Description
Bosch Series 6 Built-In 80cm Induction Hob with Integrated Downdraft Ventilation
An 80cm Bosch induction hob with a downdraft extractor built into the middle of it, drawing steam and cooking smells away before they reach the ceiling.
The Series 6 PVQ81AH26E replaces two appliances with one. Four induction zones sit either side of an integrated ventilation intake, so there is no hood above the worktop and nothing overhead to duck around. The matt black ceramic glass is frameless and, by Bosch's account, less prone to showing scratches and fingerprints than a gloss finish.
Extraction happens where the steam is. In ducted use the fan moves up to 500 cubic metres an hour on its highest normal setting and 622 on the intensive one, and it switches itself on as soon as a cooking zone is used. Each of the four zones runs at 2.5kW and boosts to 3.7kW, and any adjoining pair can be joined as a CombiZone.
Ideal For
With no hood above the worktop there is nothing blocking the sightline across a kitchen and dining space. Extraction runs at 42dB on its lowest normal ducted setting, so quiet conversation carries on around it.
Islands rarely suit an overhead hood without a substantial ceiling run. Downdraft extraction takes the ducting under the worktop instead and fits a 60cm base cabinet despite the 80cm surface.
Four 2.5kW zones boosting to 3.7kW, two CombiZones for large cookware and a PerfectFry Plus sensor cover most of what a busy kitchen needs from a hob.
Key Features
Ducted extraction runs from 154 to 500 cubic metres an hour on its normal settings, with 622 available on the intensive setting for a smoking pan.
The fan starts as soon as a cooking zone is used and keeps running after you finish, clearing residual odours on a low-noise setting before shutting itself off.
Adjoining zones can be joined into one larger heating area, so a roasting tin or a fish kettle sits across a pair rather than half on and half off.
The matt black ceramic surface is frameless and, according to Bosch, less susceptible to visible scratches and fingerprints than it would otherwise be.
A 12-layer stainless steel grease filter lifts out by hand for cleaning, and everything in the filter and liquid collector unit is dishwasher safe.
A 200ml collector handles everyday spills and condensate, backed by a 700ml safety collector below for the bigger accidents. Both are removable and dishwasher safe.
Ducted or recirculating, and what changes
Ducted to the outside, the hob moves 154 to 500 cubic metres an hour on normal settings and 622 on intensive, at 42 to 69dB. Recirculating through the supplied Clean Air Plus odour filter, those figures become 117 to 487 and 595, at 41 to 68dB. Recirculation is the easier installation because no external duct is needed, and Bosch includes a slider for unducted use. The filters are non-regenerative with a stated life of 360 hours of cooking, so replacement is a running cost worth planning for.
How the cooking side is set up
All four zones are identical: 190/210mm, 2.5kW each, boosting to 3.7kW. That symmetry is unusual and genuinely useful, because no pan is stuck with the weak ring. Two CombiZones let each pair be joined for larger cookware. Power runs across 17 levels, nine main and eight intermediate, controlled from a DirectSelect touch bar with a configurable Favourite button. A PerfectFry Plus sensor regulates pan temperature automatically for frying, and ReStart recovers every setting if the hob is switched off by accident.
Planning the installation properly
This is the part to settle before ordering. The appliance is 22.3cm deep below the glass and needs a niche of 22.3 by 75 by 49cm, though it fits a 60cm base cabinet and a worktop of at least 16mm. It weighs 25.6kg, so the worktop needs to carry it. The cabinet below must stay accessible from underneath for the lower liquid safety collector, which usually means giving up drawer space. Ducting kits for anything other than the supplied unducted recirculation setup are separate accessories.
