• Top marks for handling, safety and workmanship

• StiWa also lauds grease filter, sound emissions and cleanability

With a top mark of 2.0, Miele's PUR 98 W cooker hood convinced the jurors of Germany's leading consumer watchdog Stiftung Warentest all along the line, securing unparallelled overall victory. In total, the watchdog examined 18 cooker hoods in recirculation mode. The results were published in the 3/2021 issue of the 'test' magazine on February 25.

In virtually all aspects of the test, Miele's extractor hood was awarded a 'Good' or 'Very good'. In the functionality test on chimney hoods, in particular, the Miele units came out with flying colours, scrubbing as they do up to 90% of grease from cooking vapours. This is achieved with Miele's tried-and-tested 10-ply stainless-steel filter. In recirculation mode (retrofittable and the subject of this test), the downstream Active AirClean filter containing activated charcoal absorbs odours. This guarantees a pleasant micro-climate in the kitchen by removing smells which would otherwise linger on after cooking has ended.

Similarly, sound emissions were also rated 'Good'. Miele uses a double-action radial fan which combines excellent performance with low noise levels. This made the Miele unit one of the quietest in the test.

In terms of handling, the PUR 98 W was given a 'Good' (2.0), making it the best candidate in the test. The grease filters are dishwasher-proof. Thanks to an outer-ply mesh made from stainless steel and a stainless frame, there is no discolouration, even after many wash cycles (awarded a 'Very good'). Further top marks were awarded for convenient filter replacement and ease of operation. Easy-to-follow operating instructions also clinched a 'Very good'.

In the 'Safety and Workmanship' section, only the Miele cooker hood achieved a 'Very good'. The grease filters, for example, conceal Miele's CleanCover – an enclosed, smooth surface making the unit interior easy to clean and protecting against exposure to wiring and motor components.

Company profile: Miele is the world's leading manufacturer of premium domestic appliances including cooking, baking and steam-cooking appliances, refrigeration products, coffee makers, dishwashers and laundry and floor care products. Their product portfolio also includes dishwashers, washing machines and tumble dryers for commercial use as well as washer-disinfectors and sterilisers for use in medical and laboratory applications (Miele Professional). Founded in 1899, the company has eight production plants in Germany, one each in Austria, the Czech Republic, China, Romania and Poland as well as two production plants belonging to its Italian medical technology subsidiary Steelco. Sales in the 2020 business year amounted to around € 4.5 bn (thereof 29.5% in Germany). Miele is represented with its own sales subsidiaries and via importers in almost 100 countries/regions. Throughout the world, the family-run enterprise, now in its fourth generation, employs a workforce of around 20,900, of which approx. 11,050 employees work in Germany. The company has its headquarters in Gütersloh in Westphalia.