Comparison Falmec Elle 175/800 Isola black vs Fabiano Linea Silence+ 90 stainless steel

— 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.

Modes supported by the hood.

— Extraction only. The device draws in the air in the room and takes it to the ventilation shaft or directly to the street. It is a very effective way to clean the air from pollution: all impurities, including odours, are simply removed. However, when the hood is operated in this mode, you must either open windows or provide adequate ventilation. Because of this, this mode is not always appropriate: for example, in the cold season, not only pollution but also heat can fly out into the chimney. Therefore, in most modern hoods, a recirculation mode is also provided.

— Recirculation. An operating mode in which the hood does not draw air from the room but drives it through its own filters. This mode is not as effective in terms of air purification as extraction. To effectively remove odours you need to use absorbent filters, that have a limited service life. On the other hand, recirculation does not require an intensive flow of outside air, which in some situations is important — for example, in the cold season, when it is undesirable to blow out the heated air from the room.

The vast majority of modern hoods support both modes of operation. Occasionally, some models are not compatible with carbon filters and work only in extraction mode; even rarer — devices with recirculation only mode.

The power of the hood at maximum speed.

The more powerful the device, the more performant it is, usually. However, there is no rigid dependence here, and hoods of the same power may differ in actual performance. So it is worth evaluating power consumption in terms of power first of all: the lower this indicator, the more economical the device. And when evaluating performance, you need to look not so much at power as at the directly claimed flow of the air (see below).

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 volume at which the device operates in the quietest mode. Usually (but not necessarily) it is the minimum power mode.

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 minimum noise in modern hoods:

— 20 dB. Almost inaudible. The volume of a whisper at a distance of 1 m, the sound background in an open field on a calm day.
— 30 dB. The whisper, the ticking of the clock. The maximum noise level allowed for residential premises at night.
— 40 dB. The volume of normal human speech. The maximum permissible sound background (permanent) for living quarters during the day.
— 50 dB. Conversation of several people in medium tones.
— 60 dB. Loud talk.
— 65 – 68 dB — background noise on a city street, a vacuum cleaner engine at a distance of 2 – 3 m. The highest noise level among modern hoods is typical for powerful performant models.

When choosing according to this indicator, note that, other things being equal, a quieter device will, accordingly, cost more.

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 number of speeds at which the hood can operate.

The more speeds, the more accurately you can adjust the device's operating mode to a specific situation. At the same time, the vast majority of modern hoods have only three speeds which are enough for most occasions.

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.