A modern, functional kitchen cannot do without an efficient cooker hood. Beyond being a striking design feature, the hood plays a vital role in ensuring a healthy environment – one that is free from lingering odours, cooking fumes and excess moisture that can compromise comfort and air quality.
But how can you choose between the many options on the market?
To make an informed decision, it’s important to know that cooker hoods mainly operate in two modes: extraction, which expels stale air outdoors, and recirculation, which purifies the air and recirculates it into the room.
In this article, we’ll help you choose the most suitable cooker hood for your kitchen by examining the features, advantages and limitations of both options – with a special focus on Faber cooker hoods. Designed to operate efficiently in both modes, they offer the ideal flexibility to adapt to any layout or building constraint, thanks to advanced technologies that enhance performance, quietness and sustainability.
HOW EXTRACTION AND RECIRCULATION HOODS WORK
Before choosing the ideal hood for your kitchen, it’s essential to understand how these two modes work. Each uses a different method to purify the air, providing distinct benefits depending on the space and needs of the user.
Extraction cooker hoods
Extraction hoods are designed to draw in stale air filled with cooking odours, grease and vapours, and expel it outside through dedicated ducting. This system effectively eliminates pollutants from the kitchen environment, maintaining freshness and optimal air quality.
Technically, it operates via a powerful motor that channels air through a pathway to the outdoors, dispersing it safely without reintroducing it into the home.
Recirculation cooker hoods
Unlike extraction models, recirculation hoods do not vent air outside. Instead, the air passes through multilayer filters – grease filters followed by activated carbon filters – that trap impurities and odours before returning clean air back into the kitchen.
This air management process is an excellent solution when ducting to the outside isn’t possible, or when architectural constraints make extraction unfeasible.
Always at the forefront of functional living solutions, Faber has developed dual-mode hoods, designed to work effectively in both configurations. With optional conversion kits, they can easily adapt to different spaces and installation requirements.
WHEN TO CHOOSE EXTRACTION MODE
The extraction mode is recommended when an external outlet – such as flue ducting or a ventilation shaft – is available. It’s a highly efficient system for removing large volumes of contaminated air, ideal for medium to large kitchens or for frequent cooking.
Main advantages include:
● Higher air capacity and maximum extraction efficiency — By directly expelling air outdoors, unpleasant odours, grease and cooking vapours are completely removed, even at lower speeds, ensuring cleaner and fresher kitchen air.
● Reduced humidity and unwanted smells — External venting minimises condensation, mould formation and stagnant odours.
● Lower maintenance costs — Since activated carbon filters are not required, there’s no expense or downtime for filter replacement; airflow remains constant and efficient.
● Quiet operation — Thanks to energy-efficient brushless motors and the use of silencers, extraction hoods can operate quietly, even at high power levels.
Potential limits:
● Structural work required — Installing an extraction system requires external ducting, which may involve building work or architectural constraints.
● Heat loss from the room — Expelling warm air outdoors can lead to heat dispersion in winter, slightly increasing energy consumption.
● Careful duct design needed — For peak performance and low noise levels, proper planning of the duct route is essential.
● Regulatory considerations — Extraction systems must comply with building and safety regulations, especially when combustion appliances are present.
WHEN TO CHOOSE RECIRCULATION MODE
Recirculation mode is the ideal alternative when no external venting is possible, or when structural or regulatory restrictions apply. It’s particularly suitable for city flats, open-plan kitchens or compact spaces.
Advantages include:
● Easy installation with no building work — Recirculating systems don’t require wall perforations or external ducting, allowing for flexible installation in any setting.
● No heat loss — Filtered air is returned into the room, preserving indoor temperature and reducing energy waste.
Possible drawbacks:
● Regular carbon filter replacement — To maintain optimal performance, activated carbon filters must be replaced periodically, incurring upkeep costs.
● Less effective against humidity and steam — Since moisture isn’t expelled, condensation and mould formation can occur.
● Lower airflow rate — Recirculation hoods typically have reduced extraction capacity compared to ducted ones.
● Higher noise levels — Filtration systems may generate more noise than direct extraction models.
FABER ACCESSORIES FOR CHIMNEY (DUCTED) HOODS
To optimise the performance of its extraction hoods, Faber offers a selection of accessories that enhance efficiency and durability over time.
● Chimney kits — Allow seamless integration with external flues, ensuring controlled and secure air discharge.
● Ducting systems — Available in various formats to suit different kitchen layouts, creating the physical path for air to travel from the cooking area outdoors.
● Silencers — Installed along the ducting path, these devices reduce noise generated by the airflow in vent pipes.
● Remote motors — Placed away from the cooking zone (typically in attics or technical rooms), they power the hood while minimising noise in spacious or open-plan environments, improving overall acoustic comfort.
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS SUPPORTING BOTH MODES
As a pioneering brand in advanced air solutions, Faber has invested extensively in cutting-edge technologies to make both extraction and recirculation systems more efficient, quieter and sustainable.
Among the most significant innovations:
● Sound Pro Technology — An advanced noise-reduction system featured in Faber’s mid- to high-end hoods, reducing sound levels by up to 6 dB. It optimises airflow through an innovative diffuser, improving even the tone quality of the sound for quieter operation at all speeds.
● HFH (High Filtering Hood) double-layer filters — An exclusive Faber technology that significantly enhances air purification in recirculation mode, improving efficiency and prolonging the lifespan of activated carbon filters.
● Intelligent Air Quality Sensors — Found in selected models, these sensors continuously monitor temperature, humidity and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), automatically adjusting extraction power for ideal air quality.
● High-efficiency brushless motors — Among the quietest in the world, they deliver major energy savings while maintaining strong suction. Used mainly in extraction hoods, remote brushless motors allow the engine to be placed away from the hood, further reducing perceived kitchen noise.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT MODE FOR YOUR NEEDS
Ultimately, the choice between extraction and recirculation depends on several factors: the physical layout of the space, architectural and regulatory constraints, and personal priorities such as noise, maintenance and sustainability.
To make the decision easier, Faber offers a wide range of versatile, high-performing cooker hoods designed to operate efficiently in both modes. Each model reflects Faber’s hallmark blend of advanced technology and constant innovation – ensuring cleaner air, greater well-being and an ever more rewarding, comfortable cooking experience.
