Recommend me a ceiling extractor

[Martin-W]

Recently started an extension which is going to become a 5m x 5m kitchen with a part-pitched ceiling (c.3m center-height).

 

Kitchen plan has the hob in the island close to the centre of the room, which means either an island extractor, a downdraught, or a ceiling hood. 

 - Island extractor isn't desirable because I'm going to keep hitting my head on it and it's going to be visually 'in the way' - not what we want from a feature kitchen, and especially if you want to have a conversation with someone while cooking. 

 - Downdraught with a 5-ring hob (a must-have) becomes very expensive as it's then a separate item in the island, which is also a separate cut in the quartz.  Don't really want either of those.  Plus we'd need to duct out through the floor which has already been laid (to concrete), or recirculate which isn't as effective.

 - ...which leaves a ceiling extractor.  But with a 3m high ceiling, that's a 2m rise from the hob, which is pushing it.  My research suggests that means we either need a higher flow-rate or a box-section dropped-down from the ceiling (more time/cost, but can do if needed).

 

...which is where it gets messy.  There's a lot less in the usual places about ceiling hoods, so I've had to hunt further afield.  All the 'affordable' brands appear to have shocking customer service / warranty response (even Luxair, who appear to have TrustPilot sewn up but get shocking reports on wiggling out of warranty claims and careless engineers everywhere else).  Leaving the likes of Bosch/Neff at the 'adequate' end (but flow-rates appear to be borderline for our dimensions), or moving up to Caple/Novy as you head into posher territory.

 

 

What have people on here fitted (& how easy/difficult was it), and does anyone have any experience of longevity / reliability (brands in general, not just ceiling hoods)?  Don't want to put something 'cheap' up only to have to replace it 2 years in or have an argument about a worthless warranty, but don't want to stretch the budget here if we don't have to.

 

Thanks,

 

Martin.

[ProDave]

39 minutes ago, Martin-W said:

- Island extractor isn't desirable because I'm going to keep hitting my head on it and it's going to be visually 'in the way'

If you hit your head it is too low, no excuse for that with a 3M ceiling height.

[saveasteading]

If it is fitted high enough to be clear of a tall persons forehead, then it needs a powerful fan, otherwise it won't do its primary job.

It could also be noisy. Ever heard them in a commercial kitchen?

[Martin-W]

 

5 hours ago, ProDave said:

If you hit your head it is too low, no excuse for that with a 3M ceiling height.

As above - an island extractor is just like any other close-mounted one - it needs to be c.800mm away from the hob to be effective, which puts it right in line with my forehead when I bend over the hob...ask me how I know this! 😁

 

...so I could fit one of those and raise it higher, but then it's still visible (dangling down) and doesn't work properly, which means a more expensive ceiling extractor is arguably more appropriate solution.

[OwenF]

I’m in a similar position

 

My current plan is to have one of these remote (in loft space above the kitchen) venting out via tile vent.

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/SLTD250SILENT.html

 

Rigid ducted down to a small plenum within some boxing with an egg crate grill eg.

 

https://www.justfans.co.uk/kitchen-extract-grille-with-grease-filter-450-150-cef-p-1454.html

 

 

Must admit I’m sceptical about the look of it (possibly very industrial) but the Luxair or Elica range coming in around £1000 with limited remote fan options (or at extra £££) is equally unappealing

 

Variation on the above might be buying a cheap, nice looking, hood extractor then gouging the internals and grill out to retrofit a remote fan.

[Moonshine]

I have a Luxair one that fits in a boxed out recess in my ceiling. You need to be planning for the fan when you do your joists as the fan sits in the ceiling cavity. Also factor that you need to get a 150mm duct out the house some how. I didn't know what fan i was using so i have to do some messing with the joists and the designer had to check the calcs but it got done to make the recess.

 

Fitting is easy if you have got your measurements right, though was a pig if not (i know from experience).

 

As for longevity, this fan is new to me (£100 of facebook marketplace) and has worked fine and isn't too noisy. I had to get a new remote and give it a good clean but been good value

 

 

[Moonshine]

Found an image if the fan unit installed in the hole, before the main chassis attaches

 

[Martin-W]

Thanks all - appreciate the thoughts.  Duct / vent isn't a problem - roofer seems very confident on that...just hope he's right.

 

Spoke to a different kitchen company today - they had a very different perspective - they seemed happy with Elica and Luxair, slammed Caple as being white-label imports, and suggested that Bosch/AEG/Neff don't make their own extractor fans either.  (That's an interesting one, but as usual google is not my friend here and I can't find out a thing)

 

They suggested Miro as being a UK-based brand worth considering.  Yet there are ZERO reviews out there for Miro.

(Edit: Just discovered Miro import all their hoods from Frecan in Spain...who appear to be yet another mid-range brand without much customer service if things go wrong)

 

I am SO f***ing confused right now...

Edited February 28 by Martin-W

[dpmiller]

17 hours ago, Martin-W said:

 

As above - an island extractor is just like any other close-mounted one - it needs to be c.800mm away from the hob to be effective, which puts it right in line with my forehead when I bend over the hob...ask me how I know this! 😁

 

...so I could fit one of those and raise it higher, but then it's still visible (dangling down) and doesn't work properly, which means a more expensive ceiling extractor is arguably more appropriate solution.

 

Even at- or slightly above- head height will be a lot better capture-wise than at ceiling level.

 

Our kitchen has a range cooker across a corner at 45deg and out from the wall a bit. I selected the highest-flow island hood I could find for sensible money (an ElectriQ curved glass jobbie) and it works well for wok cooking even at 800mm off the hob.

[Martin-W]

Quick update - going for a Bosch unit, as I know they've got a good customer service team if anything does go wrong.  More than i wanted to spend, but buy-cheap/buy-twice.  Box section has been built into the roof trusses to house, with a second 'inner ring' of 45mm trusses so if any replacement turns out to be slightly bigger we've not got to bugger around with the whole ceiling.

 

Going to be vented out of the roof, will now have a proper 6" chimney-style vent out of the roof (which is only going to be about 3-4' above the unit) and just need to make sure that it gets 6" ducting all the way, ideally more solid than flexi.

 

Thanks for the advice...it's really helped plan it all through.