Best Kitchen Chimneys

Do you love cooking but are tired of the smoke filling your kitchen environment? If so, you have come to the correct place. Due to the smoke & oil particles, your cooking process can be unbearable. The effect of the smoke not only fills the entire kitchen but also fills the entire house. That’s why a chimney is a must-have thing for the kitchen. If you are talking about kitchen appliances, it will be best to go with the trusted brand Faber. This article has covered the list of five best kitchen chimneys. Let’s check it.

What is a kitchen chimney?

A kitchen chimney is a type of electronic appliance used for sucking smoke, odor, & oil and keeping the kitchen clean.

How Does Kitchen Chimney Work?

It includes two major parts — the hood & the exhaust pipe.

As electric kitchen chimneys are so new in the market, many people don’t know how it works. If you understand the working process, it will help you technically. If you are willing to understand how it works, you should know about the appliance’s major parts.

An exhaust hood is a part that sits right above the gas, whereas the air column connects the hood to the external surroundings.

The kitchen chimney hood is responsible for all the work. This one has a trap mesh capturing smoke & steam generated when you cook. As soon as it catches the entire gas and steam, these will be pushed forward to the filter.

Each model includes a primary filter made of different materials. However, if you use ductless chimneys, you get to see additional carbon mesh.

As per the working process of the kitchen chimney, the filter is used to catch oil molecules, greasy particles, and smoke. You can see a rotating motor fan inside the exhaust and right before starting the air duct.

The fan is used to push out the air into the duct, which forces this to go upwards the column for ventilation. It is how this kitchen appliance works.

Uses of a Kitchen Chimney:

So, to understand completely how kitchen chimneys work, you must know its benefits. Let’s see the advantages of using a kitchen chimney.

1. Removes additional heat from the kitchen:

If you prepare food in a closed space where there is no or very little ventilation, your whole kitchen will get warm due to the heat from the gas. As a result, the temperature becomes far more than the standard room temperature. It makes the time hard to be spent in the kitchen. But having a good kitchen chimney can reduce the overall heat temperatures.

1. Keeps the kitchen walls and ceiling clean:

Cooking indicates the use of oil, butter, and other greasy elements. Heating the items creates vapors that rise from the cooking pots, and are laden with oil & grease molecules. As there does not exist any route to escape, the vapors go upwards and cool down. Then, these create greasy layers on the walls & ceiling. If you install a kitchen chimney, it will prevent the accumulation of grease on kitchen surfaces.

1. Removes smoke and soot from the kitchen air:

Removing smoke and soot is one of its great advantages.

1. Makes the kitchen look beautiful:

Kitchen chimneys can elevate the beauty & elegance of the kitchen.

What Are The Types Of Kitchen Chimneys?

After understanding how kitchen chimneys work, it’s time to learn about different types of chimneys. These are usually ducted or ductless.

You can categorize the chimneys depending on the place of the installation. The appliance’s installation relies on how you position the gas because the chimney’s hood has to rest directly above the burners. These are the types of kitchen chimneys depending on the places of installation.

 Wall-mounted chimneys: Is your gas burner and kitchen counter connected to the centerpiece of the wall? If so, it is essential to select a wall-mounted chimney. In this case, you can see the duct & exhaust hood of the chimney are fixed with the wall and cover the entire gas.

Island chimney: It is a perfect option if the gas burner is on the kitchen island instead of on a wall counter. The appliance is hung from above and it will rest right above the island top.

Corner chimneys: If you have the gas stove at the corner of the U-shaped or L-shaped kitchen style, then this types of kitchen chimneys are perfect.

Built-in chimneys: You can use these inside any kitchen furniture mounted on the wall. In this case, the air duct remains hidden inside the furniture, whereas the exhaust hood protrudes out from below the bottom of the furniture.

How To Clean Kitchen Chimney Filter The DIY Route?

You should clean its filter during the daytime and you need to fix this before dusk as mosquitoes can enter the house through the exhaust pipe.

 Method 1) Using Vinegar:

You may soak a cloth in vinegar to clean the filter and rub it over it. But you might not get the results you expect. Baffle filters have gaps where grease gets accumulated. Later, it becomes a thick gooey mess. You are unable to access this with a rag. That’s why you should try to pour vinegar into the grooves. Thereafter, you need to allow them to rest for 30 minutes. Place a cloth below the filter because the vinegar could spill out.

