Cooker hoods, cookers and range cookers: choosing them well
The cooker hood is the most underrated appliance in the kitchen: well chosen, it keeps the air and the walls clean; badly chosen, it's noisy and nobody switches it on. Cookers and range cookers combine oven and hob in a single unit. Here's how to choose each one.
- Vented : the most effective; recirculation : charcoal filters
- Width : at least that of the hob, ideally more
- Bandwidth : kitchen volume × 10, and a tolerable noise level
- Cooker or range cooker : oven and hob freestanding, from €379.99
First question: extraction or recirculation?
Ducted hood
Air is expelled outside through a duct. It removes odours, but also humidity and heat. Ideally a duct of 150 mm in diameter, as short as possible, with few bends and a non-return valve.
to be preferred when possible
Recirculating hood
Air passes through a grease filter then a activated carbon filter which traps odours and returns to the kitchen. Humidity remains. Carbon filters need replacing every 3 to 6 months or so, or can be regenerated depending on the model.
flat, low-energy house
Reducing the duct to 125 mm, adding bends or a long run drops the actual airflow: a powerful hood poorly connected will always disappoint. Never connect the hood to the boiler flue or to mechanical ventilation ducting.
Hood types
| Format | Best for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Wall-mounted decorative (box, T-shaped, angled) | Most kitchens, hob against a wall | The most common; the angled one gives more headroom |
| Island | Hob on a central island | Suspended from the ceiling, wider, more expensive |
| Integrated (filter unit, telescopic, visor) | Minimalist kitchen, hood hidden in an overhead cabinet | Discreet, often less powerful |
| Ceiling-mounted | Large island, very minimalist design | Installation to be planned during structural work |
| Downdraft (downdraft, or hob with built-in extraction) | Open-plan island, unobstructed view | Requires space in the base unit |
Induction hobs with integrated hoods are covered in our comparison guide induction, ceramic or gas.
The criteria that matter
Width and height
The hood must be at least as wide as the hob, ideally a little wider: a 90 cm hood for an 80 cm hob, for example. It is generally fitted 65 to 75 cm above an electric hob, a little higher above gas. The manual sets the minimum.
Airflow
Simple rule: kitchen volume in m³ × 10 = useful airflow in m³/h. A 4 × 3 m kitchen under a 2.5 m ceiling is 30 m³: aim for around 300 m³/h at normal speed. In a kitchen open to the living area, count the total volume and allow a margin, especially with ducted extraction. The maximum airflow ('intensive' or 'booster') is only sustained for a few minutes.
Noise
Often 40 to 50 dB at normal speed and 65 to 70 dB on intensive. This is the criterion that decides whether the hood will actually be used. Compare dB at the speed you will use most, not just the maximum.
Automation
Steam or smoke sensor, connection with the hob (the hood starts by itself), delayed switch-off (it keeps running 10 to 15 minutes after cooking to purify the air). Very handy day to day.
Energy label
Hoods still use the old A+++ to D scale, with annual consumption and classes for grease filtering and lighting. According to the European Commission, a new hood consumed on average 110 kWh per year in 2020, roughly €38 at the average Belgian price.
Maintenance
- Grease filters: in the dishwasher about once a month, more often if you fry frequently. Clogged filters are a fire risk.
- Carbon filters: replace or regenerate according to the manual and the indicator.
- Stainless steel: use a suitable product, brushing in the direction of the grain.
Our hoods in store
| Model | Type | Public price |
|---|---|---|
| Beko HNS61212XH | Entry-level 60 cm hood | 99,99 € |
| Bosch DUL63CC20 | Visor hood under cabinet | 279,99 € |
| Bosch DHL555BM | Filter unit to integrate in a cabinet | 349,99 € |
| Bosch DWK87FN60 | Angled wall-mounted 80 cm, 431 m³/h, 64 dB at maximum, class A+ | 799,99 € |
| Siemens LC97BDN30 | Siemens wall-mounted hood | 829,99 € |
| Bosch DIB97IM50 | Island hood | 1 019,99 € |
Recommended retail prices checked on nimestore.com on 15 October 2026. The product page prevails; Nimesclub members often benefit from a reduced price. All our hoods are in the hoods.
