When it comes to adding the final touch to your kitchen, choosing the right cooker hood in your kitchen can be your biggest challenge, as you have a range of options to choose from. Selecting the right cooker hood can elevate your kitchen’s functionality and style.
“Fujioh, with a rich history of delivering innovative kitchen solutions, has been a trusted brand for years.”
This ultimate cooker hood buying guide will help you understand the key factors to consider when choosing the best cooker hood for your kitchen, backed by expert research and practical insights, so you can confidently find the perfect match for your cooking space.
As the name implies, a cooker hood is installed at a height above your stove or cooktop which functions to extract fumes, smoke, and smells from your kitchen. This helps to keep the air in your kitchen clean and create a more comfortable cooking environment.
When you cook, you will inevitably create a form of air pollution in your kitchen that is more apparent during certain cooking methods. Aside from the fume, different cooking methods can also release water vapour and oil into the air in the form of grease.
These can stick onto your stove or kitchen wall and create an unpleasant smell that can linger for a long time.
Once you’re convinced that your kitchen needs a cooker hood, you need to select the right one based on the following features:
These hoods are mounted directly on the wall, making them ideal for kitchens with designated wall space. They often come in sleek, stainless steel or glass designs to complement modern kitchen styles.
Wall-mounted hoods are known for their strong suction power and can effectively remove smoke and odors. However, they require proper measurements to ensure they fit within your space.
Island Hoods
Designed to hang from the ceiling, island hoods are perfect for kitchens with central island cooktops. These hoods usually have higher suction power since they need to capture smoke from an open area. They add a luxurious touch but may require reinforced ceiling mounts.
These compact hoods fit under cabinets and blend seamlessly with your cabinetry, making them a great option for small kitchens. They are typically more affordable and save space, but their suction power may be lower compared to larger models.
Type of Cooker Hood Circulation
Cooker hoods have two types of circulation — recycling hood and ventilating hood. They differ in terms of how the air is filtered. If you live in an apartment, consider the recycling hood as it filters and recirculates clean air to your kitchen. It’s also easy to install and requires no ducting work.
Meanwhile, if you live in a landed property, consider the ventilating hood as the exhaust pipe directs smoke and moisture directly out of your house, leaving your kitchen smelling fresh and clean always.
These hoods filter the air through filters and recirculate clean air back into the kitchen. They are ideal for spaces like apartments where external venting isn’t feasible. Installation is relatively straightforward since there is no need for ducting or drilling for exhaust pipes.
While most recycling hoods need regular filter replacement to maintain performance, FUJIOH’s recycling hoods stand out with reusable filters. Designed for efficiency and convenience, they feature advanced filtration systems that effectively capture odors and grease particles without the need for frequent replacements, making them an excellent choice for urban homes.
Recycling hoods are perfect if you prioritize convenience over maximum air purification. Additionally, these hoods come in various sleek designs, from under-cabinet to slim wall-mounted models, giving you aesthetic flexibility.
These hoods expel smoke, grease, and odors directly outside through an exhaust pipe, ensuring your kitchen stays fresh and free of lingering cooking fumes. They require professional installation due to the ductwork involved, which may also require additional construction, particularly in older homes.
Ventilating hoods are often favored in larger homes or landed properties where effective ventilation is a priority. They offer exceptional air ventilation, making them suitable for heavy-duty cooking that generates substantial smoke and grease.
Despite their installation requirements, ventilating hoods are a long-term solution that ensures consistently clean air. They are available in wall-mounted, island, and chimney styles, offering versatility to match various kitchen layouts.
Width of the Cooker Hood
When selecting a cooker hood, ensure it is at least as wide as your stove or slightly wider. The width helps maximize the extraction of fumes and grease from your cooking area.
Choosing the right width depends on your kitchen layout and the type of cooking you do. For example, if you use multiple burners or prepare meals that generate a lot of steam and grease, opting for a wider hood ensures full coverage and effective smoke capture.
If your hob is positioned close to a wall or cabinet, you might also consider the hood’s depth to prevent smoke from escaping.
Additionally, modern wide hoods often come with multiple fan speeds and extended capture zones, increasing their efficiency during intensive cooking. Style is another consideration; wider cooker hoods can double as design focal points, particularly in open-concept kitchens.
Proper installation height ensures that the cooker hood efficiently captures smoke without obstructing your view.
