ᐅ Which downdraft vent system would you recommend for a new kitchen? Any suggestions?

Tolentino schrieb:

Are there good ones too, right?

We have three, and none of them cause any problems. The uncoated cast iron pans are excellent for searing and anything that requires very high heat. Pancakes are not one of those, for that I prefer a LeCreuset pan.

Interesting tip, but it was sold to us as a crepe pan. So I thought pancakes would work too...

Fish sticks and meatballs are also problematic because the heat is distributed unevenly. Maybe we just got a faulty pan.

Edit: We don’t have cast iron, but a steel pan instead.
The real issue is that it doesn’t sit flat. You can see this from the discoloration both inside and outside the pan. It darkens unevenly...

Wow, the Le Creuset pancake pan costs three times as much as ours...

hampshire schrieb:

My wife said the same. However, the technology is so intuitive that you don’t have to worry about it while cooking. You don’t have to use all the functions – but unlike my wife, I really like the cooking sensor that keeps the food in the pot at a set temperature...


That’s true. With brands like Silit (especially if the pots have an iron core in the walls, like in the Vitaliano series), Le Creuset cast iron, and DeBuyer iron pans, cooking on induction is just as fast and effective as on gas.

Of course, I understand that; honestly, I only know part of the options, and we have just that modest Siemens induction cooktop paired with an even more basic Miele extractor hood. If someone enjoys that, I think that’s great; but in some places, certain standards and budgets in the kitchen area are accepted as given, which I think should fit the overall possible budget. Personally, I find the technical features great.

You are absolutely right, @pagoni2020: Anyone considering a downdraft extractor should be aware that they are already moving beyond the "standard" and thinking about a luxury option. You can still enjoy cooking delicious meals and eating together happily with an old stove found at a curbside collection and "inherited" pots from some aunt. I take it with a smile that our situation is no longer so student-like and I am grateful for that every day. If, for some reason, it suddenly goes away, I won’t have to live unhappily. Carpe diem.

@Tolentino

I have an extra-large steel pan that is perfectly flat. Yes, the expensive Le Creuset one.

If you want steel, the American "All Clad 3" is recommended.

Otherwise, I’ve had the same issue before. However, with my DeBuyer cast iron pan, never. It now looks really worn: black inside and spotted outside. And it gets better with every layer of seasoning.

Le Creuset products often come with a lifetime warranty. A friend recently got a pot replaced because of chipped enamel after 17 years. Sometimes high prices pay off because you get value in return.

hampshire schrieb:

You are absolutely right, @pagoni2020: Anyone considering a downdraft extractor should be aware that they have already mentally stepped away from the "standard" and are thinking about a luxury option. You can cook great meals and enjoy them together just as well with an old stove from a bulk waste collection and “inherited” pots from some aunt. I take it with a wink that things are no longer so student-like in our home and I’m grateful for that every day. If suddenly, for some reason, it’s gone, I wouldn’t have to be unhappy. Carpe diem.

That is exactly how I see it, along with the awareness that this wouldn’t create a real sense of deficiency. As someone who has built several homes, I’m always surprised by the scale of what young homeowners today consider almost essential standards, and the pressure that may build up to have this or that in order not to end up with an inferior house. Maybe people simply don’t remember the past well enough; also, back then usually only what was locally available was an option... unfortunately... but also luckily.