Cooker and range cooker
A cooker combines an oven and a hob in a freestanding unit. No cutting, no recess: place it, connect it, and cook.
The 50 or 60 cm cooker
Ceramic, induction, gas or mixed hob, and usually an electric oven. Watch the width: 50 and 60 cm are not interchangeable.
from €379.99
The range cooker
90 cm and up, professional look, often two or more ovens and five or six burners. The centrepiece of a kitchen with character.
from €969.99
On the electricity side, the total power of an oven and hob combined is high: an electric or induction range cooker needs a dedicated circuit, sized by an electrician. For gas, the connection is made by a professional, and the property must of course still be connected to the gas network.
| Type | Model | What you need to know | Public price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooker | Beko FSS53011DW | Budget pick | 379,99 € |
| Cooker | Hisense HEC5A10BG | Hisense cooker | 399,99 € |
| Cooker | Beko FSE58301BC | Better-equipped Beko cooker | 599,99 € |
| Cooker | Bosch HKR39C220 | Bosch cooker | 889,99 € |
| Cooker | Smeg C6IPXT2 | Stainless steel, induction hob | 1 499,99 € |
| Range cooker | Beko PS235315DB | The most affordable range cooker | 969,99 € |
| Range cooker | Beko PF335325DX | Beko range cooker in stainless steel finish | 1 099,99 € |
| Range cooker | Smeg CX93GMBL | Black, gas hob, multiple ovens | 2 199,99 € |
| Range cooker | Smeg TR93BL | Victoria range, retro style | 3 299,99 € |
Prices as listed on nimestore.com on 15 October 2026. The product page prevails (hob type, width, number of ovens); Nimesclub members often get a reduced price.
For a hood, measure three things: the width of the hob, the height available under the ceiling, and the possible route to the outside for the duct. If the route is long or impossible, a good recirculating hood with good filters is better than a makeshift extraction.
To go further, see our oven guide and the spaces Bosch, Siemens, Beko and Whirlpool. Smeg range cookers, with their retro style, are worth discovering in store.
Hoods, cookers and range cookers in store
Canopy cooker hood BEKO HNS61212XH€99.00
Canopy cooker hood BOSCH DUL 63 CC 20€279.00
Built-in cooker hood BOSCH DHL555BM€349.00
Cooker hood BOSCH DWK87FN60€799.00
Bosch DIB 97 IM 50 island hood€1,019.00
Wall-mounted cooker hood SIEMENS LC97BDN30€829.00
Dual Fuel Cooker BEKO FSS53011DW€379.00
Cooker BOSCH HKR39C220€674.00
Cooker SMEG C6IPXT2€1,499.00
Range cooker BEKO PF335325DX€1,099.00
Range cooker SMEG TR 93 BL€3,299.00Frequently asked questions
Ducted or recirculating hood?
Ducting, when possible: it expels odours outside, but also moisture and heat. Recirculation filters the air and sends it back into the kitchen; it traps grease and odours, but not moisture. It is often the only option in a flat or in a very well-insulated house with double-flow ventilation.
What airflow do I need for my hood?
The usual rule: change the kitchen air about 10 times an hour. A 30 m³ kitchen therefore needs around 300 m³/h on normal speed. In an open-plan kitchen, aim higher. The advertised 'boost' airflow only holds for a few minutes.
How high should the hood be fitted?
Usually between 65 and 75 cm above an electric hob, a little higher above gas. The hood's manual sets the minimum, which must be respected for safety and efficiency.
How often should filters be changed?
Metal grease filters can go in the dishwasher about once a month. Charcoal filters in a recirculating hood should be replaced roughly every 3 to 6 months, unless they are washable. Many hoods have a saturation indicator.
What's the difference between a cooker and a range cooker?
Both combine an oven and a hob in a freestanding unit. A cooker is 50 or 60 cm wide, suited to an unfitted kitchen or a rental. A range cooker, 90 cm and wider, has a professional look, often several ovens and numerous burners.
Come and see the appliances in person
At our Temploux shop, we open the doors and compare drums and finishes. Or ask our expert sales adviser online, right now.
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