What to consider when selecting kitchen extractor fans NZ has to offer
Are you sick of cooking smells going through your entire house? Maybe you’ve got an old extractor fan that’s covered in grease and dust. Either way, buying and installing a new kitchen extractor fan in NZ is a great way to improve your kitchen’s functionality and look. Let’s take a look at everything you need to know when buying kitchen extractor fans in NZ.
What is a kitchen extractor fan?
A kitchen extractor fan also has another couple of names, including a rangehood or a cooking hood. Essentially, it’s a fan that sits above your stovetop to essentially extract any steam, smoke and odours that occur while cooking. Without a kitchen extractor fan, all of the steam, smells and sometimes smoke from your cooking is free to just fill the air, usually going right through the house.
In addition, a kitchen extractor also helps to keep your walls clean. While it can’t stop grease, oil and food from splashing onto the walls if you’re a bit careless, it can stop the constant cooking steam from staining the walls around your stovetop.
Different types of kitchen extractor fans
There are generally two distinct types of kitchen extractor fans available, and this is based on how they actually work. Of course, there are several different designs and styles that we won’t go into, but it’s important to understand the difference between the two most popular types, which are:
- Extraction hoods
- Recirculation hoods
Regardless of how these cooking hoods look, the two actually work in quite different ways.
Extraction hoods
Extraction cooking hoods are generally considered the best option out of the two, however that really depends on your budget and how easy (or difficult) it may be to install. Extraction hoods use ducting to send the air directly outside. This is a more effective option for completely ridding your kitchen of steam, smoke and food smells, but it’s a little more difficult to install.
Because these systems use ducting, you obviously need to install the ducting as well as a path for the ducting to take air outside. This can increase installation costs considerably. In addition, they can be louder and more expensive to run, because they need more power to push all of the air outside.
Recirculation hoods
Unlike extraction hoods, recirculation hoods actually clean and process the air going through them. The clean air is then recirculated back into your kitchen. From an installation point of view, these are much easier because you don’t need any ducting. However, with grease and charcoal filters, they are able to remove most contaminants from the air before pushing it back into the room.
The downside of recirculation hoods is that they aren’t quite as effective, because of the work they need to do in order to remove grease, smells and smoke from the air. Also, the filters can get pretty disgusting if you don’t clean them regularly, so this is something to keep in mind. However, as a cost-effective solution for those on a budget, recirculation hoods work just fine.
Which type of extractor fan is right for you?
In many ways, the answer to this question comes down to budget. Most people would agree that extraction hoods are more effective at removing grease, smells and smoke from the air because they don’t process it at all – they just push it straight outside. So, for effectiveness, extraction hoods take the win there.
However, if installing ducting and paying for the more expensive type of extractor fan is outside of your budget, you’ll need to consider recirculation hoods. Some people prefer these from a visual point of view too. Extraction hoods are quite large, and the ducting takes up kitchen space (no matter how nicely it is encased). Therefore, a recirculation hood is much better for those on a budget. It should generally be cheaper to run, too.
Ultimately, the decision is yours and both will do an ample job of keeping your kitchen and home free of smoke, cooking smells and steam.
Need help with kitchen extractor fans in NZ?
Whether you’re building a new home, renovating your kitchen or simply upgrading your cooking area, RCR is here to help., We specialise in the installation of kitchen extractor fans in NZ. Our expert team can discuss your needs to determine which type of unit is right for you. Then, we’ll get it installed quickly and seamlessly, always getting the job done right the first time. For more information about how we can help with kitchen extractor fan installation and all your other renovation needs, contact us today.
