Our top 5 tips for picking an extractor to suit your kitchen

When you’re designing your dream kitchen, it’s easy to get caught up in choosing the perfect cabinets and worktops. But have you thought about your extractor? It’s one of the most used appliances in the house, removing odours and sometimes doubling up as the perfect cooking light.

At Caple, we believe your extractor should work efficiently and look beautiful in the process.  With styles to suit every space, from subtle and discreet to bold statement pieces, it can be hard to know what best suits your kitchen, or which will be the most effective in your space. Here are our top 5 tips:

1. If your hob is by the wall

Classic and stylish, chimney hoods are used when your hob is installed in front of a wall. They’re perfect for both traditional or modern kitchens, efficiently removing steam and cooking odours.

Most chimney hoods come in 60cm, 70cm or 90cm widths, making them a flexible option whether you have a compact cooking zone or a larger hob to cater for family meals. They use either surface or edge extraction to clear steam and cooking odours efficiently, so your kitchen always feels fresh.

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2. If your hob is on an Island

Tailor-made for kitchens with a central island, island cooker hoods deliver strong extraction while also creating a beautiful focal point.

Mounted directly to the ceiling, island hoods are designed to look as good as they perform. They provide either surface or edge extraction to quickly clear steam and odours.

Some island hoods also come with extension cables to provide more flexibility allowing you to accommodate different ceiling heights, ensuring extraction is effective regardless of the height of the ceiling.  With sizes ranging from a compact 36cm right up to 90cm, there’s an option to suit any kitchen.

After something more subtle over your island? Take a look at number 3 for an alternative!

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3. Something subtle?  No problem.

For those who prefer clean lines and a minimalist look, ceiling hoods are made for you. They sit discreetly overhead, blending seamlessly into your kitchen while still offering powerful extraction. Ideal if you love an uncluttered space that feels open and airy.

Ceiling hoods are often popular choices for people with a kitchen island, where maintaining a clear view of the dining or living area is important. Because they sit flush with the ceiling, they provide powerful extraction without dominating the room, keeping the focus on your kitchen design, not the appliance.

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4. Perfect for tackling a large open plan space

Sleek, modern and a little bit clever, downdraft extractors rise gracefully from your worktop when you need them, then disappear back out of sight when you don’t. Perfect if you want high performance without interrupting the clean lines of your kitchen.

Available in 60cm or 90cm widths, the unit is built directly into the worktop just behind your hob. Instead of pulling vapour upwards like a traditional hood, downdraft models draw odours backwards and downwards making them especially effective in open-plan spaces.

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5. Limited on space?

If you’re limited on space, built-in and integrated hoods create an optimal benefit to the any kitchen. They’re built into your kitchen cabinetry, keeping everything beautifully streamlined. You’ll barely notice them, apart from the difference they make when you’re cooking!

With a pull out cabinet door, the hood blends elegantly into your cabinetry. When it’s time to cook, the front plate opens forwards or upwards, creating a vapour trap that captures steam and odours before they escape into your kitchen. Behind the plate, the inclined grease filters work hard to remove vapour and grease using efficient surface extraction.

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How can you get the most out of your extractor? That’s where PlasmaMade® E-Filters come in. Our innovative Plasma filters can upgrade your extractor, neutralising odours, grease and even bacteria.

How do they work? Simply plug them into your extractor – yes its as simple as that. They’re long-lasting, eco-friendly and mean no more regular carbon filter changes, making them a smart choice for busy households.

Why Choose Caple Plasma?

• Save on heating and cooling, unlike outdoor extraction, a Plasma filter keeps your warm (or cool) air indoors, helping to cut down on energy bills.
• Cleaner, healthier air. These filters don’t just tackle cooking odours; they also help neutralise airborne viruses, bacteria, fungi, cigarette smoke, VOCs, pollen, fine dust and even pet allergens.
• Sustainable choice. The PlasmaMade® filter is up to 97% recyclable and lasts up to 15 years with correct use and care, making it a far more eco-friendly option than traditional carbon filters.
• Easy to use. Installation is simple: just attach the filter to your hood, plug it in, and you’re ready to go. No messy charcoal filter changes required.
• Low running costs. With a power consumption of just 8 Watt, it’s efficient and cost-effective.