- What size extractor do I need?
Short answer: at least as wide as your hob – and often wider is better.
The extractor needs to capture the rising steam, grease and cooking pollutants before they spread into the room.
For example:
- 600mm hob → minimum 600mm extraction width
- 900mm hob → ideally 900mm extraction width
- Large range cooker → consider an extractor wider than the cooking surface
But width isn’t the only consideration.
The position of the extractor, the height above the hob, the type of cooking you do, the room layout and whether you’re extracting outside or recirculating all affect the right solution.
A 600mm hood over a 600mm hob in a compact kitchen is a very different proposition to a 900mm island extractor above a large range cooker in an open-plan room.
Miro verdict: don’t simply ask “What width is my hob?” Ask “What am I trying to capture, and where is that air going?”
- How powerful should my extractor be?
More powerful doesn’t automatically mean better.
An extractor’s performance is affected by:
- room size
- cooking habits
- hob/range size
- extractor position
- duct diameter
- duct length
- number of bends
- whether the system vents outside
- whether it recirculates
- the quality of the installation
As a very rough starting point, you can calculate the kitchen’s volume:
Length × width × height = room volume
You can then consider the required air-change rate as a starting point – but this shouldn’t be treated as a universal specification for cooker hoods.
For example:
5m × 4m × 2.4m = 48m³
A theoretical 10 air changes per hour would equate to:
48 × 10 = 480m³/h
But that’s not the end of the calculation.
A hood rated at 800m³/h doesn’t necessarily deliver 800m³/h once it’s fighting a restrictive duct run.
- Ceiling vs island vs wall vs canopy
There isn’t a universally “best” extractor. There’s a best extractor for the kitchen you’re designing.
Wall-mounted
Great when the hob is against a wall.
Pros:
- straightforward installation
- usually good capture
- easy access
- lots of styles
Island
Designed for hobs positioned on an island.
Pros:
- designed for central cooking positions
- can become a design feature
- excellent options for statement kitchens
Watch out: an island extractor is exposed to air movement from all sides, so positioning and performance matter.
Ceiling
Excellent for minimalist and open-plan kitchens.
Pros:
- almost disappears into the ceiling
- preserves sightlines
- ideal where you don’t want a traditional hood
Watch out: installation and ducting need to be considered before the kitchen is built.
Miro’s ceiling range, for example, includes models specifically designed for false-ceiling installation and options for internal or recirculating systems.
Canopy
Probably the most underrated option.
A canopy can be concealed within cabinetry, a chimney breast or a custom enclosure.
The result?
You get serious extraction without necessarily having an obvious extractor dominating the kitchen.
Miro’s Stealth Slim is a particularly good example of this approach, with a 258mm overall depth designed to fit into wall cabinets or a mantle.
- Venting hob vs extractor hood
This is a big one.
Venting hob
Extraction is built directly into the hob.
Advantages:
- clean sightlines
- no traditional hood overhead
- excellent for minimalist kitchens
- useful where wall/ceiling extraction is difficult
- can work particularly well in open-plan spaces
Extractor hood
The extraction system is positioned above the cooking surface.
Advantages:
- naturally captures rising air
- huge variety of designs
- wall, island, ceiling and concealed options
- potentially easier to service/access
So which is better?
Neither automatically wins.
A venting hob can be brilliant where design is the priority, but the installation and ducting still matter.
Likewise, a traditional hood isn’t automatically old-fashioned.
A well-designed ceiling, canopy or island extractor can be virtually invisible — or become the centrepiece of the kitchen.
Miro answer: choose the extraction system around the kitchen, rather than trying to force the kitchen around the appliance.
- Extraction vs recirculation
This is one of the most important distinctions.
Extraction
Air is pulled through the filters and discharged outside.
This is generally the preferred option where a suitable duct route is available.
You’re physically removing the contaminated air from the kitchen.
Recirculation
Air passes through filtration and is returned to the room.
This can be extremely useful where external ducting isn’t practical.
But filtration becomes much more important.
A conventional carbon filter captures odours, while more advanced systems such as plasma filtration use additional treatment before returning air to the room. Miro’s plasma systems are designed around this principle.