Kitchen extractor fans, while perhaps not the most glamorous or exciting part of your dream kitchen planning process, are an essential. As our kitchens fill with steam from boiling pots and the smell of frying onion, garlic and other pungent favourites, it's important to ensure proper ventilation to avoid a build-up of steam, grease, odours or smoke. By opting for one of the best kitchen extractors fans on the market, you're making an investment in the future, too - protecting your home from the potentially damaging impact of excessive moisture and condensation, as well as unsightly grease marks and stains to your walls and ceilings.
Built-in cooker hoods are the most popular type of extractor fan, but you can opt for a smaller individual extractor fan that sits within your kitchen wall if you'd prefer. For more on the difference between the two, jump to our short kitchen extractor fan buyer's guide.
We've included a number of cooker hoods - including chimney, glass and visor designs - as well as individual extractor fans in our roundup, so you can find a suitable fit for your kitchen's interior style and layout.
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Best kitchen extractor fans for 2024
electriQ Slimline Stainless Steel Cooker Hood
With its slimline frame and satin finish, electriQ's stainless steel hood extractor fan is just the job for a contemporary kitchen.
Use the touchscreen controls to select from three power settings, and to toggle the two LED overhead lights.
The extractor also comes with dishwasher-safe grease filter and an adaptor to adjust existing ducting from 120mm upwards to the required 150mm size.
Pros Stylish slim design ideal for contemporary kitchens, touchscreen controls
Cons At 90cm wide, it could be too large for compact kitchens
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Airflow iCON 60 Extractor Fan
The iCON 60 is the most powerful extractor fan in Airflow's range, making it a suitable fit for busy kitchens with lots of boiling and frying on the go. A neater alternative to the bulkier cooker hoods, or perhaps in addition if you're in a small kitchen with particularly poor ventilation. This design can be installed into your kitchen's ceiling or wall and at just 11cm wide, it shouldn't draw much attention away from your lovely décor.
Another advantage to this style of kitchen extractor fan is how easy they are to keep clean - enjoy a dust-free zone.
Pros Compact design, lightweight
Cons White plastic appearance may not be well-suited to modern kitchens
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Russell Hobbs RHGCH902B 90cm Cooker Hood
If you've got the space for a large cooker hood, this Russell Hobbs design is one to of the best kitchen extractor fans to consider. With all of the features you'd expect from a modern extractor, including three power settings, a washable filter and two LED lights, there's plenty going for this model. Plus, at under £200, it's not too pricey considering it's large size (90cm in width).
Pros Choose between an extraction and recirculation fan, angled design helps open up kitchen
Cons Large size not suitable for all kitchens
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Smeg Chimney Cooker Hood
So you've got the Smeg fridge, and snazzy kettle to match, and now you're looking for a designer chimney cooker hood. For a kitchen extractor fan that stands out rather than slots in, Smeg could be the way to go. Expensive yes, but Smeg kitchen appliances are a worthwhile investment as it's a trusted brand with a stylish look that's not going anywhere soon.
Chimney cooker hoods work well for kitchens with a cosy, farmhouse feel, and we love the warmth of the cream exterior.
Pros designer brand, perfect for a country-chic look
Cons Expensive
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electriQ 60cm Traditional Chimney Cooker Hood
For a classic chimney extractor fan, give this electriQ model a whirl. Features include push buttons (ideal for those fed up of temperamental touch screen controls) and and extendable chimney flue to suit a range of kitchen layouts.
Pros timeless appearance, unbranded design to slot into your kitchen's design
Cons fairly basic features for high cost
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Bosch Series 4 DUL63CC50B 60 cm Visor Cooker Hood
Many of us favour light kitchen colours to create an open, airy space, so you may prefer a silver extractor fan rather than the bolder black designs. From reliable brand Bosch, this brushed steel visor cooker hood features a straightforward design. There are push buttons to control the three fan speeds and it's a decent size for standard hobs.
Pros Slender visor hood design, positive ratings and five star reviews
Cons D energy rating, loud maximum noise level of 72dB
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Comfee Integrated Extractor Fan
An integrated model is the best kind of kitchen extractor fan to choose you'd prefer to keep your extractor fan out of sight. This Comfee model has been designed to sit inside a kitchen cabinet, so you can enjoy the balance of your preferred aesthetic with a pleasant cooking environemnt.
The Comfee kitchen extractor fan features three fan settings and a five-layer detachable filter to effectively filter out grease.
Pros Helpful video tutorial for installation, designed to be hidden for a stylish kitchen
Cons Just 12 month warranty
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Cookology Downdraft Cooker Hood
Downdraft cooker hoods offer a futuristic vibe - a top pick for sleek, contemporary kitchens. Rather than sitting above the cooker top as a hood, downdraft designs are built in to the countertops and rise up, so they're well suited to induction hobs that are built-in to kitchen islands. This sort of style is a minimalist's dream as when the kitchen fan is not in use, all you can see is a strip of glass with touch controls.
As well as boasting a classy appearance, this device features a carbon filter that cleans the air before recirculating it - ideal if your kitchen is short on windows. It'll do one better than the other models in our roundup and offer four fan settings.
Pros elegant appearance, advanced and desirable kitchen tech
Cons Best for islands so limited to specific kitchen layouts, not suitable for gas hobs
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What is the difference between a cooker hood and an extractor fan?
An extractor fan is a standalone appliance - a fan that can be built in to your kitchen's wall or ceiling (like the style we'd typically have in our bathrooms), to keep steam, cooking smells and grease at bay. A cooker hood is a much larger appliance that sits above your cookertop, and is likely to feature an extractor fan, hence why you may find the two terms being used interchangeably. Cooker hoods tend to also feature lighting, and the option of a fan that recirculates or extracts the air, so they're grander, more multi-functional appliances.
Types of kitchen extractor fan
While kitchen extractor fans tend to be smaller, and much more straightforward to buy, cooker hoods come in all shapes and sizes:
Integrated extractor fans are hidden by kitchen cabinets so they're a great option if you're all about a stylish kitchen with a uniform design.
Chimney cooker hoods are bulkier in design but can offer a traditional, charming look with their large flues - available in a range of designs to suit all kitchen interiors
Downdraft cooker hoods ooze contemporary style - the swanky kitchen devices are built in to your countertop, or kitchen island, and rise up at the touch of a button. Perfect if you want your extractor fan out of sight when not in use
Visor cooker hoods are more slender than chimney cooker hoods, and jut out of the wall to sit neatly above your cook-top or hobs, like a visor
Do you need an electrician to install a kitchen extractor fan?
While some models come with straightforward, step-by-step instructions - particularly the smaller extractor fans - with electrics, it's always best to contact a professional electrician to ensure everything is in safe, working order.
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