Kitchen chimney guides talk about sizes, types of filter, suction power, ducting etcetera. Those things get me really confused about understanding such terms and keeping them in mind while selecting one for me. But this guide, well read it and judge me.
Before moving on to the buying guide, below are my recommendations for the Best Kitchen Chimneys For Indian Kitchen.
Table of Contents
Best Kitchen Chimney In India
Hindware Clarissa Blk 60 Wall Mounted Chimney (Black 700 CMH/m3/h)
It is a traditional Chimney for a small kitchen probably under 100 sq ft
A pretty good deal under 5000 having the power of 700 cubic meters
Cassette filter for fine cleaning and removing odor.
1-year warranty.
Hindware Sabina BLK 60 Wall Mounted Chimney (Black 1100 CMH/ m3/h)
Another traditional Chimney for medium size kitchen above 200 sq ft.
Under 10,000 with power 1100 cubic centimeters.
It has a baffle filter which is quite effective in removing odor and cleaning.
1-year warranty.
Hindware Nevio BLK 60 Auto Clean Auto Clean Wall Mounted Chimney (Black 1200 CMH/m3/h)
Autoclean chimney is suitable for kitchens of size 200 sq ft and heavy cooking/frying.
Baffle filters with low noise make it unique.
Suitable for 3-4 burner gas stove.
1-year warranty.
Touch control for easy operation and LED lights are added features.
Hindware Nevio 90 Auto Clean Auto Clean Wall Mounted Chimney (Brush Silver 1200 CMH/m3/h)
90 cm chimney neck size enhances the kitchen interior.
Autoclean chimney is suitable for kitchens of size 200 sq ft and heavy cooking/frying.
Baffle filters operate on low noise.
Suitable for 4-5 burner gas stove.
1-year warranty.
Touch control for easy operation and LED lights.
Hindware Kyra 60 Wall Mounted Chimney (Black 1000 m3/h/ CMH)
The modern style and affordability of this chimney made me add it.
1000 power and suitable for medium size kitchen.
Cassette filter traps grease.
LED lights, Touch control, and low noise add more to this.
An oil collector and Toughened glass are present too.
1-year warranty.
Faber 90 cm 1200 m3/hr Heat Auto Clean Chimney (HOOD CREST HC SC BK 90, Filterless, Touch & Gesture Control, Black)
Powerful Faber motor with Autoclean technology.
Optimum noise level and Oil collector.
Gesture and Touch control.
Filterless technology is a special feature of this chimney.
1-year warranty.
Elica 60 cm 1200 m3/hr Auto Clean Chimney with Free Installation Kit (WD HAC TOUCH BF 60, 2 Baffle Filters, Touch Control, Black)
This is the most loved chimney on the internet because of its features.
2 Baffle Filters with Autoclean technology – I should stop right here as this beats all.
Free installation kit – Free.
5-year warranty.
Modern style of curved glass with touch control panel.
Power 1200 cubic centimeter suitable for medium-sized kitchen.
Buying Guide
If you are reading a selection guide then that should guide you along the way, right?. This kitchen chimneys buying guide asks you to think about your kitchen and the place in your kitchen where you are willing to install your chimney.
Types Of Kitchen Chimney
Based on the Installation Area
Now the First step is to know that there are three types of chimneys available
Wall mount Chimney – The chimney is fitted against the wall where your gas stove is to be placed. There is a little ducting or piping required at installation.
Island chimney/Ceiling Chimney – This Chimney is fitted in the middle of the kitchen where the gas stove is at the center like an island in the middle of an ocean. Piping and wiring is required.
Corner chimney – It is very rare in India, where the chimney is in the corner and they are not easy to install. Generally suitable for a larger kitchen.
Based on Technology
Auto clean VS Traditional
Auto clean Chimney – Cleans themselves automatically by collecting oils, moisture, and grease. They store collected elements in a separate baffle filter as time passes those collected elements get liquidized(melted than evaporated).
Traditional chimneys – They are not as popular now as they were supposed to be before the launch of auto-clean chimneys. No worries, they are still good to consider for a budget. They have the same features like auto clean chimneys except for the auto-clean option which adds more features to the chimney.
Ductless VS Duct
Ductless – They do not require wiring for installation hence kitchen interior is not disturbed. These also recirculate air back into the kitchen after charcoal filtering collected smoke, heat.
They are best suited when no exit ventilation(when you don’t have provision to have a hole in your wall) is present. Examples of this would be the homes/flats in metro cities like NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, and so on…
The major disadvantage is that sometimes the smell of food is recirculated back into the kitchen.
