Best Cooker Hood 2021 – Buyer’s Guide

This chrome 110cm chimney cooker hood is on the wide side of the scale; perfect if you have an Aga/sizeable cooking area or want a hood which acts as a bit of a statement piece.

The immense extraction rate makes it ideal for a large kitchen area, and the three optional speeds mean you are covered for everything from boiling and steaming vegetables to frying steaks and spices.

The two 28W halogen lights at the front of the appliance offer a really good level of brightness and more visibility than the LED lights which usually come with modern cooker hoods (although are less energy efficient). The lights just sit behind a really convenient horizontal rail, which is able to withstand the hanging of utensils if desired.

Although it is relatively quiet in terms of its specifications, the CLAHDC110BC can get quite noisy on the highest power setting, which is not ideal if you would be easily disturbed by the noise of your extractor.

Now for something which really stands out in the style stakes.

This cooker hood is very distinctive in terms of design, with a bright white finish and slightly smaller dimensions compared to most others. The perfect addition to a modern range setup.

It can recirculate or extract, so is suitable for any arrangement. It is very good at both of these options too, so you won’t be short changed. There are four main speed settings as well as a boost, so if you have had a cooking disaster or the guests are arriving at any moment and the kitchen still smells like last night’s curry, you can quickly clear.

There is hardly any noise either, as the brushless motor doesn’t create friction. We also loved the range of handy features; a 24 hour setting will filter the air in the kitchen for 10 minutes every hour to ensure your kitchen stays at its freshest. This makes it one of the best cooker hoods for open plan living or large kitchens. A time delay is also present, which will turn it off at a certain time. No more getting up in the middle of a movie to turn it off.

Touch controls add the finishing modern sleek touch, and a remote is also available to buy separately if you like an easy life. You can’t buy anything else quite as stylish.

The Bosch DWB96DM50B box style chimney cooker hood adds a sleek, modern touch to your kitchen whilst also being incredibly efficient in removing stubborn smells and steam from the surrounding environment.

With a 64 dB noise level, the fans will work discreetly without disturbing your mealtime and conversations too much, but without any loss of power.

As well as the inbuilt white LED lights, which give perfect clear vision over your hob area and have a life cycle of 40,000 hours, there are also three extraction settings to ensure you have full control over the power required to clear the problem.

The intensive setting will clear even the most stubborn of smells and turns off automatically after 10 minutes if left idle. This means you can leave it to its job with peace of mind that you can return to the kitchen in a perfect condition.

There is a metal grease filter included in the price, which is essential for ducted and recirculation hoods. Easy to remove, it is easily cleaned and replaced by hand. The extraction kit and carbon filter are sold separately. If you are after something with a high energy efficiency rating to help the planet and cut down on running costs then you can’t get much better than this model, which has a fantastic A+ rating.

The second quietest of all the cooker hoods reviewed, the Hotpoint PHVP6.4FALK integrated appliance offers excellent power without any noise disruption to your daily life.

If you are after something extra modern and sleek which doesn’t have the typical bulky style of standard flat hoods, then this new generation vertical design is perfect. Integrated hoods are meant to be hidden behind a cupboard door, but this particular one would look attractive as a focal point in any kitchen.

The two 20W halogen lights offer a superb amount of light, perfect for even the darkest of areas. The fan and light are button-operated, but choosing the exact power is managed by a digital touch-operated interface, making it incredibly easy to tackle the steam and smoke effects of any dish you are cooking. The display will also notify you of when the time has come to replace your charcoal filter, to ensure you always receive the optimum air filtration efficiency.

As a bonus, it is a lot more inexpensive than most other integrated hoods on the market, and a lot better received in reviews. The aluminium grease filter is washable, and although primarily designed to be ducted through an external wall, it can also be operated in circulation mode with the appropriate carbon filter (sold separately). The halogen lights, although bright and relatively inexpensive to maintain, are not as long lasting as LED’s.

Great for those on a budget, the L60CHDX17 by Logik is smart and easy to operate. The 2.5W LED light at the back of the appliance offers a really bright white glow, which illuminates your cooking space perfectly.

The aluminium filter which is included is dishwasher safe, taking the hassle out of keeping it clean every month and means you don’t have to get your hands too dirty to maintain it. With a stainless-steel finish, it is easy to keep polished and looking like new with regular care.

It is not very wide, so would ideally suit a small kitchen with a standard four plate hob. The extraction rate is also one of the lowest of those reviewed, so would not be appropriate for a large kitchen which is likely to require persistent and powerful extraction on a regular basis. However, it’s B energy efficiency rating is high for products of its kind.

The 3-amp plug required for power supply is included in the price, but the carbon filter and extraction kit are sold separately.

Three speeds so you can select the one which can keep up with demand. Two LED lights to brightly illuminate your kitchen area. And most importantly, a design which can be concealed.

