7 Best Chimneys in India: Which Type of Chimney is Best for Indian Kitchen?

Do you think that you need a kitchen chimney to protect your kitchen and home from cooking grease and grime? If you said yes, you’re right. In fact, according to BBC, cooking and cleaning are major contributors to indoor air pollution. Of course, the best chimneys in India will not only preserve your family’s lungs and respiratory health but also add to the aesthetics of your home.

After all, next to the living room, the kitchen is the most frequented room of the house. This is especially true these days due to lockdowns and changing work scenarios. Therefore, since more of us are spending more time indoors, indoor pollution and aesthetic eyesores have more of an impact on us too.

We’ve created this guide specifically for people who are self-aware enough to have realized this little fact of the modern lifestyle. In this guide, we not only share the findings of our in-depth search for the best kitchen chimneys in India but also share key information that will help people get the most from them.

Here’s everything you’ll find on this page beginning with an explanation of how cooking creates indoor air pollution.

• How Does Cooking Impact the Indoor Air Quality?
• Which Chimney is Best for Dealing with Indoor Air Pollution
• Kitchen Chimney Types
  • Installation: Ducted and Ductless Chimneys in India
  • Purification: Filter and Filterless Indian Kitchen Chimneys
• What to Consider When Looking for a Modern Chimney for Kitchen?
  • Which Chimney is Best for Small Kitchens and Island Kitchens
  • Best Kitchen Chimneys in India Based on Cooking Style
• 7 Best Kitchen Chimneys in India: At a Glance
• 3 Best Budget Chimney in India: Detailed Reviews
• 2 Best Filterless Chimneys for Kitchen in India: Detailed Reviews
• 2 Best 90 cm Kitchen Chimneys in India (Most Powerful): Detailed Reviews

How Does Cooking Impact the Indoor Air Quality?

In rural areas, cooking is done by burning wood and this is a documented and widely acknowledged cause responsible for a huge incidence of bronchopulmonary symptoms in rural Indian women.

In urban areas, however, we feel like we are immune to this because we cook on hobs with cooking gas.

While it is true that in comparison to cooking on the open fire, cooking on a gas burner will cause less pollution, it still results in the release of gases like carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, and other similar gases. Further, according to international studies going back decades, it releases particulate matter, and other unhealthy pollutants as oil, fats, and other ingredients are cooked.

Even more dangerous is the microfine aerosol-like particulate matter that is created the moment food meets really hot oil, which is almost always the case with Indian cooking. To some degree, this impact is magnified as most of us keep our homes shut to nullify the effect of outdoor pollution. This leads to the accumulation of gases and the rapid accumulation of PM in the indoor air.

Which Chimney is Best for Dealing with Indoor Air Pollution

If cooking does release emissions, it’s no surprise then that it can be a source of sensitivities and allergies. Common sense dictates and experts validate that a simple way to reduce these symptoms and better manage the indoor air quality is simply to ventilate your kitchen better.

This can be effectively achieved with a kitchen chimney that acts like an exhaust keeping the cooking fumes and gases out of the home and kitchen. The need for a kitchen chimney, in fact, increases in modern homes that are better insulated against leakages of conditioned and purified air.

Obviously, other than providing a better breathing environment indoors, a kitchen chimney has other benefits as well. It can help you minimize the greasy residue on walls, kitchen appliances, and cabinets that is a direct result of high-intensity cooking.

Cooking is associated with a lot of heat production and chimneys can also help regulate the kitchen temperature to some degree. Further, installing a kitchen chimney can help against smoke accumulation associated with tempering and frying in hot oil which causes allergic reactions in people who have sensitive respiratory tracts.

Since it is essentially an exhaust, it can to some extent eliminate the smells and odors as well. However, the smell of good food and delicious cooking wafting through the air is not something that most people complain about.

So, which chimney is good for the Indian kitchen in general, and which one will suit your specific requirements? We have all the answers.

Kitchen Chimney Types

There are many different types of chimneys for kitchens. Understanding them will help you make the best choice that provides the most effective ventilation for your kitchen.

There are two ways of classifying kitchen chimneys in the market today. One is based on the method of installation and the other is the type of filtration (or lack of) the chimney employs.

Installation: Ducted and Ductless Chimneys in India

When it comes to the method of installation, there are basically two different types of chimneys. Let’s look at both:

Ducted Kitchen Chimneys

The duct is installed at the time of chimney installation and therefore, requires some prior planning regarding the placement of the chimney hood, the path of the duct, and the exhaust vent itself. These are quite powerful and can effectively manage the smoke and fumes associated with most types of Indian cooking.

If there is a powerful enough suction with an adequately sized chimney, most oil aerosols can be removed from the air as well. However, noise can be an issue with these kinds of chimneys sometimes. At the same time, if the chimney has good build quality with dampeners along with the filters, even this can be minimized. These chimneys require pretty low effort for maintenance too.

Ductless Kitchen Chimneys

They’re also good for kitchens that don’t have access to outdoors through a window or even specialized in-wall ducts.

These chimneys along with the main filter will often contain another layer of the filter inside the chimney to purify the air further. There is also a carbon filter that deodorizes the air before letting it out again.

