Comparison Gorenje BHI 681 EB black vs Akpo WK-4 Clarus ECO 60

— Traditional (wall). Free-standing (non-embedded) wall-mounted units. The most common type of modern hoods: hobs are often placed near the walls, and it also makes sense to install the hood there.

— Wall/built-in. This type includes exclusively visor hoods(see below), which can be installed both as wall-mounted and built-in.

— Built-in (in cabinet). Hoods mounted in a kitchen cabinet; only the duct panel remains outside. It can be fully built-in or have a sliding panel; see "Design" for details. Nevertheless, the built-in hood is almost entirely hidden inside the cabinet, making it easier to fit into the overall kitchen design than a stand-alone one.

— Island (ceiling). Hoods mounted on the ceiling. The advantage of such devices is that they can be installed anywhere in the kitchen, not necessarily against the wall. If the hob is placed not against the wall but in the middle of the kitchen, such a hood can be indispensable.

— Suspended (ceiling). Hood models that are as similar as possible to island hoods differ in the type of installation — they use special cables that hold the device under the ceiling (something similar to hanging chandeliers). And, due to the distance from the wall (ceiling), such hoods work on the principle of recirculation, air extraction is not typical for them.

...— Built-in (ceiling). A type of built-in hood mounted on the ceiling — usually between the suspended and the main ceiling. Such models are distinguished by their large size and high performance; they are intended not so much for the "maintenance" of individual cooking hobs but for general ventilation of the premises. Also, note that the installation of such hoods has to be planned already at the stage of the initial design of the premises.

— Corner (wall). Hoods designed for installation in a corner. In some cases, it is this installation of the cooker (and hood) that is the best option. In general, such devices are similar to the wall-mounted ones described above.

— Downdraft (built into tabletop). A variety of built-in hoods designed to be built into the countertop. Usually, they are equipped with a retractable air intake, which, when opened, moves upwards, and when not in use, it is hidden inside the countertop and does not interfere with its use.

— Dome. Hood with a round or rectangular air duct; in the lower part turning into a conical or trapezoidal body. Usually, it has a discreet design with a minimum number of decorative elements. Exceptions to this rule apply to country style, shown separately.

— T-shaped. Outwardly, it resembles a dome hood, but instead of a conical or trapezoidal body, the air duct ends with a flat rectangular air intake. In cross-section, the system resembles the letter "T" for which it got its name.

— Angled. In such hoods, the air intake panel is installed at an angle to the duct. This design is purely aesthetic and does not affect functionality.

— Vertical panel. A special type of wall-mounted hood that is as close as possible to angled models, except that when not in use, the front panel is parallel to the wall and not at an angle.

— Cylindrical. Classic cylindrical hoods.

— Rectangular. Hoods of an even geometric shape of a solid design and do not have a division into a duct and a body (as is done in T-shaped models).

— With glass. The main distinguishing feature of all such hoods is the presence of a glass plate in the design as an additional decorative...element. The very appearance of the hood can be anything: dome with glass, T-shaped with glass, angled with glass, cylindrical with glass.

— Visor. Extractor hood designed for installation under a kitchen cabinet. At the same time, the air duct is hidden inside, and outside there is only a flat air intake resembling a visor (hence the name). Glass is often used in the design of the visor.

— Sliding panel. As the name implies, these hoods are equipped with a retractable air intake panel. During operation, the panel opens — thus increasing the effective suction area. The hood itself is usually built into a cabinet or table (see "Product type"). But this type can be implemented in two ways. Sliding hoods with open panel when closed have a front panel that stands out and is visible under the cabinet. Sliding hoods with hidden panel are not visible when closed, and the opening mechanism is designed in such a way that the panel extends slightly at an angle.

— Fully built-in. Hoods that are built-in in the full sense of the word: the device is almost entirely hidden in a hanging cabinet or ceiling; only the air intake panel is outside. Such an installation is known by a minimum of visible details and allows you not to worry about how the hood will fit into the kitchen interior.

— Modern (unusual design). Hoods with a hi-tech look — using polished metal, glass and a minimum of decorative elements. Most modern style hoods have a specific design that does not fit into any of the options described above; Therefore, they are separated into a separate category. However, the design of such devices may vary; there are both absolutely minimalistic and rather pretentious, original design.

— Country. Country-style hoods usually have light, soft body colours (white, beige, light grey) and structural elements decorated in wood, bronze and other similar materials. By design, such devices are usually similar to domed ones. Note that with similar performance, country hoods are noticeably more expensive than conventional style models. In addition, they are quite demanding on the environment: the whole kitchen must be made in a similar style. otherwise, it is likely that the device simply does not fit into the interior.

The maximum flow of air or motor flow of air indicates the theoretical capability of the device. This parameter of the hood (motor) is measured during idle operation. By connecting the duct and working in the appropriate mode of extraction, the flow of air will be lower. However, high-performance motors will also give a high flow of air in extraction mode.