This Siemens built-in canopy cooker hood is not only a nice price, but is also effective too. It is quiet when running, and it can both recirculate and extract which makes it a good option for any kitchen layout. Thanks to metallic filters which can be washed in between uses, the appliance is always ready to have your back.

The button control makes it easy to change in between settings, and also instant without any extra fussing. Even though you won’t really be able to see it for the concealed design, the stainless steel finish adds a modern touch and is nice and easy to wipe clean. We have all had caused a few stray splashes and oil spits, after all.

It is under £500, which is good going for a hood which can be tucked away yet can still do the job. Definitely worthy of your consideration.

When you want something sleek and unobtrusive, a telescopic hood is the way forward. This one from AEG combines the simple style with the effectiveness you need to clear the air of your kitchen.

An extraction rate of 370 cubic metres of air per hour is great for the size, and the width of 60cm is standard so there is a really great chance it will fit under your cupboard and above your hob without looking out of place.

The maximum noise it will reach is 68 dB, so when you’re entertaining or live in an open plan space and hate the noise, it shouldn’t be too much of a bother.

As an added extra, there are some really nice lights at the rear which will illuminate your cooking area perfectly. It is rated C for energy efficiency which isn’t as brilliant as we’d like, but it is our guess that it isn’t going to be on for too long as it is designed for small spaces, so you shouldn’t see too much of a jump in bills.

Able to keep the air fresh and clean while fitting snuggly into your upper cabinet and out of view, this is a powerful little integrated extractor for smaller kitchens.

It installs into the cabinet so doesn’t take up room or space. Also great if you will be bothered about the impact a big bulky cooker hood would have on your style.

Just slide the control to the side to turn the fan on, and you can start removing all those pungent smells and smoke. A variable three-speed control will allow you to keep it ticking over to remove steam or work in overdrive to rid the kitchen of the traces of burnt bacon and frying.

The metal grease filter is washable which means it won’t just always work very efficiently if you keep it clean, but it can keep the running costs down too as you won’t have to buy replacements all the time.

It can work in both recirculation and ducted modes, so no matter your kitchen set up, it can be accommodated. An LED light will illuminate any dark areas of your hob, increasing safety.

The price is good compared to some others on the market, and we think it was great for the ease of use, basic yet subtle design and simplicity. Plus, it is cheaper than a lot of the most basic chimney style cooker hoods. Worth consideration if this is your desired hood style.

To quickly clear the air in a large kitchen, you need something powerful and imposing. This Smeg is great for use above a large hob or range cooker, and can save you having to open the windows and try and waft the smoke away.

700 cubic metres of air per hour can be cleaned, and there is a boost mode which is really effective at getting rid of Aromatic of frying smells. All of the different settings have their own dedicated push button to operate them. This makes it super easy to switch between them all.

Even though it’ll likely be in a large room, you still don’t want it to be noisy. This is particularly relevant if you love to entertain. Luckily, it is just 66dB, making it quiet at the job too.

To finish it off, it is pleasing to the eye and a lovely sleek finish. Oh, and it is a Smeg, which pretty much speaks for itself when it comes to quality.

If you want an island cooker hood which really tops the style stakes, then Elica have some which are star-studded. This one will fit into any kitchen, whether you go for the subdued look or something much more jazzy.

It isn’t all just about design though. It also performs really well, and uses a high-performance motor to deliver 3 different stages of extraction. The push control buttons make it easy to select which one you need, so when things get smoky a bit too quickly, you can immediately switch the power up.

There has been no Quiet Mark award, but it still isn’t bad in this department. For the airflow rate it gives out, this is perfectly forgivable.

Not only practical but stylish too, finished in glass and stainless steel, this is a lovely piece of equipment for fitting above your island.

You will want your choice to be a focal point, but may want it to still blend in with the decor. This is where this model comes in to play. Don’t worry about it not fitting either, because the chimney is extendable between 705 to 1050 mm.

Four halogen lights will illuminate your cooking and provide a nice hue to the atmosphere too, and three different fan speeds will ensure it can cope with the issue at hand. There are two grease filters as well, for maximum absorption.

Installation instructions are a little generic and hard to follow, which does not reflect the quality of the product at all. It is also on the noisier side of the scale, but not off-puttingly so. Despite these couple of issues, once it is up and running it is a hood which makes an impact in every way possible.

An island cooker hood which looks fab, this Elica is perfect for anyone who wants a standout piece of kitchen kit.

It is certainly unique, crafted to hang over your kitchen island effortlessly and be there when you need it the most. A wand control allows you to switch between settings and the electronically controlled motor ensures it always runs at its best.

Four lamps make it easier for you to see what is going on with the hob, as well as giving you a good level of illumination in the kitchen. You also get a metal washable filter and odour filters, and a filter change indicator will inform you when it is time to clean.

