Best Cooker Hoods and Extractor Fans UK 2026: Six Picks Compared

A cooker hood is the appliance most people think about last and regret most. Get it right and the kitchen stays clear of steam, grease and cooking smells, the walls stay clean and the room feels fresh. Get it wrong and you have a good looking box on the wall that barely moves any air, roars every time you fry an egg, and leaves the whole house smelling of last night's dinner. The listings rarely help, because they lead with the finish and the price and tell you almost nothing about the extraction rate, whether it is ducted or recirculating, or how loud it really is.

We work with kitchen and home fittings all day at Loften, so this guide sticks to what genuinely matters. It explains the handful of things that decide whether a cooker hood is right for your kitchen, then compares six sold on Amazon UK right now, from a value chimney hood to a premium island hood. No invented hands on testing, just the trade offs laid out plainly, plus the sizing, ducting and noise points a real fitter will raise.

Some links in this guide are affiliate links, so we may earn a commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend.

Quick answer

For most UK kitchens the sensible buy is a chimney hood the same width as your hob, ducted to the outside where possible, with an extraction rate that clears the air in the room about ten times an hour. A 600mm hood suits a 600mm hob, a 900mm hood suits a wider range, and you want the quoted rate in cubic metres per hour to comfortably exceed your room volume times ten. If you cannot duct outside, a recirculating hood with a carbon filter still helps, just less. Keep reading for how to size it properly and which six hoods make the shortlist.

The things that actually matter

Ignore the finish for a moment and get these right first.

• Extraction rate and sizing, because a hood that cannot move enough air is just decoration. Extraction rate is quoted in cubic metres per hour, and the widely used rule is that a hood should change the air in the kitchen about ten times an hour. Work out your room volume by multiplying length, width and height in metres, then multiply by ten to get the minimum rate you want. A four by three metre kitchen with a 2.4 metre ceiling is roughly 29 cubic metres, so you want a hood rated at around 290 cubic metres per hour as a minimum, and more if you cook hard. Just as important, the hood should be at least as wide as the hob, ideally a little wider on each side, so a 600mm hob wants a 600mm or wider hood to actually capture the steam rather than let it escape past the edges.
• Ducted or recirculating, because they are not the same job. A ducted hood sends the extracted air and smells outside through a duct, which is by far the more effective option and the one to choose if you can. A recirculating hood pulls the air through a carbon filter and blows it back into the room, which removes some grease and odour but never matches ducting, and the carbon filter is a consumable you replace periodically. Many hoods can do either, so check whether your kitchen allows an external duct run before you buy, because that single decision does more for performance than any other feature.
• Noise, because a loud hood is a hood you never switch on. Cooker hoods are rated in decibels, and the difference between a quiet hood and a loud one is the difference between using it every day and leaving it off. A good hood sits somewhere in the low to mid fifties in decibels at full power, with far quieter settings for everyday use, while a cheap or undersized hood pushed to its limit can be genuinely intrusive. If an open plan kitchen matters to you, treat the decibel figure as a headline spec, not an afterthought, and favour a larger hood run gently over a small one run flat out.
• Filters, lighting and energy, because they shape daily life with the hood. Every hood has washable metal grease filters that you clean regularly, and a recirculating hood adds a carbon filter to replace. Good LED lighting over the hob is genuinely useful and now standard on better hoods, so check it is bright and a colour you like. The energy label rating is worth a glance too, because a hood that runs efficiently and quietly at a sensible setting costs little to run. None of these outweigh extraction and ducting, but they are the details that decide whether you enjoy living with the hood.

All six picks at a glance

Pick	Best for	Type	Typical band
Cooke & Lewis Chimney Hood	A budget starter hood	Chimney	£80 to £150
Cookology Chimney Hood	All round value	Chimney	£90 to £180
Bosch Series Chimney Hood	Powerful and quiet	Chimney	£250 to £500
AEG Integrated Hood	A hidden built in look	Integrated telescopic	£180 to £400
Neff Telescopic Hood	Discreet quality extraction	Integrated telescopic	£250 to £450
Elica Island Hood	A design led island kitchen	Island	£400 to £900

Bands are typical Amazon UK prices at the time of writing, quoted as ranges because prices move often and fitting is extra.

