What is a Downdraft Extractor: A Complete Buying Guide
By Linärie Appliances
When looking to upgrade the appliances of your kitchen, you should consider choosing the ones that will combine performance and aesthetics to elevate the ambience of your home.
A good venting system, ideally paired with an induction or ceramic cooktop, that also aims to elevates the aesthetics of your kitchen, will set the tone to the entire environment. Whether it is a rangehood (overhead, wall-mounted canopy, island) or a downdraft system, a kitchen is never complete without an efficient air extractor.
What Is A Downdraft Extractor?
An induction cooktop with a downdraft extractor comes with many benefits. Popular in the 1980’s and 1990’s, downdraft extractor system is making a comeback; especially in the homes of minimalist owners who also prize for appliances with incredible performance.
A downdraft extractor is a rangehood that is unobtrusively placed under your kitchen benchtop while optimizing space, so that you can conveniently raise and activate it at the touch of your fingertips when needed and slide it down once you’ve finished cooking. When in use, the extractor rises approximately 30-40cm out of the benchtop surface to extract the fumes over the cooktop. Typically seen in kitchen islands, the downdraft can also be architected into a run of cabinet if you have enough space between the cooktop and the wall.
The downdraft technology extracts steam, grease and smells horizontally across the top of the pots and pans on your cooktop; and then, either vented out via ducting or recirculated back into your kitchen after passing through the activated charcoal filter and 5-layer filter for optimal smoke and odor absorption capacity. This air suction system prevents the extracted air to rise into the room.
Keep in mind that your personal cooking style and the design of your kitchen will play a part in determining what type of extraction system works best for your home.
Minimalistic Design: Sleek and hidden design. Perfect for modern kitchens.
Design Versatility: more freedom on where to place your cooktop without concerns about above for an extractor.
Clear view: Doesn’t hang down from the ceiling and block sightlines. Ideal for extraction on kitchen islands and open-plan living.
Ventilation & Recirculation: Different installation positions give flexibility when designing the kitchen.
Space Saving & Easy Installation: Installation requires minimal ducting, allowing you to utilize the cabinets directly underneath the cooktop and maximizing the space in your kitchen.
Easy to clean: The downdraft extractor system can taken apart, at the countertop level, without any hassle, so that you can clean it and put it down at the convenience of the touch of your fingers.
Disadvantages Of A Downdraft Extractor
Efficiency: Due to the positioning of the cooktop, the pans at the front of the cooktop don’t get the same extraction efficiency as the ones at the back.
Induction Cooktop Preferred: Not ideal for gas cooktops due to the fan wavering the flame which causes uneven heat distribution.
Advanced Installation Planning: Several considerations to be factored in during the design stage; including cooktop position, for the space in the cabinet below or behind, ducting/ductless extraction system, etc.
Cost: can be significantly more expensive than an overhead rangehood.
Downdraft Extractor Installation Information
When it comes to the air extraction system, recirculating (ductless) is easier to install but it’s not as effective at removing grease and smells as venting (duct) extraction. Venting (duct) take up space in the cabinet below or behind, and its installation from the cooktop position to an outside wall should be factored in during the design stage. For an island cooktop, the ducting should be installed through the floor.
There are several considerations when it comes to installing downdraft extractors. We encourage you to download the manual and specsheet for more information on the installation to help you understanding and planning in advance.
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About Linärie Appliances Powered by innovative technology that combines premium quality with affordability, Linärie Appliances seamlessly integrates cutting-edge technology and French-inspired elegant designs, to elevate comfort in your kitchen and transform your cooking experience into memorable moments. Delivering anywhere in Äustralia.
Cooktop is working well, controls are easy, but cooling fans are very noisy, that is a bit annoying when trying to boil something small without turning on rangehood