The performance of the hood in extraction mode at maximum speed shows the real possibilities for air purification. Since this parameter is several times less than the motor performance (maximum performance), not all manufacturers indicate this value, trying to present large and beautiful numbers. A similar situation can be observed among other devices. For example, in vacuum cleaners, the total power is many times greater than the suction power; in acoustics, mediocre brands prefer to list peak power instead of nominal power. Therefore, motor performance and extraction performance can not be compared. However, high-performance motors will also give high performance in extraction mode. And it may well be that the conditional Bosch with an extraction performance of 300 m³/h will be better than another hood with a maximum motor performance of 500 m³/h.

The level of noise produced by the hood in the loudest mode of operation. Usually (but not necessarily) it is the maximum power mode. It affects the comfort during operation of the device, so quiet hoods will be more preferable, but also more expensive.

The decibels in which the noise level is measured are non-linear units, so it is easiest to use comparison tables to estimate a specific value. Here is the simplest table for the values relevant in this case:

— 35 dB. The volume of a conversation in an undertone (but not a whisper). The lowest maximum noise value in modern hoods. Devices with such characteristics are almost guaranteed not to cause inconvenience: such noise is often blocked by other sounds, for example, the background noise of the street in an open window.
— 40 dB. The volume of a normal conversation. The maximum noise level allowed in a residential area during the day. If the hood is bought for home use, and it is supposed to be turned on often and for a long time, the noise level in the selected device shouldn't exceed this indicator.
— 50 dB. Conversation volume at medium tones.
— 60 dB. Raised conversation.
— 70 dB. Sound background on a busy street, in a crowd of people talking loudly, the sound of a vacuum cleaner motor at a distance of 2 – 3 m.
— 75 dB. Scream or loud laughter at a distance of about a metre.
— 78 – 79 dB. Loud mechanical alarm clock, motorcycle o...r truck engine. The highest level in modern consumer-grade hoods.

Note that the actual comfort of using the device depends not only on the volume but also on the timbre (tonality) of the noise: for example, a low, even rumble is generally perceived easier than high frequencies with clanging notes. If the hood installation is unsuccessful, the actual noise level may be higher than stated in the specifications. For example, additional noise can be caused by the hum of air in the ducts or rattling from the contact of the vibrating body with the wall. However, when choosing, it is worth focusing on the noise level claimed in the specifications.

The type of grease filter normally used in the hood. Usually, it has the appearance of a fine mesh that traps drops of fat and kitchen fumes. The grease filter can be like this:

— Metal. In this case, different materials can be used; most often, the word "metal" means a filter made of a relatively inexpensive alloy, and aluminium and stainless steel are usually listed separately (see below for more details). Common features of metal mesh are strength, durability and reusability: it is enough to wash and dry a dirty filter, after which it is ready for use again.

— Aluminium. Filters made of aluminium alloys are considered to be very durable, because this material is highly resistant to corrosion. However, such filters are noticeably more expensive than ordinary metal ones (see above).

— Stainless steel. Mesh made of this material has all the advantages of the metal filters described above; they are very reliable and durable, but at the same time not cheap. As a result, the use of stainless steel is typical mainly for premium hoods.

— Acrylic. A polymeric material similar to plastic. The main and the only advantage of acrylic filters is their low cost. At the same time, their service life is much shorter than that of metal ones. And some of these filters are generally disposable and cannot be cleaned after clogging. As a result, such filters are used mainly in low...-cost models of hoods, and even then quite rarely.

The model of the carbon filter compatible with the hood. For more information about such a filter, see "Ability to install carbon filter". Here we note that the carbon filter is not always supplied in a kit, and its service life is limited, periodic replacement is required. Anyway, the data on the filter model makes it much easier to find.

The control method provided in the hood.

— Push-buttons. The most popular control method in modern hoods can be provided in devices of any functionality and price category — from low-cost models, where buttons directly control the motor, to high-end solutions with advanced electronic circuits.

— Rotary knobs. Control with rotary knobs, sometimes supplemented by buttons or touch sensors. A rather specific option found mainly in high-end hoods, where rotary knobs are part of the design.

— Slider. Control using the lever moved on the special panel. Usually, only power is regulated in this way: the farther the slider is from the neutral position, the more air the hood draws. A fairly universal control method, found in hoods of all price categories.

— Touch controls. Control using touch panels is considered a sign of expensive high-end hoods. It is because it makes sense to use such panels mainly with advanced control electronics and they are poorly suited for low-cost devices. From a practical point of view, the touch controls are remarkable for their ease of use and ease of cleaning: a light touch is enough to give a command, and the panel itself has no slots or protrusions, making it easy to clean dirt.

In hoods with a slot suction, the filter elements are hidden under a decorative cover. Along the perimeter of its fit, gaps are formed through which air and other fumes are drawn in. The slotted design of the air intake increases the productivity of the hood while maintaining moderate power consumption.