I bought this extractor fan to replace a subpar one that was installed in the apartment. I wanted something relatively good and considered the manufacturing company to be reliable in the field of electrical appliances in general. Its technical specifications, as read on various websites, were good. Additionally, while searching for reviews of the product online, I only found positive evaluations from other users. The extractor fan was not in stock at the store, but I saw it in the company's catalog and ordered it.
I installed it myself, so the following statements are based on my personal experience with the product.
The first impression after opening its very good packaging was mediocre. The finish and overall assembly of the machine were not the best. Untreated and relatively sharp edges at the points of assembly of the sheet metal, with some rough spots here and there, made it appear quite cheaply made compared to its cost. On the positive side, the mechanical function switches seemed to be of good quality, the foldable front glass blind, which is well constructed and has a good response when opening and closing, the presence of a connected cable with a plug, all the necessary plastic caps and connection components with the air duct and wall support, as well as the informative leaflets in Greek. For your information, the assembly (and possibly the construction) is done in Turkey (sticker on the inside).
After removing the filters and the metal cover with the lighting window at the back (also a positive element) in order to have access to the interior and facilitate screwing the extractor fan under the cabinets, I found that the one and only motor of the device is located on the right side of the interior, while the remaining space on the left is simply empty. This would not bother me if I did not later discover that it has negative effects on its operation.
I installed it in a 125mm diameter extraction duct, with a length not exceeding 1.5 meters and a backdraft damper (included in the provided accessories). During the first use, while boiling food in a large pot and at a high temperature, I found that it could not satisfactorily suck up the cooking steam, even though it was operating at the 3rd level. Part of it was swirling around and condensing on the cabinets, causing moisture. Additionally, many droplets of condensed steam were dripping from the filters and the interior of the extractor fan onto the kitchen stove and the pot (I have to place vettex all around). I realized that the issue was that the pot was placed on the left burner of the stove, while the position of the motor of the extractor fan is diametrically opposite (as mentioned earlier, the motor is located on the right side of the construction). Unfortunately, in many commercial kitchens, the very large burners are placed on the left side (large pot, releasing a lot of steam) and the smaller ones on the right. When a small pot was boiling -at a moderate temperature- on one of the right, smaller burners, the suction capacity of the device was relatively good. With two pots in use, the situation was almost uncontrollable. If it had two motors, placed left-right, even if they were of lower power, I think it would pull more balanced. As for the noise issue, you can "hear" it well at the first level. In the second one, it increases accordingly and in the third one it is quite intense, even annoying.
To tell the truth, I was disappointed. I expected something better judging by the company, the presented features, and its price (I bought it for 138 euros from a local store). I would recommend another company, with the same or even less money and better design.
P.S. After using it for a considerable period of time (03/12/20), I have to mention that:
- The operating noise has increased :-(
- It has shown some small signs of oxidation on the stainless steel outer surface :-(
- I regret it like a dog (as they say)...