How It Compares
| Kitchen Need | Bosch Technology | Practical Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Open-plan kitchen noise | 42dB minimum ducted setting | The extractor can run quietly at its lowest normal speed while a room is in use around it |
| Island with no hood | Integrated downdraft extraction | Steam is drawn down at the hob, so no chimney or canopy is needed above the worktop |
| Frying and searing | 622 m³/h intensive setting | A short burst of intensive extraction clears smoke from a hot pan before it spreads |
| Large roasting tins | Two CombiZones | Adjoining zones join into one area, heating the full base of oversized cookware evenly |
| No external wall | Recirculation mode | Clean Air Plus filters and a slider are included, so the hob can run without any outside duct |
| Cleaning after cooking | Dishwasher-safe filter unit | The grease filter and liquid collectors lift out by hand and go straight in the dishwasher |
Specifications
| Brand | Bosch |
| Model | PVQ81AH26E |
| Product Type | Hob |
| Series | Series 6 |
| Hob Type | Induction with integrated downdraft ventilation |
| Width | 80 cm (802 mm appliance width) |
| Colour | Matt black ceramic glass, frameless design; Bosch states the matt finish is less susceptible to visible scratches and fingerprints |
| Cooking zones | 4, each 190/210 mm, 2.5 kW (max. 3.7 kW) |
| CombiZones | 2 - each pair of zones can be joined for larger cookware |
| Power levels | 17-stage (9 main levels and 8 intermediate levels) |
| Controls | DirectSelect imprinted touch bar, configurable Favourite button |
| Cooking functions | PowerBoost on all zones, PerfectFry Plus frying sensor, keep warm, QuickStart, ReStart within 4 seconds, Dish assistant |
| Extraction (ducted) | 154 m³/h min. to 500 m³/h max. normal setting, 622 m³/h intensive (EN 61591) |
| Extraction (recirculation) | 117 m³/h min. to 487 m³/h max. normal setting, 595 m³/h intensive (EN 61591) |
| Fan settings | 9-stage plus 2 intensive settings, AutoOn when a zone is used, delayed run-on after cooking |
| Noise level | Ducted 42 dB min. to 69 dB max. normal setting, 74 dB intensive (EN 60704-3); recirculation 41 to 68 dB, 72 dB intensive |
| Filtration | Stainless steel grease filter, 12 layers, 94% grease filtration efficiency; Clean Air Plus odour filters for recirculation, 360 hours lifetime; 900 ml liquid collection (200 ml collector plus 700 ml safety collector), dishwasher-safe |
| Ventilation energy efficiency | Class B (A+++ to D scale, Regulation (EU) No 65/2014), fluid dynamic efficiency A, grease filtration class B |
| Connectivity | Home Connect over Wi-Fi, updateable software |
| Safety | 2-stage residual heat indicator per zone, control panel lock, pause function, main on/off switch, safety cut-out |
| Total connected load | 7.4 kW (power management for 16 A, 13 A or 10 A connection) |
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 22.3 x 80.2 x 52.2 cm; required niche 22.3 x 75 x 49 cm, suits a 60 cm base cabinet, minimum worktop thickness 16 mm |
| Weight | 25.6 kg |
| Warranty | 2 Year Warranty |
The Verdict
Strengths
- Induction hob and extractor in one appliance
- Up to 500 m³/h ducted, 622 m³/h on intensive
- Four identical 2.5kW zones boosting to 3.7kW
- Two CombiZones for oversized cookware
- Matt black frameless glass resists visible scratches
- 94% grease filtration with dishwasher-safe filter unit
- Home Connect over Wi-Fi with updateable software
Considerations
- The Clean Air Plus odour filters used in recirculation are non-regenerative, with a stated life of 360 hours of cooking before replacement.
- The cabinet beneath must remain accessible from below for the liquid safety collector, which usually costs you a drawer.
- Only the unducted recirculation accessories are supplied; ducted extraction and other configurations need separate Bosch kits and ducting.
What's in the Box
- Induction hob with integrated ventilation x1
- Slider for unducted recirculation x1
- Clean Air Plus odour filter x1
- Installation/user manual x1
