Kitchen design and extractors: Electric chimney or Exhaust fan?
You may find that during the years in your present home you have dreamed of your ideal kitchen. Homeowners often dream of every single detail that matters to you from the size of an island, to the location of the kitchen window or indeed the type of oven and cooker you prefer. But have you considered the matter of kitchen design and extractors? Read on to learn why this can be a really important decision to contemplate before you commit your budget.
Kitchen design and extractors

Should You Go for an Electric Chimney or an Exhaust Fan?
When you are designing your ideal kitchen it is very important that you get every detail of the design right. That way you’ll get the maximum performance and enjoyment from your investment.
One way of ensuring good quality would be to choose a top chimney brand. But a big question that you will ask is whether you would actually be better installing an electric chimney or whether an exhaust fan might be the best option.
Here is a look at some of the main points to consider when deciding which option to go for.



Understanding the difference between the two
A good starting point would be to appreciate the fundamental difference between an electric chimney and an exhaust fan.
With an exhaust fan, all the smoke and odors you create when cooking are vented outside.
This allows fresh air to enter the kitchen through natural ventilation if you keep windows and doors open.
A kitchen chimney features a powerful suction motor and filters.
These are designed to gather all the smoke and oil particles from your cooking and pass them through its filter system for maximum efficiency.
Which one is best for getting rid of smoke, odors, and particles?
It is well worth remembering that an exhaust fan is primarily designed to vent out smoke and bad odors from your kitchen.
It sends them outside, but it is not expected to gather oil and grease particles with any degree of efficiency.
If you have an exhaust fan fitted in your kitchen you will have to carry out regular cleaning around the work areas as well as the ceilings and cupboards, or you will find that they soon become very greasy.
You don’t have the same concerns with a kitchen chimney.
It is designed to suck out all of the smoke, as well as oil and greasy particles so that you don’t have the same cleaning and maintenance chores compared to an exhaust fan.
What about the cost of the different extractors?
If you are on a tight budget with your kitchen design and extractors it is tempting to compare prices. There is a difference between an exhaust fan and a chimney. And you may decide that it would be worth opting for the cheaper option. However, it could prove to be a false economy. You need to consider all of the extra cleaning you will be committed to with an exhaust fan option.
It is fair to say that you might consider that a decent kitchen chimney looks expensive. That is when you compare the price to an exhaust fan. However, you need to look at all of the pros and cons rather than deciding on price alone.
One of those factors is the important issue of air pollution. It is clear that an exhaust fan is not in the same league as a chimney when you compare how efficiently each option manages to draw out smoke and deal with particles and gasses.
Final thoughts on Kitchen design and extractors
All things considered, it is easy to come to the conclusion that investing in a kitchen chimney would be the smart thing to do in the long run.
FURTHER READING ON KITCHEN & HOME FOR HOME OWNERS
At Housesitmatch.com we like to offer our readers articles related to the blog they have found online. Please find a selection of blogs on similar topics to the one you have been reading. These articles have been curated for you in our list below:
Kitchen transformation – 5 Steps for an upgrade
How to warm up your kitchen in changing seasons
Why expand your home kitchen – Great ideas
Housesitters keep pets safe at home and save money
Preparing a home for a house or pet sitter