Comparison Akpo Feniks 60 vs VENTOLUX Italia 60 IX 1000 ST stainless steel

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 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 ability to install an additional carbon filter in the hood — in addition to the grease filter (see above).

It provides finer air purification than a grease mesh: the carbon filter is capable of retaining impurities literally at the molecular level. Due to this, it is possible to effectively clean the air from not only kitchen fumes but also odours that are not associated with smoke, steam and other relatively large impurities. However, the carbon filter has a limited service life, and it has to be changed from time to time (cleaning, in this case, is not an option).

Note that, in this case, we are talking only about the compatibility of the hood with a carbon filter. The filter itself may not be supplied. However, in many models with this function, it is available as an option (included or not included in the kit at the request of the user).

Lighting method provided as standard in the hood.

— Incandescent lamp. The simplest and most affordable of modern lighting sources. The main advantage of incandescent lamps is their low cost. In addition, they give a fairly eye-pleasing light in warm colours. On the other hand, such lamps are the most energy-intensive. Besides, they get very hot during operation.

— Halogen lamp. An improved version of the incandescent lamps described above. They are distinguished by higher brightness at lower power consumption while also having a spectrum of luminescence that is pleasing to the eye. At the same time, halogen lamps are still inferior in terms of efficiency to fluorescent and LED lamps.

— Fluorescent lamp. Also known as "fluorescent light bulbs" or "energy-saving light bulbs". One of the advantages of such lamps is just low power consumption — many times lower than that of incandescent lamps (although higher than that of LEDs). The light from fluorescent lamps is white, rather cold; this can be both an advantage and a disadvantage, depending on personal preferences and interior features. But of the unambiguous shortcomings, it is worth noting that most of these lamps contain mercury vapour in the flask; because of this, failed light bulbs must be disposed of according to special rules, and a broken lamp can become a source of health problems.

— Light-emitting diodes (LED). The most advanced of mod...ern lighting sources. LEDs are highly energy-efficient. They are more economical than incandescent lamps, and they practically do not heat up during operation. The light from such sources is neutral white, which is quite suitable for most cases. The disadvantage of LEDs is a rather high price.

Note that many modern hoods allow you to replace a regular light source — for example, a halogen lamp can be changed to a fluorescent or LED lamp with the same base.

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.

A remote control allows you to control the functions of the hood from a distance. Such a remote control will be especially convenient for those who, due to low height or health problems, find it difficult to reach for the hood itself every time. At the same time, this function affects the cost of the device, and the need for it arises relatively rarely. Therefore, the presence of a remote control is typical mainly for rather expensive models.

The minimum height of the entire hood structure is from the lower edge to the upper part of the body (the point of connection of the external air duct). This parameter is indicated only for hoods with an adjustable design that allows you to change the height. Pay special attention to the minimum height if the device is planned to be installed in a kitchen with a low ceiling. In this case, it should be assumed that the optimal height of the air intake above the hob is 60-80 cm, and between the hood body and the ceiling, a headroom is required for the air duct. With a low ceiling, a hood that is too large may simply not fit into your kitchen.