We have always believed that a white hood is not very practical. But it turned out that fingerprints and fine dirt are much less visible on it. Our choice is the inclined kitchen hood Lex Aria 600 White. It features high performance, low noise and convenient operation. This model is ideal for modern kitchens in high-tech or modern style, decorated in white and light colors.
Characteristics
| Manufacturer | Lex |
|---|---|
| Model | Aria 600 White |
| Type | inclined hood |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Guarantee | 36.6 months |
| Life time * | 10 years |
| Housing material | painted steel, glass |
| Width | 60 cm |
| Control | sensory |
| Display | There is |
| Timer | There is |
| Power consumption | 230 W |
| Free exit | 850—1050 m³/h |
| Ventilation | 650—850 m³/h |
| Recycling | 450—630 m³/h |
| Number of speeds | 3 |
| Noise level | 40-50 dB |
| Backlight | LED 2×1.5 W |
| Duct diameter | 150 mm |
| Filter | aluminum (included), carbon L1 (optional) |
| Weight | 13 kg |
| Dimensions (H×W×D) | 370×595×385 mm |
| Network cable length | 1.4 m |
* Contrary to popular belief, this is not the time limit after which the device will necessarily break down. However, after this period, the manufacturer ceases to bear any responsibility for its performance and has the right to refuse to repair it, even for a fee.
Equipment
The hood is supplied in a large cardboard box, reinforced with nylon ties. On the front side of the packaging, the manufacturer placed a vector image of the hood and highlighted its main characteristics. These include built-in LED lighting, touch controls and a single-motor design.
Detailed technical specifications and contact information for the manufacturer and importer are provided on the sides of the box. Having opened it, inside we found:
- hood housing with installed anti-grease filter
- decorative telescopic casing
- set of brackets and hardware for hanging
- non-return valve kit
- corrugated aluminum hose
- user guide
- warranty card
- paper template for product installation
At first sight
The front panel of the Lex Aria 600 hood consists of two tempered glass panels, painted on the inside. This model comes in three color options: white as shown, black and ivory. The metal part of the body has the same color as the panels.
The rectangular upper screen folds down to reveal a metal anti-grease filter, while the U-shaped lower one remains stationary.
At the bottom there is a touch control panel with a digital display showing the current power level. It is activated by clicking on the circle in the center of the screen.
When the hood is turned off, the sensors are not visible, so we will look at the control panel a little lower when we connect the device.
The anti-grease filter, which traps oil splashes from the stove, is made in the form of a three-dimensional aluminum structure and mounted on a metal frame. To secure it, regular gray latches are used.
An electric motor with a centrifugal fan is located under the filter. Air enters it through the grilles at the ends of the cylinder, where there are also mounts for additional carbon filters. This model can be connected to an exhaust system or used in recirculation mode, when it purifies the air on its own. If recirculating, filters must be used to trap odors and dust. The Aria 600 White is compatible with Lex L1 carbon cartridges, which are not included in the package and must be purchased separately.
The work area is illuminated by two round LED lamps with bright, cool light. Their total power is 3 W.
The oblong holes on the back side are intended for hanging the hood using the bracket included in the kit.
If you choose a different mounting method during installation, you can use the round holes just below.
The outlet hole with a diameter of 150 mm is equipped with grooves for installing non-return valve petals (they are also included in the kit).
The petals must be installed when connecting to the exhaust ventilation: they will protect the structure from dust, debris and unpleasant odors from the mine.
To connect to ventilation, the device includes a corrugated hose made of aluminum foil.
After installation, the ventilation pipe can be covered with a decorative telescopic casing decorated with the manufacturer’s logo.
The casing consists of two metal elements that are inserted into each other: in this way you can adjust the installation height of the structure.
Instructions
The 32-page instruction manual is an A5 brochure on thick paper with good quality printing and many illustrations.
The document is intended for four different models of Lex hoods and contains general recommendations for their installation in various installation options: both free-standing and built-in, with the possibility of using recirculation or connection to a ventilation duct.
The manual also presents the technical characteristics of the devices, a table of possible malfunctions with methods for eliminating them, as well as recommendations for care.
The documentation set includes a warranty card and a paper template that will facilitate marking when installing the device.
Control
On the control panel of the hood, the main touch button that turns on the device is circled in gray. There are four more located to the right and left of it, but they are not visible when turned off.
While the device is operating, the timer, power adjustment and backlight on/off buttons are illuminated. Inside the ring surrounding the central button is a seven-segment indicator that displays the current fan speed: 0, 1, 2 or 3.
Using the buttons to control power and backlight is extremely simple and straightforward.
The timer function allows you to set the exhaust fan to automatically turn off after 1-9 minutes. To activate this feature, you must hold down the timer button for three seconds. Then, using the arrows, the desired time is set, and the choice is confirmed by pressing the timer button again.
Exploitation
We do not test hoods in real kitchen conditions due to their variability in installation. Our measurements are limited to laboratory tests, including performance, noise and power consumption measurements.
During testing, we found out that the sensors on the hood are well located and respond reliably to pressing. Working with them is easy to understand.
The backlight lamps used in the design are highly bright. Their cool white light makes the hood the main source of lighting in the kitchen when needed.
Care
The external surfaces of the hood should be cleaned at least once a month using mild cleaning agents. To clean glass surfaces, it is recommended to use a soft cloth with glass cleaning liquid. It is important to avoid the use of scrapers and abrasives.
The aluminum filter must be cleaned regularly, at least once a month, by soaking it in hot water and detergent for an hour.
The filter is also dishwasher safe. However, the manufacturer warns that this may cause a color change, which does not affect performance.
Our measurements
The energy consumption of the hood depends, of course, on the speed of its fans.
| Energy consumption, W | |
|---|---|
| Speed 1 | 142 |
| Speed 2 | 166 |
| Speed 3 | 195 |
| Lighting | 4 |
To measure the noise level, we use a sound level meter, placing its microphone at a distance of 1 m from the operating device and pointing it at it. For maximum adequacy to real conditions, we connect a 2-meter pipe to the outlet of the hood. This allows you to effectively remove “rear” noise and eliminate its influence on the measurement results.
| Noise level, dBA | |
|---|---|
| Speed 1 | 49 |
| Speed 2 | 57 |
| Speed 3 | 62 |
To measure performance, we connect the device to a two-meter smooth PVC pipe with a diameter of 160 mm. This allows you to stabilize the difference in the speed of air flow at the outlet. At the outer opening of the pipe, we measure the air flow velocity at 17 points, after which these values are averaged using the arithmetic mean method.
Based on the obtained average speed, the extraction capacity is calculated in cubic meters of air per minute. For this model, the measurement results are given below (numbers are speed in meters per second).
The average speed of the air flow at the outlet of the pipe is 9.0 m/s. Considering the pipe diameter (160 mm), the productivity measured using our method is 10.9 cubic meters per minute (651.96 m³/h).
conclusions
We were impressed by the high performance, low noise and easy operation of the Lex Aria 600 White tilting kitchen hood. Its design will fit perfectly into a modern kitchen in high-tech or modern style, especially if it is decorated in white and light colors. The color of the glass panels makes fingerprints and light stains less noticeable, which further improves its appearance.
Laboratory tests have confirmed that this model has high power and low noise levels, even when operating at maximum speed. The illumination of the work area provides sufficient brightness for comfortable work at the stove.
During testing, we did not identify any significant shortcomings in this model.
Pros:
- convenient control
- high performance
- acceptable noise level
- easy care
Minuses:
- not detected