Centrifugal vs axial extractor fan
Updated: 21 October 2026
You are choosing how the bathroom fan moves air. A centrifugal vs axial extractor fan decision is about duct length and where the motor sits. Axial is the short through-wall propeller. A surface centrifugal fan keeps the scroll in the room. An inline fan puts the motor in the loft. This set only stocks the surface kind. The [centrifugal fan comparison](/hub/cooling/centrifugal-fan) assumes you have already made that choice. Peter F. used UK trade guidance and those listings on 20 October 2026. There was no duct test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
You are choosing how the bathroom fan moves air. A centrifugal vs axial extractor fan decision is about duct length and where the motor sits. Axial is the short through-wall propeller.
You are choosing how the bathroom fan moves air. A centrifugal vs axial extractor fan decision is about duct length and where the motor sits. Axial is the short through-wall propeller. A surface centrifugal fan keeps the scroll in the room. An inline fan puts the motor in the loft. This set only stocks the surface kind. The centrifugal fan comparison assumes you have already made that choice. Peter F. used UK trade guidance and those listings on 20 October 2026. There was no duct test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Stated airflow | Noise claim | Duct | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Vortice Vortice Ariett T | 19.4 L/s | 40 dB(A) at 3 m | 100 mm | 9.0 | about £52.50 | View offer |
 Nuaire Nuaire Cyfan | Up to 60 L/s, short duct | Silent claim disputed | 100 or 125 mm | 8.0 | about £146.99 | View offer | |
 Manrose Manrose CF200S | About 31 L/s, maker | Not on listing | 100 mm | 7.3 | about £37.99 | View offer |
On this page
Three mechanisms, not two products
An axial extractor is a propeller in a short tube. It moves a lot of air through a single leaf in the wall, and it falls away once the duct pushes back. A surface centrifugal extractor throws air out of a scroll, with the motor still at the grille. The Vortice, Manrose and Nuaire in this set are all that type, in the 100 mm class. Nuaire reviews also mention 100 or 125 mm, so the spigot still has to match the pipe. An inline fan leaves a grille in the room and puts the motor in the loft. That is the tool when the bathroom is internal or the run is longer than a wall scroll can hold. Checkatrade describes mixed-flow inline fans on runs towards 10 metres. That is that article’s claim. This list has no inline fan. A plug-in blower is not the axial alternative. If charcoal or a cabinet is the job, use the centrifugal blower fan for a BBQ.
Duct length decides
Published lengths disagree, so they stay labelled. Vent-Axia’s rule of thumb for axial is about 1.5 metres, and a 90-degree bend counts like about a metre of duct. Domus uses about 1.5 metres for axial as well. Which? allows about 2–3 metres. Domus describes a surface centrifugal fan as generally suitable up to about 6 metres. None of those sentences is Approved Document F. A longer duct cuts a free-air rating. Step to centrifugal only once you are past that axial guide, and only if the fan still meets the room rate at the real resistance. The Vortice states 19.4 litres per second, and 118 Pa is recorded for that model. That pressure is one model’s claim, not proof that every centrifugal fan beats every axial fan after several metres of flexible duct. The Nuaire manual’s up to 60 litres per second is a short through-wall claim. The Manrose amazon page does not state litres; the range figure is about 31 litres per second. A 2026 Approved Document F prefers rigid duct and a 2.0 metre practical maximum unless you show design evidence. It is not in force until 24 March 2027.
Noise is the model’s decibel line
Which? and Checkatrade say a centrifugal fan tends to be noisier, because of the drum. Domus and PHPI say centrifugal fans are typically quieter. The type slogan is not usable. The figure you can cite is the model’s. The Vortice states 40 dB(A) at 3 metres. That is a listing claim, not a reading taken in a tiled bathroom. Love Renovate’s Manrose CF100T is published at 42 dB(A). That model is not the CF200S, so do not copy 42 dB(A) onto the Manrose listed here. The CF200S amazon page has no noise figure. The Nuaire spec says silent running, and the reviews dispute it. If the duct is short enough for axial, you do not buy a scroll in the hope that centrifugal means quiet. The best centrifugal bathroom extractor fan page only helps after you have stayed with a surface centrifugal.
Which to choose, on one condition
Choose an axial fan when the duct is a short, straight through-wall run inside the 1.5 to about 2–3 metre guidance, with few bends. You will not find that axial fan in this table. Choose a wall or ceiling centrifugal from this set when the duct is longer and the motor can stay in the room, then use the centrifugal fan buying guide for the litre claim, the timer and the zone. Choose an inline fan, bought outside this table, when the motor should sit in the loft. This page does not rank Vortice against Manrose. The Vortice has the review file and the stated timer; the Manrose listing does not state a timer; the Nuaire is the SELV and humidistat option at about £146.99. Mechanism first, model second.
Common questions
What is the difference between an axial and a centrifugal extractor?
An axial fan is a propeller for a short, low-resistance duct, usually straight through the wall. A surface centrifugal fan uses a scroll to hold pressure on a longer duct, with the motor still at the grille. An inline fan moves that motor into the loft. The three are not three prices of the same product.
How long a duct is too long for an axial fan?
Vent-Axia and Domus use about 1.5 metres, and Vent-Axia counts a 90-degree bend as about a metre. Which? allows about 2–3 metres. Past that guidance, look at centrifugal or inline, and only if the fan still meets the room rate at the real resistance. There is no single statutory cut-off in the current England document.
When do I need an inline fan instead of a wall centrifugal?
When the motor should be out of the room, the bathroom is internal, or the run is beyond what the wall fan’s curve can deliver. This set has no inline ASIN. Checkatrade’s towards 10 metres is that article’s description of mixed-flow inline fans, not a length verified here and not a product on the table.
Are centrifugal bathroom fans quieter?
Sometimes on a trade page, and sometimes not on Which?. The disagreement is the point. Use a stated figure, such as the Vortice’s 40 dB(A) at 3 metres, and the reviews. Do not transfer another Manrose model’s 42 dB(A) onto the CF200S, which has no noise line on amazon.co.uk.
Does more pressure mean I can ignore bends and flexible duct?
No. The Vortice’s 118 Pa is one model’s pressure claim. Bends, sags and long flexible duct still cut litres per second. A centrifugal fan is chosen because it copes with more resistance than an axial fan, not because the duct can be any shape.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources named below. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts on these listings were read on 19 October 2026. Page updated 20 October 2026.
- Approved Document F volume 1, 2021 and 2026 PDFs — rates, height, overrun, future duct rules (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- BEAMA Part F bitesize guide — 15 l/s, short flexible duct, 0.5 W/(l/s) (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- Domus Ventilation — axial about 1.5 m, centrifugal about 6 m, Part L note (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- Which? bathroom extractor buying guide — axial versus centrifugal (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- IET Wiring Matters BS 7671 FAQ — IPX4 in zones 1. (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- SELECT bath and shower pocket guide — zone sizes (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- Manrose CF200S page — 110 m³/h, about 31 l/s, IPX4, standard model (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- Nuaire Cyfan manual — 24 V motor, SELV, up to 60 l/s (retrieved 2026-10-20)