We strive to bring our passion for technology to all of our kitchen projects and we’ll advise any client on the best appliances for their own space. Our ‘Technology in the Kitchen’ series will give you an honest opinion on the appliances we use for our own projects and other pieces that we hope to include in the future.
The first topic we wanted to talk about is downdraft extraction. You may have noticed that we chose to use downdraft extraction in both the Chef’s Kitchen and the Scandinavian Kitchen and we chose to use them for the discrete design and tried and tested functionality. Both of these kitchens have cooking elements set within the island (which is becoming an ever more popular feature) but there are various issues with conventional extraction over islands – the biggest issue being that manufacturers recommend a certain distance between the appliance and the extractor for it to be effective.
Even the more expensive high end extractors recommend just 750mm from the hob which is uncomfortably low for the majority of people. Not only do you risk banging you head, but it then becomes intrusive and obstructive within the room which is not ideal for the ambience and functionality we set out to achieve within our kitchens. If you move the extractor to a distance that is both ergonomically and aesthetically more appropriate the extraction becomes less and less effective the further it is placed from the appliance. There are various manufactures who have attempted to integrate the extractor into a light feature and although the functionality is improved the aesthetic is generally less than satisfactory. An additional problem with the “more expensive, more powerful” extractors is that they start to sound like a rocket taking off, due to the increased power drawing out the unwanted smells.
Our solution to this problem is the downdraft extractor and although these are still quite expensive (£1500 for our preferred Siemens model) they are becoming more affordable (£500 for a lesser model). In our experience, it is by far the best solution to extraction in an island scenario. The extractors are wonderfully discrete, withdrawing into the work surface when not in use. You can see this illustrated wonderfully in our Scandinavian Kitchen – in it’s withdrawn state the extractor sat beautifully within the stainless steel work surface.
The majority of this style of extractor also include a concealed task light to illuminate the cooking area, which is always helpful and another additional benefit is that due to the fact that they sit relatively close to the source appliance and the fans are generally concealed beneath within the kitchen cabinets, the amount of sound generated is less.
The main consideration when thinking of installing a downdraft extractor is the sacrifice of cabinet space to accommodate the mechanics of the appliance but again that’s where we come in to ensure that your kitchen accommodates your needs!
