity of the dome hood. For maximum efficiency, add about 25-30% to it.

Energy consumption

The less electricity the hood consumes, the more profitable it is to maintain it. That is why it is worth choosing models with a minimum level of energy consumption. They belong to the energy efficiency class A and its subclasses A +, A ++. The amount of electricity consumed may vary depending on the speed.

This guide will help you choose the dome hood that will provide the best microclimatic conditions and allow you to breathe deeply while cooking.