Results:

We know that Vinegar is a little bit acidic. It can cut through the grease effectively and remove slight oil stains. But it is unable to remove stubborn stains along the edges. That’s why you should use a toothpick to scrub it. This procedure is beneficial if the filter doesn’t contain any stubborn oil stains or you clean this every 2-3 weeks. However, if you clean it once every two to three months, this process may not be effective. You should not try to immerse the filter in concentrated or diluted vinegar because it requires at least 1-3 liters of vinegar.

Method 2) Using Baking Soda:

Baking soda is a magical ingredient that cleans almost everything under the sun. What you need to do is: mixing 2 tablespoons of baking Soda with water. Then, apply this over the chimney filter. Allow this to sit for some minutes. Use a moist cloth for wiping it off, or you can pour some vinegar to become spectacular. After that, you should rinse thoroughly in water.

Results:

You need to leave the baking soda paste on the filter for three hours. Thereafter, you should use Scotchbrite to scrub this. However, you will get to see that the grease has not been removed completely around the edges. As a result, the grease collected in the grooves remains untouched.

Method 3) Using Dishwashing Liquid:

Compared to the other methods, it is more time-consuming. In this case, you need to apply dishwashing liquid such as Vim or Prill on the filter. After that, you need to immerse this for two hours in water. You should pour boiling water to make the process effective. Immerse the filter in hot water.

Results:

You will see both dish soap & hot water cutting through the grease. Hence, the filter remains immersed in water, grease which is collected inside the grooves could be cleaned effectively.

However, the result may disappoint you. The grease on the chimney is quite stubborn because it becomes dried up over time. Therefore, soap & boiling water were not effective enough for cleaning a dirty filter.

Method 4) Using Caustic Soda or Drainex:

It is essential to handle caustic soda with care. Caustic soda may cause skin irritations. Ensure that you are not taking a breath in its fumes. You need to use rubber gloves while handling it.

Instead of caustic soda, you can go with Drainex- drain unclogging powder which contains caustic soda & other ingredients which are known as good degreasers.

If you want to clean its filter using caustic soda, place the filter in a basin. Hence, you should spread around two tablespoons of caustic soda on the filter. After that, your task is to place this in a basin and use hot water to fill it for immersing the filters completely. After thirty minutes, you have to take out the filter. Then, you should wash this in running water.

You must not pour boiling water into the basin because it might cause pitted surfaces on the stainless steel. Ensure that you are not using the process for aluminum.

Results:

It is the most effective way mentioned in this list. Hence, you will get to see that the grease which is collected inside the grooves and the surfaces have been cleaned effectively. You may need to scrub aggressively & use toothpicks to clean up oil stains along the edges. The caustic soda solution removes the stubborn stains effectively.

Method 5) Using Dishwasher Detergent:

You can try to use dishwasher detergent to clean the kitchen chimney filter. The formulation of dishwasher detergents contains ingredients that can dissolve heavy oil stains. In this procedure, you need to keep the filter in a basin. Then, you should sprinkle a tablespoon of dishwasher detergent. Later, immerse the filter by pouring warm water. You need to take it out after thirty minutes. You will see the remaining water with a lot of oil and grime in this. It is necessary to scrub a bit, and it could be done using a toothbrush. You can scrub this over the filter, including the grooves.

Results:

However, scrubbing was not needed in the previous options as Drainex dissolved all the grease. You can use dishwasher detergent to dissolve grime in the grooves. But in this case, you need to do some scrubbing using a toothbrush. Try to meticulously scrub for about 10-15 minutes to get good results. If you clean the filter at least every 1-3 months, it will be a great option because excessive grime will not be accumulated.

Method 6) Using Degreaser Spray:

Degreaser sprays help to clean stubborn grime & grease off ovens, chimneys, and other surfaces. You can use any cleaner degreaser spray to clean the chimney’s filter. Spray the degreaser liberally on both sides of the filters. Then, leave this in the sink for about 15-20 minutes. During spraying, a lot of grease will melt away. Scrub this lightly with a toothbrush. After that, you should wash this thoroughly.

Results:

As the filter wasn’t immersed in the cleaning solution like the previous options, a little bit of grime will left inside the grooves. It is necessary to spray again inside the grooves & wash these. You can feel satisfied after watching the results. However, you must be meticulous regarding reaching every groove & cleaning these carefully.

