Ducted vs Recirculating Cooker Hoods: Which Is Best?

Most cooker hoods can be installed in one of two ways: ducted to the outside of the property, or set up to recirculate filtered air back into the kitchen. Both can work well, but they deal with cooking air differently and the best choice depends on your kitchen layout, installation options and how you cook.

What is a ducted cooker hood?

A ducted cooker hood draws air away from the hob, passes it through the grease filters and then sends it outside through a duct.

Because the extracted air leaves the building, steam, moisture, cooking smells and airborne grease are physically removed from the kitchen.

This is usually the preferred setup when a suitable route to an outside wall or roof is available.

What is a recirculating cooker hood?

A recirculating cooker hood does not send the extracted air outside. Instead, the hood draws cooking air through its filters before releasing it back into the room.

The metal grease filters capture grease particles, while an additional carbon or charcoal filter helps absorb cooking odours.

This makes recirculation particularly useful in kitchens where installing a duct to an outside wall is difficult, such as apartments, internal kitchens or certain kitchen islands.

The main difference is moisture. A carbon filter can help remove smells, but the filtered air is still returned to the room. Steam and humidity therefore remain inside the kitchen and need to be dealt with through normal room ventilation.

Ducted vs recirculating cooker hoods

Advantages and disadvantages

Which option gives better extraction?

Where installation allows it, ducting outside is normally the most effective method because the contaminated air is removed from the kitchen altogether.

With recirculation, the hood still captures grease and filters odours, but the air itself remains inside the property.

That does not mean recirculation is ineffective. A good quality cooker hood with suitable carbon filters can work very well, particularly where external extraction simply is not practical.

Does duct size matter?

Yes. The ducting should be at least the size recommended for the cooker hood. Reducing the outlet to a significantly smaller duct can restrict the airflow and make the hood work less effectively.

Many high-performance ViandPro cooker hoods use a 150 mm round outlet or an equivalent rectangular duct, although you should always check the installation instructions for the exact model.

For the best airflow, keep ducting as short and straight as possible and minimise unnecessary bends.

You can read more about improving the installation in our guide to reducing cooker hood noise.

Is recirculation easier to install?

Usually, yes. The major advantage of recirculation is that you do not need to create an external wall or roof outlet.

However, this does not always mean that no ducting is required at all.

Some cooker hoods simply return filtered air through vents built into the hood itself. Other designs, particularly flush-fit ceiling hoods, may require a short internal duct run to direct the filtered air back into the kitchen through a separate vent.

For example, ViandPro Aria and Opus ceiling hoods can be configured for recirculation using a dedicated filter and ducting kit, allowing the filtered air to be returned discreetly into the room. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

How often do recirculation filters need replacing?

Metal grease filters are generally reusable and should be cleaned regularly in accordance with the cooker hood instructions.

Carbon filters are different. They absorb cooking odours and gradually become saturated, so they need to be replaced periodically.

The replacement interval depends on the hood, filter type and how often you cook. Always follow the instructions supplied with your particular model.

For example, the current ViandPro Aria and Opus recirculation kit recommends replacing its charcoal filter approximately every 4 to 6 months. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

What is best for an island hob?

Kitchen islands are often where recirculation becomes especially useful.

Ducting an island hood outside may require a route through the ceiling, floor void or roof. If this cannot be achieved neatly, choosing a cooker hood designed for recirculation may substantially simplify the installation.

The same applies to downdraft extractors and venting hobs, where filtered air can often be returned through the kitchen plinth rather than ducted to an external wall.

What is best for a ceiling cooker hood?

If an external duct route is available, ducted extraction remains an excellent choice for a ceiling hood.

However, recirculation can solve one of the biggest challenges with ceiling extraction: reaching an outside wall without creating a large bulkhead or complicated duct run.

The ViandPro Aria, for example, is designed to fit between standard joists and can be installed as either a ducted or recirculating ceiling hood. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Which should I choose?

Choose ducted extraction if you have a sensible route to an outside wall or roof and want to remove steam, moisture and cooking odours from the kitchen as efficiently as possible.

Choose recirculation if external ducting would be difficult, expensive or impossible, or if your kitchen layout requires greater flexibility.

The best choice is ultimately the one that works properly with the building. A well-installed recirculating hood is preferable to a ducted hood connected to a long, narrow and heavily restricted duct run.

Frequently asked questions