Duct – Cost more than the ductless but performance is better. Chimney with duct requires more maintenance but the suction power is more.
In all it’s a tie between the two. But what is recommended? Totally dependent on the situation(shh Ducted is better).
Choose ductless when no ventilation hole is present otherwise always go for a Ducted chimney having more suction and better performance.
Power Of Chimney
The second is to know the power the chimney will consume to suck up the air from your kitchen and how many gas stoves/burner are present.
- Higher the suction power the better is your chimney
- If your kitchen is small or has 2-4 stove go for 60cm and maximum 900 cubic meters per hour
- Medium-sized kitchen or 3-5 stove go for 90cm and maximum 1200 cubic meter per hour
- Large-sized kitchen(4-6 burner) which are rare in India can go for 90cm and 1200+ cubic meter per hour
The same principle applies to your cooking style
If you use a lesser amount of oil then a maximum of 800 cubic meters per hour is optimal.
For Indian cooking maximum of 1000 cubic meters per hour is ideal.
For Punjabi people who make dishes like sandwiches, chicken, parantha, etc frequently 1200 cubic meters per hour is efficient.
Style/Design
The third is the style or design of your chimney which is considered obvious as a chimney is a big piece to be installed in your beautiful kitchen adding a bold style statement and also reflecting your choice to the visitors.
Filter Type
Filter Type really does not matter when it comes to buying a chimney for an Indian kitchen. But for the sake of mentioning, although baffle filter is the best choice I would not stress on it that much.
All you need to know is that the Baffle filter is best in the long run. If you do not want to get in any hassle, go for the Baffle filter always as the charcoal filter needs to be changed every 4 months.
Baffle Filter
It needs cleaning twice in the whole year.
Need to be changed in 5 years max.
Easy on the pocket, easy to maintain so this is the best choice.
Mesh Filter
Easily cleaned by pouring the filter in detergent water
Have layers of aluminum over each other with small pores.
So oil and grease block pores hence affecting the performance of the chimney.
Charcoal Filter
It is mainly used in ductless chimneys.
It needs to be replaced frequently depending on use.
The replacement recommendation is once in 6 months.
| BAFFLE FILTER | MESH FILTER | CHARCOAL FILTER |
|---|---|---|
| Clean twice a year | Clean once a month | Cannot be cleaned |
| Have to replace in 5 years max | Clean filter in detergent water | Have to Replace once in 6 months |
| Easy on the pocket | Little costly | Budget friendly |
| Dishwasher safe | Hard to wash | Not dishwasher Safe |
| Best for Indian Kitchens | Not suitable for Indian Kitchens | Used in Ductless Chimneys |
Maintenance of Chimney
Maintaining chimneys is not a hard task as now Brands are manufacturing ones with the feature to auto-clean and easy to clean.
Since we install chimneys to our kitchens for the sake of interior but we use it quite rarely, In that case, it is fine even if you clean it after every two years …you know what I am trying to say.
You only need to clean your filter when you notice any grease collecting over it and over the long tube of the chimney.
Next to the filter, clean it only when you see it is necessary (easy task).
Take some baking soda or simple detergent powder and let it soak for some time. Keep a check and clean it with clear water whenever you notice a shining metal filter.
Auto-cleaning chimneys require the least cleaning but their filter needs to be changed depending upon the usage.
Parameters considered while evaluation
- Type of Chimney based on placement and technology
- Size and Motor Power
- Style Of Chimney
- Filter Recommendation
- Performance and Efficiency
Some Common Confusions
Are auto clean chimneys better?
- They clean themselves and saves your time.
- It has a separate option named Oil Collector to collect oil.
- Lifespan is greater and maintenance is less required like cleaning up the clogged filter.
- No clogging gives more suction power to automatic chimneys.
- Little expensive than traditional chimney but costs less in the long run as repair and maintenance cost is less.
So, I have to say, Yes! Auto-cleaning chimneys are better.
Why 60 cm chimney size?
The simple answer to the popularity of 60 cm chimneys is because Indian kitchens are made according to the standard sizing in which 60cm chimneys fit perfectly.
They look nice and easily fit in with the kitchen size or interior. The same is the reason for the popularity of wall-mounted chimneys. 1200CMH or we can say 1200 is the power of the chimney which is best suited for most Indian kitchens.
Best Chimney Brands In India 2024 – Best Sellers
Wrap Up
I hope I have been pretty clear about everything that you should know while buying a chimney.
However, if you have any questions feel free to ask them via the comment section.