Our six picks for 2026

1. Cooke & Lewis Chimney Hood

Best budget starter hood. The Cooke & Lewis chimney hood is the honest entry point, a stainless steel chimney style hood that brings proper extraction to the kitchen at the lowest outlay here. Cooke & Lewis is a widely sold UK kitchen brand, the chimney design captures steam better than a small visor or integrated unit, and the price makes a real hood achievable without a premium spend. It can typically be ducted outside or run in recirculating mode with a carbon filter. Considerations: it is a basic hood so the top extraction rate and lowest noise will not match the premium picks, the lighting and controls are simple, and it still needs proper fitting and, ideally, a duct run. For getting started with genuine extraction without a big spend, it is the value pick. Check price on Amazon UK

2. Cookology Chimney Hood

Best all round value. The Cookology chimney hood is the sensible choice for most kitchens that want dependable extraction without top tier pricing, a stainless steel chimney hood available in common 60cm and 90cm widths with a solid extraction rate for the money. Cookology is a familiar UK appliance name on Amazon UK, the hoods carry a good energy rating, and they duct outside through a standard duct or recirculate with an optional carbon filter, so they suit most kitchen layouts. Considerations: it is a value brand rather than a premium name, the very highest settings are louder than the quiet premium hoods, and you should match the width to your hob and plan the duct run. For genuine value with real extraction, it is the strong all rounder. Check price on Amazon UK

3. Bosch Series Chimney Hood

Best for powerful, quiet extraction. The Bosch chimney hood is the pick when you want serious airflow that stays civilised, a well engineered chimney hood from one of the most trusted extraction brands, capable of moving a lot of air while keeping the noise down at everyday settings. Bosch is consistently among the top rated hood brands, the powerful motor clears a busy kitchen quickly, and the better models stay impressively quiet even when pushed, which is exactly what you want in an open plan home. It ducts outside for best results or recirculates with a carbon filter. Considerations: it is a step up in price from the value hoods, the top performance really shows when it is ducted, and it deserves correct sizing and fitting to earn its keep. For strong extraction without the roar, it leads. Check price on Amazon UK

4. AEG Integrated Hood

Best for a hidden built in look. The AEG integrated hood is the choice when you want extraction without a hood on show, a telescopic or built in unit that tucks into the cabinet above the hob and pulls out or switches on when you cook. AEG is a respected kitchen brand, the integrated design keeps the kitchen looking clean and uncluttered, and the extraction is far better than the old visor hoods it replaces. It can duct outside or recirculate with a carbon filter depending on the model and installation. Considerations: integrated hoods generally give a lower top extraction rate than a big chimney or island hood, they need a suitable cabinet to house them, and correct fitting matters for both looks and performance. For a discreet, tidy kitchen, it is a smart fit. Check price on Amazon UK

5. Neff Telescopic Hood

Best for discreet quality extraction. The Neff telescopic hood is the pick when you want a hidden hood but will not compromise on build and performance, a pull out integrated hood from a brand best known for well made, sensibly designed kitchen appliances. Neff sits alongside the very top hood brands for quality, the telescopic design stays out of sight until you slide it out to cook, and the extraction and quiet running are a clear step above budget integrated units. It ducts outside for best results or recirculates with a carbon filter. Considerations: like all integrated hoods it needs the right cabinet and careful fitting, the top extraction rate is lower than a large chimney or island hood, and it sits at a premium price for a hidden unit. For discreet extraction done properly, it is a standout. Check price on Amazon UK

6. Elica Island Hood

Best for a design led island kitchen. The Elica island hood is the choice when the hob sits in an island and the hood becomes a feature of the room, a suspended hood from a brand renowned for powerful extraction and striking design. Elica is one of the best known specialists in kitchen extraction, the island hoods combine strong airflow with quiet running and genuinely handsome looks, and good LED lighting finishes the effect over an island hob. It is designed to duct up and out where the layout allows, with recirculating options for kitchens that cannot duct. Considerations: it is the premium spend here, an island installation with ducting through the ceiling is more involved and best fitted professionally, and you should size it to the hob and the room. For an island kitchen where the hood is part of the look, it is the one to covet. Check price on Amazon UK

Which one should you buy?