Winner:

You won’t get satisfactory results from spraying or applying cleaners on the surface. These are unable to remove the grime accumulated under the grooves. If it comes to cleaning the filters, Caustic soda/drain is the most effective solution.

How can you Clean Chimney hoods?

You can see that the filter is not the only one which is smeared in oil. The hood has the panel, light, exterior surface, and the area surrounding the chimney. These parts may contain oil stains & grime.

We can see that baking soda, vinegar, and dishwashing soap are incapable of cleaning up old, stubborn oil stains. If you apply caustic soda/Drainex solution on other surfaces, it may damage this. Therefore, it is essential to use a degreaser spray.

Do confirm that you are wearing gloves and a mask, before using this degreaser spray. Now, try to cover the stove & countertop with old newspaper so that oil & degreaser spray can’t drip & spoil your stovetop.

Top Five Best Kitchen Chimneys:

Let’s see which are the top five Best Kitchen Chimneys.

Faber 60 cm 1200 m³/hr Curved Glass, Autoclean Chimney

Description:

This model comes with a Heat Auto-Clean System, which people use mainly for spacious kitchens with large cooking areas. The elegant design of this model can make your kitchen beautiful. The product includes an automatic cleaning system used to suck the leftover oil from the filter about once every 20 hours of cooking through the front control panel. The unique thing is that the model includes a thermal auto-clean feature to clean oil & other residues without any manual intervention. It comes with motion-sensing technology that allows the user to operate the model easily by simply waving hand. The Touch Control lets you operate the model with a single touch.

Features:

Powerful Suction:

This one of the best auto clean kitchen chimneys comes with a powerful motor with 1200 m3/hr suction power. The motor reduces the amount of smoke and increases more fragrance while cooking. With the help of the suction action, this faber kitchen chimney can easily remove the dust. So, you can ensure that you will eat healthy food.

Filterless:

It is an Auto-clean Chimney. As it does not have any filters, the filterless model ensures that there is no hassle of cleaning that means zero maintenance cost. The motor position creates a clear path for smoke & air.

Auto Clean Technology:

The auto-clean technology in the appliance allows the user to clean the model with just one touch. Whereas the oil collector cup helps to collect oil & other residues. Thus, you will be able to clean the model easily.

Pros:

• Auto-clean technology exists
• Powerful motor

Cons:

• A user reported that its top glass exploded.

INALSA 60 cm 1050 m3/hr Kitchen Chimney

Description:

This chimney revolutionizes the way of preparing meals, and all credit goes to the effective baffle filters & 3-speed motor. The filters can filter out oil & smell from the cooking fumes. Advanced noise reduction technologies ensure that this model will not create excessive noise. These easy-to-clean filters lower the risk of fires by removing grease accumulation.

Features:

Suction Capacity: 1050m3/hr is the usual suction capacity for a 175 sqft kitchen size. And it’s size is 60 cm.

Filter: It comes with Push Button Control, whereas 65 dB is the maximum noise.

Warranty: It has a five-year lifetime warranty on the motor and one year warranty on the product.

Pros:

• High suction capacity
• Simple-to-clean filters are available

Cons:

• A few users reported that the model stopped working after installation.

CIARRA Range Hood 30 inch with Soft Touch Control

 Description:

This Best kitchen chimney has a 450 CFM suction power which helps to remove smoke and odours effectively. Its highest speed is 8.5 Sones maximum. There are four different timer preset functions present. Its ductless range hood is manoeuvrable. Fan speed, power & light can be controlled using the touch panel.

The 30-inch range hood of this kitchen chimney consists of premium 430-grade stainless steel & tempered glass which ensures that the product will have a long lifespan. Try to clean the kitchen & keep it fresh to enjoy the time when you prepare your meals for family & friends.

Features:

Permanent Mesh Filters: This model comes with two 5-layer aluminium mesh filters, two 1.5-watt energy-efficient LED lights, and two 19.69″ adjustable decorative chimney covers. With the help of the 5-layer aluminium mesh filters, this model can filter out the greases perfectly.

2-Level LED Lighting: LED lights of this product can last a lifetime of more than 200,000 hours. These energy-efficient lights are replaceable. The model comes with two types of illumination choices which are bright mode & energy-saving mode.

Soft Touch Control: This vent hood is simple to operate and gives quick responses. Using the touch panel, you will be able to control the suction power, lights as well as fan speeds.

Superior Motor Housing: The cast aluminum motor is sturdy & durable. This one is crafted to ensure that the range hood operating can be done stably as well as efficiently.

