Stoves Richmond 100PYR Pyramid Chimney review

The Stoves Richmond 100PYR Pyramid Chimneycan be used either as a recirculating cooker hood, or as a ducted, extracting cooker hood. It’s all down to how you set it up. If you decide to use this chimney as an extracting cooker hood, you’ll need to purchase additional ducting with fittings, so that you can channel cooking fumes from the cooker hood to an outlet on an external wall.

For this review, I installed the 100PYR as a recirculating cooker hood, which means the air that passes through its filters and fan gets cycled back into the kitchen. The findings published here will reflect that choice.

It’s worth bearing in mind that this is a relatively largetype of cooker hood. At about one metre wide, the appliance is suitable for use with many range cookers, as well as with standard 60 cm ones. This might rule the 100PYR out for some kitchens, although we think it looks good enough to be a large statement piece in most kitchens – even smaller ones.

Stoves Richmond 100PYR product specifics

• Warranty length:two years
• Type of cooker hood:extracting or recirculating chimney (depending on installation)
• Filters Required:3 x washable grease filters; 1 x charcoal filter
• Number of fan speeds:three
• Extraction rate:ranges from 300 ㎥/h (minimum) to 610 ㎥/h (maximum)
• Additional features:timed boost
• Dimensions:998 mm x 542.5 mm

Setup and maintenance

Installation:Installing and setting up the 100PYR as a recirculating cooker hood only took me an afternoon. However, had I been installing the appliance as an extracting cooker hood, the time and effort required would have been greater.

如果您熟悉DIY,你会希望be able to install the 100PYR without hiring a professional. However, it must be said that the installation instructions in the manual are not especially clear or thorough. Confusingly, the instruction manual seems to indicate that you need to buy some additional ducting if using the product as a recirculating cooker hood. I called the Stoves team to check, and they assured me that this would not be the case.

You can read my full account of setting up this particular cooker hood in my guide:how to fit a recirculating cooker hood. Do make sure that you have a power outlet ready in the right position for the cooker hood, before you buy.

Maintenance: Once you’ve got it set up, the 100PYR is no trouble to keep in good condition. The surfaces wipe clean easily, and the dark colour of the appliance can minimise the appearance of marks between cleans (although it does highlight dust).

It’s incredibly easy to insert or remove the grease and carbon filters from the 100PYR, using their user-friendly installation mechanisms - just remember to remove the blue protective material from the grease filters before use. The grease filters need to be taken out and washed from time to time, either by hand or in the dishwasher. This quick task greatly extends the filters’ lifespan, relative to a non-washable alternative. Meanwhile, the charcoal filters (for recirculating use) are non-washable. Replacing the 100PYR’s filters is a repeating cost, which you should take into consideration before purchasing the appliance.

Performance and design

Usability:The 100PYR is exceptionally easy to use. You simply press one of the three numbered control buttons to activate the fan at your desired speed setting, and press the power button to turn it off. That’s all there is to it!

Style:It’s a fantastic-looking cooker hood, with a timeless chimney design that can change the look and feel of a kitchen for the better. The components feel robust and well-made – especially the rail on the front of the hood. What's more, while the 100PYR looks great at any time, it comes into its own at night, when the mellow glow of the in-built LED lights can really transform the ambience of your kitchen. A cooker hood may be less important than the cooker itself, but this one somehow feels like the heart of the kitchen.

Function:During my hands-on testing, the 100PYR did a great job of capturing and recirculating air from my cooker. From boiling water and simmering sauces, to sizzling bacon and scrambling eggs, the cooker hood has visibly drawn in the fumes from every item I’ve cooked on the hob, since installation. For the first time in years, I’ve been able to fry bacon to the point of a perfect crispiness, without worrying about setting the fire alarm off! Furthermore, the 100PYR has proven sufficiently powerful to capture air from the oven and grill.

A good indicator of the cooker hood’s effectiveness was that it successfully neutralised the smells of cooking food. Without entirely removing aromas, the 100PYR seemed to reduce the prevalence of oily, greasy smells. My partner – who is more attuned to such things than I am – said that the house now smells fresher, during cooking.

Pete's top tip:You’ll probably want to use the 100PYR’s medium and high fan speeds sparingly, as the cooker hood is pretty noisy when used in these modes. Thankfully, the slowest setting is powerful enough to deal with most meals. You’ll probably only need the higher settings at times when your cooking is giving off a lot of steam or fumes – for example, when you are frying or grilling at a high temperature.

Should you buy the 100PYR?

One factor that might work against the 100PYR is affordability. It's on the upper end of the market, although its RRP of £549.00 is lower than some premium models sold by brands such as Miele and Airforce. And when you factor in the recurring costs of replacing the 100PYR’s grease filters and charcoal filters, this is a pretty expensive product.

The 100PYR’s functions are essentially similar to what you’d get with many models of cooker hood that come at a lower price point. What you’re really paying for here is the cooker hood's style, performance and quality of components.

If you want to complete your kitchen with a statement piece that combines styleandsubstance, this ambience-altering cooker hood will be well worth the investment.