Indian cuisine involves a lot of oil and spices. As a result, there is soot and smoke in the Indian kitchens. Installing a kitchen chimney is ideal for getting rid of the smoke and odor from the kitchen.
If you wish for an ideal kitchen chimney for your home, you have two types of chimneys to choose from, the filter chimney and the filter-less chimney.
Let us compare the two technologies to understand their working to decide which of the two types is better.
Filter Chimneys
You get different types of filter chimneys on the Indian market. They are charcoal filters, mesh filters, also known as cassette filters, and baffle filters. The filter’s primary job in a kitchen chimney is to trap heavy particles like oil and grease while allowing the smoke to escape.
Here is a comparison between the three types of filters in kitchen chimneys.
| Mesh Filter | Baffle Filter | Charcoal Filter | |
| Made up of | Multiple layers of aluminum mesh | Multiple stainless steel curved panel | Charcoal slate with minute holes |
| Working | The aluminum mesh traps grease and oil particles. | The curves in the stainless steel panel block the grease and oil particles. | The holes present in between the charcoal slate absorbs oil and grease particles. |
| Suitability for Indian kitchen | Not suitable | Baffle filters are ideal for the Indian kitchen. | Yes |
| Cleaning and maintenance | Difficult to clean and requires frequent cleaning | Moderate and requires cleaning once a quarter | Not washable |
| What happens if not cleaned regularly | Reduces suction power and increases noise | Not much effect, but it is better to clean them | Not washable |
| Noise and filter durability | More noise than other filters Moderate lifespan | Moderate noise, Lasts long | More noise, Requires frequent replacement |
From the comparison above, one can deduce that the baffle filters are best suited for Indian kitchens. Though comparatively expensive, these filters do not require much cleaning and maintenance.
The best aspect of baffle filters is that they are removable. Therefore, it is easy to clean them with soap and water.
Mesh filters are not fit for Indian cuisine at all. Charcoal filters are not feasible because they require frequent replacement.
How do baffle filters work?
Baffle filters are made of stainless steel or aluminum curved panels. The design is such that the curves cause the smoke rising from the gas stoves to change direction. As a result, the oil and grease particles stick to the baffle filters.
These filters work on a unique ‘cut and splash‘ mechanism that separates the oil particles and odor from the smoke. The smoke moves through the panels effortlessly without any resistance.
Though the baffle filters trap and stop oil particles, it does not affect the suction power of the chimney. Hence, these baffle filters are ideally suited for the Indian kitchen.
Cleaning the baffle filters is easy. Besides, they require cleaning once a quarter. You can detach the baffle filters from the chimney and clean them separately.
Why are baffle filters preferable to others?
- They suit the Indian cooking style.
- Cleaning and maintenance of baffle filters are easy.
- These filters last long and provide good value for money.
What are the concerns of baffle filters?
- Compared to the conventional mesh/cassette filters, baffle filters are expensive.
- Baffle filters weigh more than charcoal filters and mesh filters.
What is a filter-less chimney?
The filter-less chimney is the latest addition to the Indian kitchen appliance scene. The name itself suggests that these kitchen chimneys do not have any filters. Hence, it removes a significant handicap of kitchen chimneys, that of cleaning and maintenance. As filter-less chimneys do not require any manual cleaning, it reduces maintenance costs to almost zero.
Cleaning of filter-less chimneys
Filter-less chimneys come equipped with oil collectors that collect the oil from the smoke emitted from your cooking activities. These chimneys feature an Auto Clean functionality that cleans the chimney automatically.
Advantages of filter-less chimneys
Filter chimneys have a drawback as the filters can get choked with oil and grease particles. It can affect the free flow of air and reduce the chimney’s suction power. The absence of filters in a filter-less chimney removes this handicap.
Besides, the motor in a filter-less chimney is placed strategically to allow the smooth movement of air and smoke without compromising on the suction capacity.
Compared to the filter chimneys, filter-less chimneys do not make much noise. However, these appliances are not the most ideal for households with heavy spice and oil usage.
Concerns about filter-less chimneys
- The filter-less kitchen chimneys are more expensive than the filter chimneys.
- The filter-less chimneys are not much effective for kitchens that use more oil and spices for cooking food.
Comparison between the Filter chimneys and Filter-less Chimney
| Feature | Baffle Filter Chimney | Filter-less Chimney |
| Filtration Process | The grease and oils stick to the curved panels. | The positioning of the motor is crucial as it allows free air movement without any blockage. |
| Suitability for the Indian kitchen | Ideal for Indian kitchens | Suits Indian kitchens moderately |
Here is the comparison regarding maintenance and performance levels of baffle filters and filter-less chimneys.
| Baffle Filter Chimney | Filter-less Chimney | |
| Cleaning and Maintenance | Requires cleaning once every quarter Moderate maintenance | Auto Clean feature available Almost no maintenance |
| Performance if not cleaned | It does not affect suction power for a long time | It does not matter at all |
Thanks Mam, it helps a lot to decide the right chimney. Filter-less may seem attractive due to almost zero maintenance, but I learned here that baffle filter is comparatively the better choice for typical Indian spicy/oily cooking.