Why Do You Need A Cooking Hood?
When you are planning for a new kitchen, there are some specific appliances that are considered a must have, and an oven and hob, are certainly top on your list. However, there is one item that most people tend to wonder about and it’s the cooking hood, which can sometimes be expensive, but how really important is it?
What does a cooking hood do?
A typical cooking hood is made up of a canopy that contains grease filters that are easily washable, an inbuilt motor that helps in drawing air through these, either directly outside through an extra rigid or flexible duct or back into the room through extra charcoal filters which eliminate any cooking smells. Either way, cooking hoods process the air and completely enhance your cooking environment.
- It collects any grease that gets released into the air as you cook. If you do not have a cooking hood, then the grease that is produced during the cooking process will likely land on your kitchen counter tops and the floors making your kitchen a dangerous area.
- Cooking hoods provide light over the cooking surface. When cooking, your vision may likely be impaired by the smoke coming from the kitchen or the heat may hurt your eyes. A kitchen hood can be installed with lights underneath the border. When you feel you need extra light in your cooking area, all you will need is to turn on the cooking hood lights.
- Cooking hoods enhance the overall look of your kitchen. It can be the focus feature in your kitchen or it can be hidden in a cabinet.
- Cooking results in steam and condensation in the kitchen. If the room is not properly cleaned, this could result to mould. If your cooking hoods are ducted out (instead of used in recycling mode), it will get rid of steam and condensation in your kitchen.
What features should I watch out for?
The two major aspects of cooking hoods functionality one must be keen on are the rate of extraction (m3/h) and noise level (dB). The most reasonable rate would be 450m3/h with a noise level of 60dB for averagely priced hoods, but the higher, the better. If the motor is great, then the extraction rate will be higher and the more work it will be performing at a lower and quieter setting. Cooking hoods generally come with 3 speeds and may have boosters which offer limited performance burst when the occasion demands.
- Auto sensing – This activates the cooking hood when it detects heat, smell or steam.
- Power boost – Excellent for clearing the air quickly after frying your favorite dish.
- Auto timer – Let’s you to leave the cooking hood running for sometime after you have finished cooking.
- Remote control – Comes in handy especially if you are not able to reach the main controls.
- Filter warning – Detects when charcoal filters are soggy and need to be changed.
Do I really need a cooking hood?
Although cooking hoods are not vital components of your kitchen and there are no regulations stipulating that you should have one, the benefits it adds to your cooking experience cannot be underestimated. However, there are some regulations that require new buildings to have a way of removing steam from your kitchen.