Do you use your extractor?

[TheseThingsAreGoodThings]

I have never used mine. Its too noisey and I have never felt the need.

I am about to buy a new kitchen - do I have to buy a new one?

What can I have above my hob instead?

You have to have mechanical extraction if you do an extension or a new build. If your just re-doing your kitchen you could get away without it.

Downdraft extractors are becoming very popular now - they pop up out of the worktop when required.

You can have an extractor that sits flush to your ceiling, ducted to a motor outside your kitchen - cutting down on the noise considerably.

Downdraft extractors look really masculine and ugly - and take up quite a lot of cupboard space and they are still very noisy - I really don't rate them.

Building regs will be satisfied by an Xpelair type extractor in a wall, ceiling or window if it's powerful enough. It does not have to be a cooker hood.

Remote extractors available here by the look of it.

IKWYM, I hate the noise of the extractor fan and it still gets greasy around the cooker so what's it actually doing?

I use mine on the odd occasion that things start smoking! Otherwise the smoke alarm kicks off.

I use mine only when using a cast iron skillet, because it gets smoky.

Otherwise I don't bother.

Have a look at this thing of beauty.

I use mine if I'm cooking something with a strong smell but TBH we have such a high ceiling in the kitchen that I'm not sure it makes much difference. When I had a small kitchen I considered it essential.

I'd love an Elica extractor but it wouldn't fit the design of our kitchen (not to mention it costing as much as the rest of the kitchen put together).

PIL have an extractor in a cupboard above their hob. They open the cupboard door (hinged at the top) and that turns on the extractor; when the door is shut it just looks like a cupboard.

I suppose I just feel that since I never use it - buying a new one would be a waste of money .... so I am looking to be persuaded otherwise if lots of people actually find them useful.

I think they look awful - not sure what I am going to do yet but they are all ugly IMO and I don't blame you for not wanting to buy one. If I don't use it I find the units get covered in gunge more but maybe its my imagination.

Just put a fan in an outside wall - much less obtrusive and still clears the air if you burn the toast. Ideally so that air flows from the other side of the room via a door or window.

fan

My parents have a fan like that - but it's still over the cooker otherwise it will be a lot less effective and given the noise it makes - it needs to be effective.

Sil has decided not to have an extractor - hers would have been a recycling extractor so she didn't see the point and I agree with her - she put a pan rack above her hob and it looks fine.