There is one very important rule to keep when buying commercial kitchen equipment. The appliances that you purchase must comply with local standards for safety. This holds particularly true for extraction hoods as their main purpose is to keep the kitchen environment clean and protected. It is important for every commercial kitchen owner to be familiar with these mandatory appliances.

Types of Extraction Hoods

It should be pointed out that you need to have extraction hoods over most of the appliances that you will be using for cooking. These include burner ranges, grills, deep fryers, pizza ovens and steamers. In some cases, you have to have one even over your dishwasher.

The different pieces of kitchen equipment require different types of hoods. There are two types in general. The first type of hood is designed to remove heat, steam, vapour, smoke and grease. It is required for all appliances which are used for cooking with oil and for cooking ingredients that have high fat content such as meats and cheese.

The second type of hood is also capable of removing steam and heat. It removes moisture and odours as well. It is designed to be installed over steamers and dishwashers.

Major Features

Size is an extremely important factor that business owners have to take into account when choosing hoods for their commercial business. The size of the hood is chosen based on the size of the appliance which it will be installed over. Most manufacturers provide precise recommendations. Typically, the hood should extend at least 15 centimetres beyond the edges of the appliance used for cooking on all sides.

Typically, commercial extraction hoods are made from stainless steel. Some manufacturers may use other metals such as copper, but this is generally rare. Stainless steel is strong and durable. It does not rust easily. The stainless steel hoods can work for a long time with basic cleaning and maintenance.

The air velocity and volume indicate how quickly and efficiently the different hoods remove heat, steam, vapour, smoke and other substances from the kitchen. Most of commercial kitchen equipment products of this type can absorb between 500 and 2,500 cubic feet of air per minute. You need to base your choice on the size of your kitchen and on the intensity of operations in it.

You are highly recommended to consult a commercial kitchen equipment expert when buying extraction hoods. They will give you advice on how to select the best appliance for your particular kitchen