What Size Cooker Hood Do I Need for My Hob?
The hood should be at least as wide as your hob, ideally slightly wider. Width determines what proportion of rising steam and vapour the hood captures before it disperses into the room. A hood that is narrower than the hob leaves the outer burners unprotected; one that is the same width or wider captures the full cooking plume. Beyond width, extraction rate and installation height both affect how well the hood actually works.
Width: matching hood to hob
The cooking plume from a hob rises and spreads as it climbs toward the hood. If the hood is narrower than the hob, the steam from the outermost burners spreads beyond the hood’s capture area before it can be extracted, and ends up on your ceiling and walls instead. Matching or slightly exceeding the hob width ensures the full plume is captured.
| Hob width | Minimum hood width | Recommended hood width | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50–60cm | 60cm | 60–70cm | Standard for most kitchens. A 60cm hood over a 60cm hob covers adequately; a 70cm hood provides some margin at the edges. |
| 70–80cm | 80cm | 90cm | A 90cm hood over an 80cm hob gives a 5cm margin each side, noticeably improving capture efficiency. |
| 90cm | 90cm | 90–100cm | Wide hobs benefit most from extra hood width. Particularly important for 5 and 6 burner configurations where outer burners are further from centre. |
| 100cm+ (range cooker) | 100cm | 110–120cm | Island or canopy hoods specifically designed for range cookers typically start at 100cm. Match or exceed the range width. |
Extraction rate: how much airflow do you need?
Extraction rate is measured in cubic metres per hour (m³/h), the volume of air the hood can move per hour at a given fan speed. UK building regulations and the European standard for kitchen ventilation recommend a minimum extraction rate of 10 times the kitchen volume per hour for continuous extraction (15 times per hour for intermittent use at cooking time).
Calculating your minimum extraction rate
Measure your kitchen in metres: length × width × ceiling height = volume in m³.
Multiply by 10 for continuous extraction, or by 15 for use only during cooking.
Example: A kitchen 4m × 3m × 2.4m = 28.8 m³. Minimum extraction rate: 28.8 × 10 = 288 m³/h for continuous use, or 28.8 × 15 = 432 m³/h for cooking-time use.
In practice, most households use the hood intermittently during cooking. A rate of 400 to 600 m³/h suits an average kitchen well. Gas hobs and heavy frying benefit from the higher end of that range; electric hobs and lighter cooking are well served at 350 to 450 m³/h.
Installation height above the hob
The height between the hob surface and the hood’s underside affects both capture efficiency and safety. Too high and the plume disperses before reaching the hood; too low and it is uncomfortable to cook beneath and potentially a fire hazard for gas hobs.
Electric and induction hobs
Minimum 65cm between hob surface and hood underside. Most manufacturers recommend 65 to 75cm for optimal extraction efficiency. Check the specific model’s installation guide as requirements vary.
Gas hobs
Minimum 75cm between hob surface and hood underside. The higher minimum accounts for open flames and heat output. Some models specify 80cm. Always follow the manufacturer’s stated minimum. This is a safety requirement.
What happens if the hood is too small?
A hood that is too narrow for the hob, too weak for the kitchen volume, or mounted too high fails to capture the full cooking plume. The immediate result is steam and cooking odours spreading through the room rather than being extracted. Over time, grease vapour settles on surfaces, walls, and ceiling — including inside cabinets near the cooking area. Cooking smells persist long after cooking has finished.
A hood that is too small also tends to be run at its maximum speed setting more often, which increases noise. A correctly sized hood can handle most cooking at mid-range speed settings, running quieter and more efficiently.
Hood type and size
The type of hood affects which sizes are available. Chimney hoods are available from 60cm to 120cm and above. Angled glass hoods are typically 60cm to 90cm. Integrated (concealed) hoods are generally 60cm and 90cm. Island hoods start at 90cm or 100cm. If a specific width is essential (for a 75cm or 80cm hob, for example), check availability across hood types before narrowing the choice by style. For more on the differences between angled and chimney hoods, see the angled vs chimney cooker hoods guide.
Browse the full CATA cooker hood range across chimney, angled, integrated, and island formats from 60cm to 90cm. For island and peninsula layouts, the vented induction hob guide covers downdraft extraction as an alternative to a ceiling-mounted hood.
Common questions answered
Can I use a 60cm hood over a 70cm hob?
It will extract air but will not cover the full width of the hob. The outer burners of a 70cm hob will be partially outside the hood’s capture area, meaning steam from those zones disperses into the room rather than being extracted. A 70cm or 80cm hood is a better match. If only a 60cm hood fits the available wall space, position it centred over the hob and accept that extraction efficiency will be reduced at the edges.
Is a higher extraction rate always better?
Not necessarily. An oversized hood running at low speed extracts effectively and quietly. But a very high maximum extraction rate on a ducted installation can create negative pressure in an airtight home, drawing in cold air through gaps in the building fabric. For most domestic kitchens, 400 to 700 m³/h covers the full range of cooking tasks without these issues.
Does hood depth (front to back) matter?
Yes, particularly for angled hoods. Hood depth determines how much of the hob’s front-to-back width is covered. Most hoods are sized to cover a standard 50–60cm deep hob adequately, but check the specifications if you have a particularly deep hob or range cooker. The installation guide will state the effective capture area.
What if I have a range cooker or dual-fuel range?
Range cookers are typically 90cm, 100cm, or 110cm wide. A hood should match or exceed this width. A 90cm hood over a 90cm range cooker is the minimum; a 100cm or wider hood is preferable. Island canopy hoods are the usual specification for range cookers in freestanding positions. Check that the hood’s extraction rate is adequate for the number of burners and the volume of the kitchen.
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