Ducted or recirculating cooker hood
Updated: October 2026
If your hob sits on an outside wall, a ducted hood can remove moist air. If you cannot create that route, a recirculating hood can catch grease and reduce some odours, but it returns the air and moisture to the room. That is the central decision when choosing a ducted or recirculating cooker hood. The carbon filter and maximum m³/h come afterwards. Use our [stainless steel chimney hood comparison](/hub/grills-and-barbecues/stainless-steel-chimney) to see which of the seven listings includes the parts for each mode.
If your hob sits on an outside wall, a ducted hood can remove moist air. If you cannot create that route, a recirculating hood can catch grease and reduce some odours, but it returns the air and moisture to the room.
If your hob sits on an outside wall, a ducted hood can remove moist air. If you cannot create that route, a recirculating hood can catch grease and reduce some odours, but it returns the air and moisture to the room. That is the central decision when choosing a ducted or recirculating cooker hood. The carbon filter and maximum m³/h come afterwards. Use our stainless steel chimney hood comparison to see which of the seven listings includes the parts for each mode.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Carbon filter | Listed mode | Duct listed | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  CIARRA CIARRA CBCS6201 60 cm chimney hood | CBCF002X2 in box | Duct or recycle | 1.5 m pipe | 9.6 | about £79.99 | View offer |
| Preis-Tipp |  COMFEE' COMFEE' KWH-PYRA17SS-60 chimney hood | Extra (CF04) | Exhaust; bullets differ | Not stated | 9.1 | about £69.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  COMFEE' COMFEE' 60M77 gesture chimney hood | CF06 or CF03 | Table says recirculation | Not in components | 8.9 | about £126.98 | View offer |
On this page
What leaves the room in each mode
A ducted hood draws air through its grease filter and sends it outside. It can remove water vapour, heat and airborne cooking contaminants as well as grease. A short, smooth, correctly sized duct offers less resistance than a long flexible tube with reducers and bends. The catalogue maximum does not reveal what passes the external grille.
A recirculating hood uses a grease filter plus an activated-carbon filter, then returns the air to the kitchen. Carbon can reduce smells. It does not remove water vapour, so a small flat can still get condensation on cold windows. If an outside route is possible, ducting is the clearer choice for moisture. If it is not permitted, recirculation can still help with grease and odour, provided the kitchen has separate ventilation. Our fitting guide covers where professional work begins.
What Approved Document F means in England
Approved Document F Volume 1 addresses ventilation in dwellings in England. It gives an intermittent extract rate of 30 litres per second where a cooker hood covers the hob and extracts outside, or 60 litres per second where the extract is elsewhere. Those convert to 108 and 216 m³/h. They are not a claim that a listing showing 335 m³/h or 779 m³/h will achieve that figure once installed.
A recirculating hood alone does not provide Part F ventilation, because air has not left the dwelling. A new kitchen may still need separate mechanical extract. Ask building control or a competent designer where the requirement is unclear. This document is for England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate systems. An outside duct does not prove compliance either: undersized ducting and restrictive grilles reduce flow, and a stated 400 m³/h is not a terminal measurement.
Which listings support each route
Four products name carbon filters in the box. The COMFEE' 60M77 lists a CF06 or CF03, SNDOAS lists two YYCF-55E filters, CIARRA CBCS6201 lists CBCF002X2, and FIREGAS names carbon filters in the components line. Confirm the part when the box arrives. A filter in the box does not settle the room’s separate ventilation.
CAS6201A points to CBCF002X2 as an extra, and the £69.99 pyramid COMFEE' needs CF04, so those shelf prices are not the recirculating cost. The AEG lists exhaust ventilation and a ducting kit, and does not state a carbon filter. CBCS6201 and CAS6201A are both £79.99, but only CBCS6201 lists carbon filters, a 1.5 m pipe and a UK plug. The gesture COMFEE' table says recirculation while its bullets say both. FIREGAS and the pyramid COMFEE' contain similar conflicts. See our best stainless steel chimney hood guide for the model-by-model choice.
Duct size, reducers and ongoing cost
Confirm the outlet before buying a wall kit. SNDOAS specifies a 150 mm foil tube, and AEG’s UK page specifies a 150 mm outlet for DKB5660HM. A review that mentions 150 mm is not a specification. Do not buy a 100 or 102 mm kit marketed as universal without the manual.
A reducer adds resistance and can increase noise. Connecting a large outlet to an old small hole does not keep the listed maximum. Caple warns that reducing duct size on its products can affect airflow and warranty. That warning is Caple’s. Ask each manufacturer what it permits. A short rigid route with few bends is the safer aim.
Recirculation avoids the wall duct and creates a filter cost. Record the part number. Choose ducted extraction where moisture is the problem and an outside route is practical. Choose recirculation where it is not, and keep the room’s required ventilation.
Common questions
Does a recirculating hood meet Part F by itself?
In England, Approved Document F says a recirculating cooker hood on its own does not provide compliant ventilation because it does not extract outside. A separate extract system may be required. Check the rules applicable to your nation, property and building project.
Does a carbon filter remove steam?
No. Its purpose is to reduce odours in recirculated air, while the grease filter captures grease. Water vapour returns to the kitchen. Window condensation or persistent humidity therefore needs ventilation rather than a different carbon-filter brand.
Can I fit carbon filters while ducting outside?
Do not add them automatically. Some hoods use different filter arrangements for ducted and recirculating modes, and unnecessary carbon media can add resistance. Follow the exact model manual and remove or install parts only as its mode instructions specify.
How often should I replace a carbon filter?
General UK guidance often suggests roughly three to six months, but usage and filter design vary. Treat that as a planning range, not a universal schedule. The model manual and filter instructions take priority, and persistent odour can indicate earlier replacement is needed.
What if I live in a flat and cannot core the wall?
Recirculation may be the practical hood mode, subject to the lease, landlord and building requirements. It will not remove moisture, so retain or arrange the property’s separate extract ventilation. Do not discharge into a ceiling void, shared space or unapproved route.
Will a 100 mm reducer still count as outside extract?
Air still goes outside, but the reducer may lower the installed rate and increase noise. Whether the system meets a required rate must be established by appropriate design or measurement, not by the existence of a wall hole. Check the hood manufacturer’s permitted duct sizes.
Related pages
Sources
Prices, star ratings and review counts are the amazon.co.uk listing figures used for this comparison. The public sources below are the ones named for the rules, clearances and filter points.
- GOV.UK: Approved Document F, Volume 1 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Which?: how to buy the best cooker hood (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Bosch UK: chimney hood tips (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- AEG UK: DKB5660HM cooker hood (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Hotpoint UK: height above a hob (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Appliances Direct: cooker hoods buying guide (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- Caple: extraction guide (retrieved 16 October 2026)
- BFCMA: chimneys and flues (retrieved 16 October 2026)