3-Speed Levels:

It doesn’t create any sound in its low-speed mode which is used for air ventilation. The medium-Speed level is used for regular cooking purposes. And the last high-speed level is used for cooking with a lot of smoke or for stir-frying.

Pros:

• 3-Speed Levels
• Soft Touch Control
• 2-Level LED Lighting

Cons:

• Packaging issues

Tieasy Wall Mount Kitchen Hood

 Description:

It is one of the best kitchen chimneys available in the market. This product is equipped with an anti-fire housing premium safe motor which is capable of reaching 700 CFM. Its range hood 30-inch airflow system reaches A++ Max Energy Efficiency class.

Features:

Build: The range hood consists of 6mm curved glass and high-end 430 stainless steel along with a brushed finish which you can clean easily because of the rustproof & non-magnetic design of the range hood. ‎The dimension of this product is 31.5 x 21.5 x 16.2 inches, whereas its weight is 40.8 Pounds.

Control panel:

The model has a sleek button control panel which is touch-sensitive. Two baffle filters are used to trap grease particles to secure your hood.

Pros:

• 6mm curved glass.
• Non-magnetic and rust-proof.
• Sleek buttonless control panel.
• Brushed finish
• 30-inch airflow system
• Two baffle filters
• Glass panel style

 Cons:

• Loud sound

FIREGAS Kitchen Vent Hood

 Introduction:

This model consists of 0.8mm premium 430-grade stainless steel, which is corrosion-resistant. If you want to invest in such a model that can be used for a prolonged period, go for this one. This range hood comes in black with a modern design and can add an elegant look to your kitchen.

This kitchen chimney is equipped with a powerful yet quiet motor with 380 CFM airflow and ensures that the sound will remain less than 54 dB. There are three fan speed options. This model comes with dishwasher-safe permanent filters, which can be cleaned easily. As it is equipped with two LED lights, you can get brighter vision. This product has a 6-in duct pipe that you can extend upto 78.7 in.

Features:

Work Efficiently: The model is capable of removing smoke & odours efficiently with its 380 CFM motor and 3-speed exhaust fan.

Powerful Vent Hood: An extractor hood creates less than 54dB of noise for ultra-quiet operation. Therefore, you will not be irritated due to the sound of the range hood when you cook.

Very Sleek & Simple To Clean: The model is made of  top-quality, durable and food-grade stainless steel that can easily resist grease, stains or rust. It comes with superior multi-layer filters, which can easily trap the grease produced in the kitchen.

Easy to install and operate: Following the instruction manual and the installation guide video, you can install this kitchen chimney easily. This model comes with 3-speed buttons ( Low/ Medium/ High), which are perfect for different cooking processes. It is equipped with 5-button controls, and you can operate this model easily as it gives quick responses.

Outstanding design: With the help of a Firegas 30-inch hood, you can remodel your kitchen, giving it an elegant look. The dimension of the vent hood is 30 in.(W) × 19 in.(D) × Adjustable 25.5 in – 36.3 in.(H). It comes with a 6-inch round-top vent function. This adjustable chimney can easily fit a 7.5-8.5 ft ceiling.

Push Button Controls: The push-button controls enable you to control power, lights, and three-fan speeds.

Lighting: The two default 1.5-Watt LED lights keep the kitchen area illuminated.

Pros:

• Made of top-quality stainless steel.
• Dishwasher-safe, permanent filters.
• 6 inches duct pipe.
• Easy To Install
• Simple to Clean
• Strong vent hood
• Corrosion-resistant.
• A strong but quiet motor.
• 6-inch round top vent
• One-year limited warranty

 Cons:

A few users reported that this model doesn’t work efficiently.

Factors to consider before buying a kitchen chimney?

Purchasing a kitchen chimney is not an easy task. While you need to consider the kitchen chimney cost, you should consider a few other factors like the product size, kitchen size, food type you made in the kitchen, etc.

Size of product:

These are available in two sizes, 60 cm, and 90 cm. Remember that your required size relies on the size of the gas burners used in the kitchen. You can use a 60 cm model for a gas hob with 2-3 gas burners. If you have more than three burners, it is essential to have a 90 cm model. While its size is important, it is necessary to consider the ideal duct size and it needs to be between 8 & 12 feet. Whereas, 24-30 inches is the perfect distance between the cooktop and the model.

