Indesit vs Smeg Cooker Hoods

Indesit offers hoods from £129 to £229, including the UHPM63FCSX 600mm stainless steel chimney at £129, the ISLK 66F LS W white visor at £129 and the IHPC9.5LMX stainless steel chimney at £229. Smeg is represented by the KBT600XE 3-speed universal chimney hood in stainless steel at £479, more than twice the £229 price of the IHPC9.5LMX chimney.

Indesit's models use three speeds, LED lighting, slider controls and, on the visor and chimney designs, intensive settings and charcoal or stainless steel filters. The Smeg KBT600XE provides three speeds, LED lights and a 64dB noise rating. Smeg's own material highlights Italian design, a stainless steel and tempered glass build, aluminium grease filters, activated charcoal filters for recirculation and extraction of up to 750m³/h. It also cites a two-year warranty that can be extended to five years on registration. The Smeg's stated 64dB rating is the only decibel figure in this pairing, which makes it easy to set against the Indesit UHPM63FCSX's 68dB maximum.

Indesit suits budget kitchens and refits where a simple, reliable hood is the main requirement, including compact visor designs for small spaces. Smeg suits buyers who want a stainless steel chimney with stronger design appeal and are prepared to pay more for it, especially where the hood is a visible feature of the kitchen. Buyers who want the hood to be a deliberate design feature will find the Smeg more rewarding, while a simple budget hood for a rental or first home is better bought from Indesit, where the price difference is hard to justify for a basic kitchen.

Bottom line: choose Indesit if you want a low-cost stainless or white hood that does the job, or choose Smeg if you want a visible chimney hood with a more distinctive design and a warranty that can be extended.