One of the most common questions when designing or renovating a kitchen seems to have a simple answer: at what height should a cooker hood be installed?
In reality, there is no single correct distance. The ideal installation height depends on the type of hood and is directly related to its ability to capture smoke and cooking vapours efficiently.
Rather than looking for a universal measurement, the first thing to consider is the type of hood being installed.
Installation height depends on the model
Not all cooker hoods operate under the same conditions.
A wall-mounted hood should generally be installed around 65 cm above the hob, with a tolerance of ±5 cm.
For angled wall hoods, this distance is measured from the centre of the appliance rather than from its lower edge, an important detail that often causes confusion during installation.
Built-in hoods can be installed slightly higher, although it is generally recommended not to exceed 70 cm above the hob.
With island hoods, the recommended distance is again around 65 cm, while ceiling hoods follow a completely different approach. As they are designed to extract air from a greater height, they are typically installed between 140 and 160 cm above the cooking surface, depending on the model.
What happens if the hood is installed too high?
It is often assumed that a few extra centimetres make little difference.
In reality, they can.
The greater the distance between the hob and the hood, the more likely smoke and vapours are to disperse before being captured. This may reduce extraction efficiency, particularly during intensive cooking.
This does not mean the hood will stop working, but it may no longer operate under the conditions for which it was designed.
What if it is installed too low?
Installing the hood below the recommended distance is not the solution either.
Besides reducing the available space for comfortable cooking, there may be safety requirements or manufacturer specifications to consider, particularly when using gas hobs.
Respecting the recommended installation distances is therefore not only a matter of performance but also of safety and usability.
Don’t copy someone else’s installation
It is common to find generic recommendations online or to use a friend or relative’s kitchen as a reference.
However, a correct installation depends on much more than height alone. The type of hob, the hood model and the characteristics of each appliance all influence the appropriate installation distance.
For this reason, general recommendations should always be complemented by the manufacturer’s specific installation instructions.
Height matters, but it isn’t everything
A properly installed cooker hood starts with the correct distance above the hob, but this is only one of the factors that determine its performance.
The duct diameter, duct routing, number of bends and adequate air supply also play an important role in extraction efficiency.
Choosing the correct height is the first step. Ensuring the entire system performs as designed depends on the installation as a whole.
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Lo que nadie tiene en cuenta al elegir un extractor de techo
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