Types of model:

Once you finalize its size, you need to find the type required in the kitchen. Usually, these are of two types: filter chimneys featuring baffle filters & filterless chimneys.

 Baffle filter: These models come with a filter considered the most advanced filter in the market. This one consists of bent sheets of top-quality stainless steel or aluminum. You can find this durable too as it is worth long-term investment. The curved plate confirms that it can control the airflow and other debris at all times.

Filterless: These models don’t come with filters. If it comes to talking about built-in chimneys, it is the latest advancement in automatic chimney sweep filters. Due to the unavailability of any filter, cleaning is simple. Moreover, you don’t need to invest money in maintenance costs. Once you hit the Auto Clean button, it will collect the used oil from the oil collector. Whereas the entire cleaning procedure takes about ten to fifteen minutes.

 Cost of installation:

It is essential to know about the actual cost you need to pay when you purchase a kitchen chimney. The cost includes installation charges, the installation & ducting kit, which will be charged over the chimney cost. Most brands cost about Rs 600-1000 for installation. On the other hand, the price of the ducting kit is about Rs 800-1000. Therefore, the entire product cost will be the cost of the model +Installation charges+ducting charges. You should go with a model that comes with an extended warranty that will be included again in the buying cost of the model. .

Ducting:

It is advisable for suction. However, it is possible to install your chimney without ducting. If you get to see accurate ducting, you can make sure that fumes & smoke are pushed out of the kitchen. Ensure that you do not install a chimney without ducting. Otherwise, smoke & fumes will hover around inside the kitchen. In that case, it is essential to use an exhaust fan to push the smoke and fumes outside.

Suction capacity:

This factor is also very crucial that you need to consider when you decide to buy a kitchen chimney. This capacity depends on the type of food made in your kitchen and can vary from 400 m3/hr (cubic meter/hour) to 1,600 m3/hr. If you prepare low-oil food or low-fried food in your kitchen, you will require a model with around 1000m3/hr suction capacity. If you often prepare deep-fried foods in your kitchen, ensure that you use a chimney with 1200m3/hr or more suction capacity.

After-sales service:

It also plays an important role along with the above buying factors that you need to keep in mind. You should choose a chimney brand that can provide after-sales service.

Difference Between Kitchen Chimneys and Exhaust Fans?

Are you finding an ideal way to ventilate your kitchen? Then, you can use a chimney or an exhaust fan. Both can effectively remove smoke and gases from your kitchen though their working process is different. The design and price of these two are also different.

Kitchen Chimneys:

It is used to remove odors, smoke & vapors from the cooking area. Usually, these are of two types: ducted or ductless. The major difference is that the ductless ones recycle the polluted air back to the kitchen. But the other ones eliminate that polluted air from the kitchen. Usually, this appliance traps smoke and passes it through a filtration panel. Thus, these capture grease & oils. After that, smoke and odors are passed through the exhaust ducts and move out via the vent. A few models come with motors which are used to propel out the air via pipes.

Exhaust Fan:

It replaces polluted air with fresh air. Using Cubic metres per hour [CMH] or cubic feet per minute [CFM), its capacity is determined.

Which is better?

Kitchen chimneys are far better than exhaust fans. These can filter oil & grease droplets but exhaust fans can’t. The fans are useful only in removing smoke, odors and carbon from the kitchen.

 Conclusion:

Now, we hope that you have understood why the kitchen chimney is a must-have appliance in the kitchen. Once you understand how this appliance works in your kitchen, you will definitely want to buy a kitchen chimney.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Does the kitchen chimney reduce heat?

This appliance can suck each aroma from the kitchen with the intention of keeping the environment odor-free. It can help to blow in all the heat produced during cooking, leaving the kitchen cool and free from unnecessary odors. These can absorb grease particles to keep the kitchen free of stains.

What does auto clean do in chimneys?

This one is a very crucial factor you should consider when you purchase a chimney. You must go with such chimneys which have auto-clean features. These types of chimneys require less maintenance than those with manual cleaning. If it comes to talking about auto-clean chimneys, your only task is hitting the button to start the cleaning procedure.

How can you choose the size of a kitchen chimney?

These appliances are available in standard sizes of 60 cm and 90 cm. Users can select the size depending on the number of burner stoves. You should go with a 60 cm chimney, if you have a 2-4 burner stove kitchen. On the other hand, a 90 cm chimney is perfectly suitable for 3-5 burner stoves.