Clearing the Air in Style

Just when you thought you’d seen all there is to see in terms of kitchen appliances, along comes one that changes your thinking forever.

The perennial problem of kitchens is that no matter how sleek and minimal the design, once you start actually cooking in it, the picture changes.  Clouds of steam and smells wafting through the house can quickly ruin your carefully planned aesthetics.

A decent extractor hood takes care of all that, of course, but at a price.  By its very nature the hood is a large and obtrusive piece of kitchen kit, no matter how well designed it might be.

But now there’s a new way to solve the problem of extraction, although it’s one that will also extract a fair-sized wad of cash from your pocket.

Downdraft extractors have been around for a while, mostly as s desperate last resort for island hobs and mostly not very efficient.

Venerable French manufacturer De Dietrich has changed all that with its new range of downdraft extractors.  This brilliantly compact extractor is concealed in the bench top behind the hob. Just a touch on the control surface brings it up into operating position, where its four-speed fans draw up to 900 m3 per hour of air directly from pan height.

It’s easy to see the advantages of downdraft extraction.  First, the extractor makes maximum use of its power by drawing directly from the level at which steam and other vapours leave cooking pans.  Because it is so close to the pans themselves, there’s no power lost in drawing from half a metre away, as is the case with overhead extractors.

The second advantage is that steam is drawn from the front of the hob back, eliminating the bothersome clouds of steam which occur when a pan is opened.

De Dietrich adds its own special advantage in the brilliant design of these extractors.  The slim, minimal lines won’t detract at all from the lines of your kitchen, even when the extractor is fully extended for operation.

The downdraft extractor also has a number of unique features.  As well as the digital display and easy-to-use touch control for fan speed, it has a delayed stop setting, allowing you to leave it running for a predetermined time after you finish cooking.  The handy display even lets you know when the filter needs cleaning.

If you’re looking for a perfect product to complete your designer kitchen, it’s hard to overlook these stunning De Dietrich extractors, despite a price of well over a thousand pounds.