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How to use your cooker hood

You’ve picked out your new cooker hood and now you want to know how to get the most out of it. Our handy guide will walk you through how to use these appliances, how to get the best results and how to keep them clean and in good nick.

Using your hood

A cooker hood’s main function is to remove steam, grease and food odours from your kitchen. But a lot of modern models come with a host of features and settings that let you tailor how your cooker hood works. Our short video will run you through what the symbols on your cooker hood mean and what they’ll do when you choose them.

Get the most out of your hood

To get the best results from your cooker hood, we’d recommend always turning it on five minutes before cooking. Be smart about what extraction speeds you use too; lower speeds will work perfectly for everyday cooking while top speeds will be needed when using all burners. Find out more top tips in our short video.

Cleaning your cooker hood

Cleaning your cooker hood can be a pain, but we’ve got some top tips that’ll help make it simple and easy. Depending on the type of filter your hood uses, you’ll either need to replace it every three months or give it a good clean to remove any fat or grease build-up. If your hood recirculates air, you’ll also need to replace the carbon filters from time to time too. Get the lowdown on how to clean your cooker hood with our short video.

How to change a carbon filter

If your cooker hood recirculates clean air back into your kitchen, you’ll need to replace the carbon filter from time to time, usually every 6 months. To do this you’ll first need to turn off the mains power and remove the grease filters, which should unclip from the bottom. You’ll then need to remove the filter grip by turning it anti-clockwise, replacing the carbon filter and returning the grip back by turning it clockwise. Job’s a good’un.

Connecting your hood to your hob

Some cooker hoods can connect to compatible hobs, so you can control your hood and change settings all from the convenience of your hob. Some models will even work in sync with your hob, meaning your hood will adjust its performance based on your cooking settings. To connect your appliances, take a look at your product manuals for the instructions.

What are the different types of filters in hoods?: All hoods have grease filters, some are made from aluminium which means they can be used in the dishwasher. If your cooker hood is recirculating air, you’ll need to purchase a carbon filter which will need replacing every 6 months.
I don’t like using chemicals to clean – what can I use?: You can use a warm soapy damp cloth and then dry with a towel.
How can I avoid scratching my stainless-steel hood when cleaning?: Clean your hood with a warm soapy damp cloth and then dry with a towel. Never use a sponge or scouring pad.
Are halogen bulbs being phased out?: Yes, more manufacturers are going over to LEDs as they’re more energy efficient, brighter and usually last the life of the appliance.
Do you sell replacement filters?: No, you’ll need to contact your manufacturer for replacement filters, sadly.