If you’ve been looking at extraction units for your kitchen recently, you may have seen downdraft extraction fans. These are a relatively new way of extracting the odours and steam from your kitchen.
You may be wondering what magic lies under the stylish exterior of a downdraft fan and how it works, and that is what this article is all about.
First, though, let’s find out what a downdraft fan is for anyone just starting out their adventures into choosing the perfect extraction unit for their kitchen.
What Is a Downdraft Extraction Unit?
A downdraft extraction unit fits behind your cooker and rises up out of the countertop at the press of a button. It is a very sleek and stylish way of having built-in extraction in your kitchen while keeping it hidden when not in use.
There are also hobs with integrated downdraft extractors available. These work on the same principle as downdraft units that are separate from the hob.
A downdraft extraction unit provides all of the extraction you could need. Still, it packs serious power in the style depart too. If you’d like a very modern kitchen with a very clean look, a downdraft extraction unit is perfect.
You see, an extraction hood can often block your view, particularly if your hob is on an island. Although most extraction hoods do a great job at getting odours and steam from the kitchen, they can be an eyesore.
Downdraft units, though, provide all the power to push steam and odours out of the kitchen with none of the style drawbacks. But how does a downdraft extraction fan work?
How Does a Downdraft Extractor Fan Work?
Downdraft extractor fans extract the air right from the hob itself. These extraction units don’t wait until the hot air rises—they suck the air, steam and odours directly from the hob surface.
Of course, this means that these extraction units are incredibly efficient because they don’t need to clean all of the air in your kitchen. You simply turn the extraction unit on as you begin cooking, and it takes the air, steam and odours away from the hob directly, not from the air around the hob.
Downdraft extractor fans are also incredibly stylish too. Most downdraft extraction fans are designed to fit behind your hob. They are completely flush with your countertop when they aren’t turned on.
When they are turned on, some models rise up to trap the moisture and odours just above the height of your pans. However, other models remain flush with your countertop and force the air into the unit using a powerful motor.
Once the air is inside a downdraft extraction fan, it will either be pumped out of your kitchen using ducting like a traditional extraction unit. This ducting is typically under the floor of your kitchen, though, rather than on a wall. Or the downdraft fan will recirculate the air back into the kitchen once it has filtered and cleaned it.
So, a downdraft extractor fan uses the same technology for getting rid of odours and steam as a traditional extractor fan. However, they take the odour and steam from the source directly rather than letting it get into the air of your kitchen. This means that a downdraft extractor is very efficient, but it is also extremely stylish.
As we said, some hobs have downdraft extraction built-in, but there are plenty of downdraft units on the market that aren’t built in too. If you do decide that a downdraft extractor fan is the way you want to go for your extraction, you do need to consider the space that the unit will take up on your countertop. If your hob is already very close to the full width of your counter, chances are a downdraft unit will not fit.
Downdraft extraction units are absolutely perfect for islands. However, if your hob is against a wall, you may find that a downdraft extraction unit isn’t suitable for your kitchen. Still, if you are remodelling your kitchen altogether, it may be the perfect time to install a downdraft unit. As you can choose a hob and downdraft extraction fan that match your countertop width perfectly.
We hope this look at downdraft extraction units has helped you decide whether this stylish and efficient kitchen tech is the perfect extraction method for your kitchen. To find out more about other extraction fans and recirculating fans, please explore our website further.
Scott is a writer and a passionate home chef. His passion for cooking began when he was 10 years old. Scott has been writing professionally for over five years now and loves to combine his passion for cooking with his day job.
