Energy label explained · Range hoods
How to read the energy label on a cooker hood
A cooker hood label carries four classes: the energy class with the yearly consumption, and separate classes for fan efficiency (fluid dynamic efficiency), lighting and grease filtering. It also states the sound power at the highest normal setting.
What is on the hood label
Since 1 January 2020, new cooker hoods (range hoods) carry the final stage of the label defined in Delegated Regulation (EU) No 65/2014, with energy classes from A+++ to D.
| Item | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Energy class, A+++ to D | Calculated yearly consumption compared with a standard consumption for this hood. |
| Annual energy consumption, kWh/annum | Fan, lighting and standby under a fixed daily pattern. |
| Fluid dynamic efficiency class, A to G | How well the fan turns electricity into air movement. |
| Lighting efficiency class, A to G | How much light reaches the hob per watt of lamp power. |
| Grease filtering class, A to G | Share of grease the filter holds back. |
| Noise, dB | A-weighted sound power at the highest setting for normal use. |
How the yearly consumption is calculated
The kWh figure is not measured over a year; it is calculated from the fan’s power at its best efficiency point, an assumed hour of extraction a day, two hours of lighting a day, and the standby or off-mode power for the rest of the time.
A time factor lengthens that hour for fans with low fluid dynamic efficiency, since a weak fan needs longer to clear the same air: a hood with an efficiency of 30 is assumed to run about 0.9 hours a day, one with 10 about 1.6 hours. Fully automatic, sensor-controlled hoods use a separate formula.
How the four classes are derived
Each class places one calculated or measured ratio on a fixed set of thresholds.
- Energy class. Yearly consumption as a percentage of a standard consumption derived from the same hood’s fan and lamp power: A+++ below 30, A++ below 37, A+ below 45, A below 55, B below 70, C below 85, D 85 and above. Because the reference comes from the hood itself, the class mainly rewards an efficient fan and low standby, not low consumption.
- Fluid dynamic efficiency. Airflow times pressure at the best efficiency point, as a percentage of the electrical power. A is above 28, G is 4 or less.
- Lighting efficiency. Average illuminance on the cooking surface in lux per watt of lamp power. A is above 28 lux/W, G is 4 or less.
- Grease filtering. In an oil test, the share of captured grease held by the filter rather than in the airways or a reference filter behind them. A is above 95 %, G 45 % or less.
A+++: 3% · A++: 7% · A+: 12% · A: 25% · B: 20% · C: 21% · D: 14%
What the noise figure means
The noise value is the A-weighted sound power at the highest setting for normal use, rounded to whole decibels. Boost settings are excluded; their noise, where declared, is in the product information sheet in EPREL.
Sound power describes the source itself; what you hear at the hob, the sound pressure, is lower and depends on room and distance. Ten decibels more sounds about twice as loud; our quietest cooker hoods list ranks by this figure.
What the label leaves out
The label rates the hood as a machine and says little about how well it clears a real kitchen.
- Airflow. Minimum and maximum airflow are in the product information sheet in EPREL and on our cooker hood pages, not on the label.
- Recirculation. Odour (carbon) filters for hoods without ducting are not rated.
- Installation. Duct length, bends and the hood’s height above the hob change extraction and noise.
- Capture. How much steam the hood actually catches is not tested.
The buying guide covers airflow and installation; the general label guide explains the scales.
Questions
Which class matters most on a cooker hood label?
For running cost, the yearly kWh matters more than the energy class, because the class is relative to the hood’s own power. For daily use, grease filtering and noise matter more.
What does fluid dynamic efficiency mean?
It is the share of the fan’s electrical power that ends up as useful airflow against resistance, measured at the fan’s best operating point. A hood in class A moves the same air with less electricity than one in class D.
Why is the dB figure on the label higher than what I hear?
The label states sound power, the noise the hood emits as a source. What you hear is sound pressure, which is lower and depends on the room and your distance.
Does a recirculating hood get a different label?
No. Ducted and recirculating hoods use the same label, and the odour filter needed for recirculation is not rated in any way.