How to Choose a Cooker Hood: 2026 UK Buying Guide
After 17 years and thousands of UK kitchen callouts, the Go Assist engineer network has seen what works, and what doesn't, for cooker hoods. This guide cuts through the marketing noise to focus on the five factors that actually affect how well a hood clears steam, grease, and cooking smells from your kitchen. We'll also flag the features that sound impressive but rarely justify the price jump, help you size correctly for your hob, and share what our engineers look for when reliability matters.
The 5 Things That Actually Matter
1. Extraction Rate (m³/h)
This measures how much air the hood shifts per hour. For UK kitchens, you need roughly 10 times your kitchen's volume in cubic metres per hour. A 20m² kitchen with 2.4m ceilings = 48m³, so you'd want around 480m³/h minimum. Most hoods in the £200, £400 range deliver 300-650m³/h, which covers typical semi-detached and terraced kitchens. If you cook with a wok daily or have a large open-plan space, aim higher.
2. Noise Level (dB)
Decibel ratings tell you how loud the hood runs. Anything under 60dB on maximum speed is liveable, you can hold a conversation. Above 65dB gets intrusive. Most hoods list two figures: minimum and maximum speed. The Hotpoint PHBS67FLLIX runs at 31-60dB, which is genuinely quiet. The Indesit ISLK66LSX hits 71dB at full pelt, which is noticeably louder but still acceptable for short bursts during heavy frying.
3. Grease Filter Type
Dishwashable aluminium grease filters are standard on decent hoods and last for years if you clean them monthly. Synthetic filters (found on budget visor hoods) need replacing every few months and add ongoing cost. Aluminium is the clear winner for long-term value. Every Hotpoint and most Indesit models in our range use dishwashable aluminium.
4. Ducted vs Recirculation
Ducted hoods vent cooking fumes outside through a wall or roof duct, far more effective at removing moisture and smells. Recirculation hoods filter air through charcoal and pump it back into the room. They're easier to install (no ductwork needed) but less efficient, and charcoal filters need replacing every 3-6 months at £15, £30 a pop. If you can duct, do. If you're in a flat or can't vent externally, recirculation works but accept the limitations.
5. Width Match to Your Hob
Your hood should be at least as wide as your hob, ideally 10-20cm wider to catch rising steam at the edges. A 60cm hob pairs well with a 60cm or 70cm hood. A 90cm range cooker needs a 90cm hood minimum. Under-sizing is the most common mistake we see, steam escapes sideways, grease builds up on adjacent cabinets, and extraction efficiency plummets.
The 3 Things Marketing Will Oversell You On
1. Touch Controls vs Buttons
Touch-sensitive panels look sleek, but buttons are just as functional and often more reliable long-term (especially near heat and grease). If you prefer the aesthetic, fine, but don't pay a £50+ premium for controls that do the same job. Our Hotpoint PHVP64FALK (touch) and PHBS67FLLIX (button) perform identically where it counts.
2. LED Lighting Colour Temperature
Some hoods tout adjustable LED "mood lighting." Useful? Barely. You need bright, neutral light to see what you're cooking. Warm white or cool white both work. Colour-changing LEDs are a gimmick unless you're also using your hob as a nightclub.
3. "Smart" Connectivity
App control and automated fan speed adjustment sound futuristic, but in practice most people set their hood manually and forget it. Features like Whirlpool's CookSense (which adjusts extraction based on detected steam) can work well, but they're not essential. If the hood is £100 cheaper without the smart chip, you're not missing much.
Sizing for Your Household and Cooking Habits
Light cooking (1-2 people, mostly boiling and microwaving): A 60cm hood with 300-400m³/h extraction is plenty. The Hotpoint PHBS67FLLIX at 60cm wide handles this comfortably and runs quietly.
Regular family cooking (3-4 people, daily frying and roasting): Step up to 500m³/h+ and consider a 70cm or 90cm width if your hob allows. The Hotpoint PHC77FLBIX (70cm) offers a wider capture area and better airflow for busier kitchens.
Heavy or commercial-style cooking (large households, frequent high-heat wok work, or open-plan living areas): Go for 90cm hoods with 600m³/h+ extraction and prioritise ducted installation. Chimney hoods generally outperform integrated T-box models at these higher outputs.
Energy Rating Reality Check
Cooker hoods now carry A, G energy labels, but the running cost difference is minimal compared to ovens or fridges. A typical hood uses 150-250W on maximum speed. If you run it 30 minutes daily at full power, that's roughly 4kWh per month, about £1.20 at current UK electricity prices. Even an "inefficient" model costs under £20 yearly to run. Focus your budget on extraction performance and build quality, not shaving £3 off annual energy bills.
Reliability Signals Worth Looking For
Brand reputation: Hotpoint, Whirlpool, and Indesit all have extensive UK service networks and widely available spare parts. After 17 years supporting appliances, our engineers stock common components for these brands, that matters when a fan motor needs replacing in year six.
Warranty length: Manufacturer warranties on hoods typically run 1-2 years. We provide the full manufacturer warranty on every appliance, and our engineer network means you're not waiting weeks for a third-party repairer.
Metal housing over plastic internals: Hoods with metal ductwork, fan housings, and control panels hold up better to heat and grease exposure. Budget visor hoods often use more plastic, which can warp or yellow over time near a busy hob.
Dishwashable filters: Already mentioned, but worth repeating, replaceable synthetic filters are a false economy and a reliability red flag. Aluminium filters that survive the dishwasher mean one less thing to buy and replace.
Our Picks from Current Stock
Hotpoint PHBS67FLLIX (£260): 60cm T-box hood, exceptionally quiet at 31dB minimum, dishwashable aluminium filters, best all-rounder for typical UK kitchens and lighter cooking.
Hotpoint PHC77FLBIX (£300): 70cm T-box with 35-60dB noise range and wider capture area, ideal if you've got a 60cm hob but want better edge coverage or cook for a family regularly.
Hotpoint PHVP64FALK (£216): 60cm chimney hood with touch controls and a clean black finish, good choice if you prefer the chimney aesthetic over integrated T-box styling, though slightly louder at 55-63dB.
Ready to Choose?
Every hood we stock comes with full manufacturer warranty and the backing of Go Assist's UK-wide engineer network, the same team that's handled home service calls since 2009. You also get 14-day free returns if it's not right. Browse our current range of cooker hoods, or ring us if you need help matching a hood to your specific hob and kitchen layout.
This guide was last updated on 09 April 2026. Prices and stock states change daily, check the linked product pages for the current position. Got a question an engineer should answer? Drop us a line.
