Cooker hood reviews: FAQs
Installing a cooker hood costs extra
Cooker hood installation
Will the shop install my cooker hood for me?
Yes, but it will charge you for this. None of the retailers we called offered a free installation service.
Can I find installation information online?
You can find a lot of helpful installation guidelines on cooker hood manufacturer’s websites.
John Lewis and Elica both provide detailed information on their sites including a postcode-driven search engine on the John Lewis site to help you find a local installer.
Does Part P of the Building Regulations apply?
In England and Wales you don’t need to notify your local authority if you’re replacing your cooker hood or installing a new cooker hood which will use an existing power supply.
However, if a new or replacement hood is being installed with a new power supply, then Part P of the Building regulations will apply and you would have to notify your Local Authority Building Control office. This is because the kitchen is a 'special area' according to the building regulations.
If the work is carried out by a qualified electrician with certification to prove that their qualification exempts him from notification, you won’t need to notify the local authority.
Certification for this kind of work is provided by these organisations – BRE Certification, BSI, Elecsa, Napit Certification Ltd or NICEIC Certification Services.
What about Scotland and Northern Ireland?
In Scotland, you should use a certified electrician if the job is covered by a building warrant – Select and NICEIC are the organisations to contact about this. In Northern Ireland there are no similar regulations for building work.
Looking to buy a cooker too? Read the Which? reviews of freestanding cookers and range cookers.
Changing a fleece grease filter
Cleaning and maintenance
How do I change the grease filter?
To keep the grease filters clean, you'll need to change them regularly.
Metal filters are easy to remove, as they clip in and out of the underside of the hood. They’re dishwasher proof and, unlike fleece filters, won’t need replacing.
Removing a greasy fleece filter can be a messy job, so if you don’t like getting your hands dirty choose a hood with metal grease filters.
How often should I wash or replace the grease filters?
You’ll need to wash metal filters every four to eight weeks. Fleece filters will need to be replaced every two months. Some hoods come with a handy saturation indicator that lets you know when the filter should be changed or washed.
You’ll be able to get replacement filters from the hood manufacturer – make sure you’re specific about the size and type that you need, though – we were sent the wrong ones more than once.
Change the light is easy on some hoods
How do I keep my hood clean?
To clean stainless steel, use warm soapy water. Hoods with a glass canopy are easier to keep clean than 100% stainless steel models.
Hoods with thinner underside rims and bigger filters don’t get as dirty – more of the grease ends up in the filters than on the surround.
Is it easy to change the light?
This can be a struggle. The lights on several hoods we tested were very difficult to change.
The best hoods have quick-release light casings which are great for getting this job done easily.