Want dependable extraction on a sensible budget? The Cookology chimney hood covers most kitchens well at real value, and the Cooke & Lewis chimney hood brings genuine extraction within reach on a tighter budget.

Want strong, quiet performance? The Bosch chimney hood moves a lot of air while staying civilised, which is ideal for an open plan kitchen where noise matters.

Want the hood out of sight? The Neff telescopic hood is the quality hidden pick, and the AEG integrated hood gives the same tidy built in look for a little less.

Have an island hob? The Elica island hood is the design led choice that turns the hood into a feature while still extracting hard.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most frequent misstep is buying on looks and ignoring the extraction rate, then wondering why the kitchen still fills with steam. Others fit a hood narrower than the hob, so the steam escapes past the edges no matter how hard the motor works, or they choose recirculating when they could have ducted outside and end up with weaker performance and an ongoing carbon filter cost. Some overlook the noise figure and buy a small hood they have to run flat out, so it roars and they stop using it, and a few forget the running costs of grease and carbon filters entirely. Size the hood to the hob and the room, duct outside if you possibly can, check the decibel figure, and none of these catch you out.

How this fits with your wider kitchen and home

A cooker hood is part of getting the whole kitchen right, not a standalone box. If you are upgrading the kitchen properly, a boiling water tap is the other big everyday convenience, so it is worth reading our guide to the best boiling water taps UK alongside this one. In a hard water area, protecting your appliances and fittings from scale matters too, which our guide to the best water softeners UK covers in full. And if the bathroom is on the list as well, our guide to the best electric showers UK walks through the other big instant water upgrade in the home. Planning these together is what makes each upgrade pay off.

Frequently asked questions

What extraction rate do I need for a cooker hood? Match it to your kitchen. The widely used rule is that a hood should change the air in the room about ten times an hour, so work out the room volume by multiplying length, width and height in metres, then multiply by ten to get the minimum rate in cubic metres per hour. A four by three metre kitchen with a 2.4 metre ceiling is roughly 29 cubic metres, so you want around 290 cubic metres per hour as a minimum, and more if you cook hard or the kitchen is open plan. Buy a hood that comfortably exceeds that figure rather than one that only just meets it, so you can run it gently most of the time.

Should I choose a ducted or recirculating cooker hood? Duct outside if you possibly can, because it is far more effective. A ducted hood sends the steam, grease and smells out of the house through a duct, while a recirculating hood pulls the air through a carbon filter and blows it back into the room, which helps but never matches ducting and adds a carbon filter to replace periodically. Many hoods can do either, so check whether your kitchen allows an external duct run before you buy, because that single decision does more for real world performance than any other feature.

What size cooker hood do I need for my hob? The hood should be at least as wide as the hob, and ideally a little wider on each side, so it captures the steam rather than letting it escape past the edges. A 600mm hob suits a 600mm or wider hood, and a wider range or a big island hob wants a 900mm or larger hood. A hood narrower than the hob is one of the most common mistakes, because it looks fine but leaves steam and grease drifting up the walls no matter how powerful the motor is.

How noisy are cooker hoods? It varies a lot, and the decibel figure is worth checking. A good hood sits in the low to mid fifties in decibels at full power, with much quieter settings for everyday cooking, while a cheap or undersized hood pushed to its limit can be genuinely intrusive in an open plan kitchen. A larger hood run gently is usually quieter and more effective than a small hood run flat out, so if noise matters to you, favour the bigger, better rated hood and use a lower setting most of the time.

How do I clean and maintain a cooker hood? Every hood has metal grease filters that you should wash regularly, either by hand or in the dishwasher where the maker allows, because a clogged grease filter cuts performance and is a fire risk. A recirculating hood also has a carbon filter that you replace periodically, since it cannot be washed and stops working once it is saturated. Wipe the body down to keep grease from building up, and keeping on top of the filters is the single biggest thing you can do to keep a hood extracting well for years.

A cooker hood disappoints only when it is bought on the finish rather than on extraction rate, ducting, sizing and noise. Match the width to your hob, size the rate to your room, duct outside if you can, and check the decibel figure so you actually use it. Get that right and it quietly keeps the whole kitchen fresh, clean and pleasant to cook in. Prices, models and stock on Amazon UK change often, so check the current details on the day.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.