Comparison Elica Majestic BL/A/90 black vs Elica Stripe BL/A/90/LX stainless steel

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.

Extraction flow of the air when using intensive mode. This mode is used in case of emergency on the stove, such as burnt food, spilt liquid, etc., which give off a lot of smoke and an extremely unpleasant smell. In turn, the intensive mode forces the hood to run at maximum speed, thereby increasing its performance even more (compared to performance at maximum speed). However, this function is activated for a short time (so the motor does not burn out). Therefore this mode is not considered standard, and it will not be possible to use it in everyday cooking.

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 presence of an indicator signaling the clogging of the filter and the need to clean/replace it. Both grease and carbon filters can be equipped with such an indicator (see above for the filters themselves). One of the options for such an indicator is a pattern applied to the filter surface itself, and a signal about the need for replacement may be the disappearance or, conversely, the appearance of the pattern. A more advanced option is a timer that tracks the total operating time and gives a signal when the filter resource is exhausted.

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 timer that automatically turns off the hood after a predetermined time. With such a system, you do not need to wait until the completion of ventilation and turn off the device manually — just set the timer, and you can safely leave the kitchen on your own business; the hood will turn itself off at the right time.

Compatibility of the hood with automatic control systems used in some hobs. Such control is carried out as follows: the hob determines how many burners and at what power thy are turned on and sends a control signal to the hood, adjusting its power to the current situation. Thus, the user does not need to adjust the ventilation manually — the kitchen equipment will automatically set the optimal hood mode.

It is worth noting that modern kitchen appliances use several different automatic control technologies. They can even differ in the principle of communication: for example, Miele's Con@Сtivity uses radio frequencies, and Electrolux's Hob2Hood uses infrared channel. Therefore, if you want to assemble a kit with automatic control, you should make sure that both the hood and the hob support the same communication technology. The easiest way to achieve this is to select devices from the same manufacturer.