It is a little expensive. And a little out there. But there aren’t really any other island models like it. Plus, it packs a punch.

If you’re after a black visor which matches your other appliances and adds an impact then this Zanussi is a winner.

A slider control gives you great choice when it comes to how hard it has to work to remove your smells, smoke and steam from the kitchen. The handy space saving design will fit in between existing cupboards and underneath the one above your oven, or directly onto the wall using the appropriate fittings.

It doesn’t stick out too much beyond the cupboards either. This is great as it will reduce the risk of accidents, particularly if you are tall enough to bump your head on it when leaning over to taste your food to season it.

The light is also very effective, and allows you to both see your food when night time comes, and use as an ambient light when you need to add to the atmosphere without the ‘big light’ but don’t have the space for smaller lamps.

It is best used as an extraction device as opposed to recirculation as it can work much better in this setup, but the ability to adapt it to your needs and preference is great. The fan can also get noisy if it is ramped up to maximum speed but this is to be expected.

For under £100, there are fewer out there which can do just as good a job as this one. It extracts well, and is compact.

If you want a budget cooker hood, then this Candy pick comes in just under £100 and fits comfortably over any standard hob space, so is adaptable too.

It works well in a small kitchen, clearing the air noticeably in a few minutes. And the grease filters are washable, so you get continuous top performance without having to spend any more money on the unit.

If you feel it needs to work a bit harder, then the slider controls will allow you to ramp up the power. You won’t have to put off frying steak or making a stir fry any more. There is also an LED light which gives out a brilliant amount of illumination to your cooking area, so you can see what you’re doing without being dazzled.

Because of the size, it is a little on the louder side, but there is a good chance it isn’t going to have to be on long enough to really bother you.

No ‘best kitchen appliance’ rundown is complete without an entry from Smeg, and despite the fact that this is one of the lower priced ones, it actually has a lot of the features which some of the more expensive models lack.

One of these is lighting. The LED strip lights illuminate your cooking area perfectly, without the need to struggle to see under the big light. It has an A energy rating, meaning it will cost less than £10 per year to run. You get four speeds, and there is a filter care indicator which will let you know when the filters need cleaning or changing. This will ensure you always get the best results from your new appliance.

It will clear 430 cubic metres of air per hour, and is a 90cm wide model. Those at the higher end usually cope with 600m and are 100cm wide, but we think that this Smeg will fit the majority of kitchens just fine. It will also automatically shut off once it senses the job is done, so you don’t have to disturb your box set marathon.

Unfortunately, it is the loudest at 70dB, but this little tiny jump in noise compared to other more expensive models at 67dB won’t make too much of a difference to justify having to spend more. The touch controls are very responsive, and the black will blend in with any kitchen.

This Neff is at the top of the game when compared to a lot of the other downdraft extractors about. A 600 square meters per hour extraction rate, 100cm width for some real impact when risen and a boost mode all make it an ideal solution for your aesthetic smoke-removal needs.

The maximum noise level is 67dB, which is pretty much the standard for these appliances at the moment. This is when it is on Boost Mode, so even though it is slightly louder than your standard cooker hoods, you won’t mind when you see how quick it clears the room.

Touch controls can sometimes be a bit lacklustre, but the control panel of this hood is very responsive and does what you ask of it ASAP. All of the buttons are well spaced out so you won’t accidentally press the wrong thing, and they are at the side of the unit too, which should save you having to reach over hot surfaces to turn it on.

One of the best for powerful extraction, this Siemens has a rate of 600 square meters per hour, which will suit even the largest of kitchens or any open plan areas.

The 100cm width will work well alongside larger ranges or cooker areas, but will also act as a statement with ordinary sized cookers and hobs. A boost mode ensures that even if the room is filled with smoke from frying steaks, it won’t linger around for long and the air will be cleared in no time.

It is also one of the best for energy rating, at A+, which should consume around 37 Kwh of energy per annum and cost you no less than £10 for the entire year.

Siemens make some of the most eye-catching cooker hoods around, but if you want the power without the statement piece 24/7, this is an ideal compromise.

Elica are one of our favourite brands when it comes to cooker hoods in general, so we were very pleased to see that they are also in on the downdraft market.

While it may not be as budget-friendly as all of their other hoods, it still packs in all of the quality we have come to expect. It is 90cm wide, making it ideal for sitting alongside range cookers or larger areas.

Able to tackle 647 cubic metres of air per hour, it will be able to handle the huge outputs from these cooking ranges too. It is also suitable for larger, airy kitchens without the need to open windows or waft with the kitchen towel. Two filters and three speeds carry out the work, and a boost mode will save the kitchen from ever-lasting smells when you’re stir frying or having a fry up.