Recommended Heights: For T-shape or slim cooker hoods, the ideal height is 650 – 750mm from the stove top, while for inclined hoods, it is 450mm.
The placement of the cooker hood impacts both its performance and safety. A hood installed too low may obstruct your cooking view and create an accident risk if it overheats. Conversely, a hood installed too high may allow smoke to spread before it is captured, reducing its effectiveness.
To ensure optimal results, follow the manufacturer’s recommended height guidelines. Additionally, if you have high ceilings, consider using an extension kit to adjust the installation.
Every cooker hood is equipped with varying features that make them unique. But, oil and fume capturing is one feature that you should not miss as this ensures the highest level of cooking comfort.
In the case of FUJIOH FR-CL1890 cooker hoods, the patented Oil Smasher Technology features a high-speed spinning disk to capture oil from cooking fumes with high capturing ratio up to 94% and advanced fume capturing. It also operates at a very low sound level; allowing you to enjoy cooking with your loved ones.
Like any other appliance, a cooker hood requires regular cleaning and maintenance to keep it running. Ideally, you should wipe the hood after every cooking session and clean the filters every 2 to 4 weeks, depending on your cooking habits. A clean fan and filter can help maintain the function of your cooker hood and prolong its lifespan.
For instance, a FUJIOH Malaysia cooker hood has both washable and non-washable parts. The former includes the fan and filter which are coated with Super Kirei or hydrophilic coating that enables water to wash off oil or grease easily. Meanwhile, the non-washable parts are coated in Oil Repellent Coating to ensure that the external body of the cooker hood is easy to clean.
Click here to learn more about cleaning and maintenance of a cooker hood: https://www.fujioh.com/my/how-to-clean-your-cooker-hood-effectively/
The cooker hood plays the primary role in showing how the kitchen interior or environment should look like. Thus, you will need to consider the cooker hood design when selecting one for your kitchen.
Now let’s take a look at what kind of cooker hood FUJIOH — the No 1. cooker hood brand in Japan — has to offer to the Malaysian market.
Here are FUJIOH’s Made in Japan cooker hood series with 3 different hood styles that suit various kitchen layouts:
Featured product: FUJIOH Cooker Hood FR-CL1890
This is one of the most common types of cooker hoods available in Malaysia. Since it is attached to the wall with a chimney on top, it offers a higher performance suitable for a large kitchen. In addition, the FR-CL1890 features a patented oil smasher technology whereby the internal high-speed spinning disk captures the oil to reduce build-up on your kitchen surface.
Featured product: FUJIOH Cooker Hood FR-SC2090
This type of cooker hood is essentially chimney style, but the hood is slanted to make a designer statement, making it the ideal fit in a contemporary kitchen. The lower positioning of the FR-SC2090 is also a balance of aesthetic, and smooth and efficient absorption of cooking fumes.
Featured product: FUJIOH Cooker Hood FR-FS2290
Different from the previous two types of cooker hood, the FR-FS2290 slim cooker hood doesn’t have a chimney section, which means it can be installed underneath an existing cabinet as a space-saving solution. Its ultra-thin hood is deceptively tough on oil to reduce build-up on your kitchen surface! You can also install it on the kitchen wall without any cabinet around it, giving your kitchen a minimal and simple look.
Producing over 900,000 units of cooker hoods annually, FUJIOH holds the No. 1* household market share in Japan, despite being in the industry for more than 80 years. If you’re looking for a kitchen hood and hob, you can consider FUJIOH’s range of kitchen appliances. For more information, you can browse our online store or visit our local shop, contact us at FUJIOH Malaysia, or email us at enquiry@fujioh.my.
Cooker hood filters should be cleaned every 1-2 months, depending on how frequently you cook.
Ducted hoods provide more effective ventilation but require external venting. Ductless hoods are more versatile, easier to install and better suited for light cooking.
A noise level under 60 dB is considered quiet and ideal for maintaining a peaceful kitchen atmosphere.
The standard width of a cooker hood in Malaysia is 90cm, which most of the brands are selling. There is also 60cm and 70cm, but not all brands are selling.
You can’t completely eliminate cooker hood noise. However, you can choose cooker hoods equipped with BLDC motors or silent operation modes. Additionally, ensure proper installation, clean the filters regularly, and use the appropriate fan speed for your cooking to maintain optimal performance with reduced noise levels.
