ᐅ Controlled ventilation system + fireplace + kitchen exhaust – does this work?

Of course, a range hood also pulls in odors. It doesn’t separate them or say, “Ew, I won’t suck that in.” Naturally, not all odors disappear. Besides the type of system, the installation quality matters. The exhaust hood in our previous townhouse did a worse job than the recirculating hood in our current house—even when it comes to odors. Any warm air you remove from the house without using it needs to be reheated. However, considering the duration of use and the volume of air you have to reheat, this is not a really significant factor.

I will be using a recirculation system, as I don’t want to deal with all the hassle of making a duct opening and installing an air box, etc.

From kitchen fitters, I’ve heard both opinions: some say recirculation works just as well, while others claim that exhaust ventilation is simply unbeatable.

I’m not too concerned either way. It can’t really be worse than what I have now.

I once lived for three years in a rental apartment without any range hood at all. It worked fine, the food still tasted good, and I didn’t suffocate. However, the stove and the cabinets directly next to it do tend to get greasy faster. That means either cleaning more often or replacing the cabinets and countertops every few years.

We also have a recirculation system (with an activated carbon filter), and in my personal experience, the odors in the open-plan kitchen and living area are not worse than, for example, at my parents’ house, who have an extractor hood.

For me, the advantages of a recirculating hood clearly outweigh the disadvantages... The only thing a recirculating hood can’t do is remove the moisture from cooking to the outside. But for that, you have your controlled mechanical ventilation system...

Basically, I am leaning towards a recirculation system. Are there any important things to consider when choosing a cooker hood for this?

We have received offers for three different models from three kitchen studios:

Bosch - DFR097A52 Neff - D95IHM1S0 Falmec - Verso 85 Black Glass

Can anyone share their experience or advice? How important is a carbon filter? Should one only buy devices with a carbon filter? This might be a bit off-topic, sorry for that, but maybe someone can quickly share some information here 🙂

Activated carbon filters work in an "active" way. Due to their high porosity and therefore large surface area, they bind substances very effectively (including odors) and are not used without reason in cases of poisoning.
I am not sure if a cellulose or even a plastic filter would perform equally well.
Regarding the hoods, I cannot really comment (except that Siemens, Bosch, and Neff are basically the same manufacturer when it comes to kitchen appliances).

Tolentino schrieb:

Activated carbon filters work "actively," so to speak. Due to their high porosity and thus large surface area, they bind substances very effectively (including odors) and are not without reason used in cases of poisoning.
I’m not sure if a cellulose or plastic filter would perform equally well.
Unfortunately, I can’t say much about the range hoods themselves (except that Siemens, Bosch, and Neff are basically the same manufacturer when it comes to kitchen appliances).

Thanks in advance for the information!

I think if we decide on a recirculating range hood, it’s even more important to choose the best hood for us and probably invest a bit more money.