These additional chimney filters required regular cleaning and even changing so there is some amount of regular maintenance cost associated with these chimneys. Further, since there are many layers of filters, the suction power of these chimneys is somewhat less than the ducted type of chimneys.

Indian cooking typically involves heavy frying and tempering and for that reason, these chimneys usually don’t perform as well as ducted chimneys. Therefore, all the products on our list are ducted chimneys. Ductless chimneys are best for homes where there is minimal to no daily cooking.

If you do need a ductless kitchen chimney, most high-end chimneys can be converted to one. However, this is something that should be checked with the manufacturer before the purchase is made. Incidentally, the filters that go inside the chimney are also bought separately adding to the cost of the chimney.

Another drawback of these kinds of chimneys is that they never remove heat from the kitchen environment. A ducted chimney can have a somewhat cooling effect on the kitchen environment. In contrast, ducted chimneys have no impact on the indoor temperature since they essentially recirculate the same air.

Purification: Filter and Filterless Indian Kitchen Chimneys

When you start looking at the type of filter that a chimney uses to separate oil and grease from the air, you’ll come across three categories. These are:

Cassette Filter Chimneys

Depending on the frequency and intensity of cooking in the kitchen, you’ll have to clean these filters once every one or two weeks. If not cleaned, the oil tends to accumulate on the filter mesh and then either drip into food or even catch fire.

Chimneys with these types of filters in India tend to be less expensive. However, they’re still not very popular because of the maintenance involved. There are ones in the market that are easier to maintain like baffle filters or filterless chimneys too, let’s look at those.

Baffle Filter Chimneys

When the smoke rises and passes through this filter, the oil accumulates on the filter surface because of its higher weight in comparison to smoke.

The biggest quality of these filters is that they’re very easy to clean and maintain. Further, their unique design ensures that the airflow is not obstructed or blocked if they’re not cleaned regularly.

In fact, they don’t have to be cleaned as frequently as cassette filters. More importantly, they’re especially well suited to Indian cooking practices.  Moreover, they’re quite durable and due to this, they are the best choice for an Indian kitchen.

Baffle filter-enabled kitchen chimneys that come with an auto-clean option are even more convenient and better suited to the Indian lifestyle.

Filterless Chimneys

Considering the fact that the only catch with modern-day kitchen chimneys is that you have to clean them, it isn’t surprising that developers have found technological solutions to that little chore too. Enter the newest kind of chimneys in the market – filterless chimneys.

These kinds of chimneys have powerful suction capacities because there is essentially no filter blocking the path of the airflow. The motor is moved out of the path of the airflow tunnel and housed in a sealed compartment to protect it from oil accumulation.

There is a fan that causes the air to be drawn in a spiral motion while it travels through the exhaust. The centrifugal force causes the oil particles to separate and stick to the walls of the exhaust chamber while the smoke and fumes are thrown out.

This oil once deposited on the exhaust wall, then collects in an oil collector that can be easily cleaned as per requirement. There are many chimneys that also indicate when it is time to clean out the oil collector. This feature makes the cleaning process almost negligible and for this reason, the maintenance on this chimney is minimal.

There is no danger of the filters getting clogged with oil drops or oil dropping into the food or catching fire.

Another benefit of these types of chimneys is that they don’t get noisier over time like other chimney types do when their filters start rattling due to oil blockage. They’re also free of the risk of a malfunctioning motor caused by oil deposition.

What to Consider When Looking for a Modern Chimney for Kitchen?

While knowing about the types of chimneys that are there in the market is one thing, figuring out which is the best kitchen chimney for your kitchen is a whole another matter.

Several factors should be dictating your decision-making process if you want a chimney that is more helpful than work. Let’s go over them.

Which Chimney is Best for Small Kitchens and Island Kitchens

Although not very common in India, if your cooking station is located in the middle of your kitchen then you’ll need to opt for the island chimney configuration.

The installation configurations of these two chimneys are distinct and not interchangeable.

It is also possible for your cooking hob to be located in a corner of the kitchen. In such a scenario, you’ll want a corner chimney. However, you should remember that corner designs are not very common in the Indian market. This is why we don’t have one on our list.

Another thing to take note of once you know the placement of your chimney is that it is advisable for the hood of the chimney to cover the entire cooking station. Even better would be if you can have it extend slightly beyond it.

This will ensure that the maximum amount of smoke and oil particles get sucked into the filter rather than escaping out from the periphery of the chimney.

Best Kitchen Chimneys in India Based on Cooking Style

The more often a kitchen is used, the bigger and more powerful a chimney needs to be to ensure that the home is thoroughly cleaned of cooking fumes every time.

The type of cooking also is a factor in determining your choice of a chimney, although most chimney manufacturers already take that into account in India. Therefore, this is more of a guideline than a rule.

Another factor to consider is how frequently the kitchen is used. One of the best ways to determine the quantum of cooking is simply looking at how many burners you have in your hob and how many you use at least 50 percent of the time you cook.

There are basically two sizes for kitchen chimneys: 60 cm and 90 cm. If you have a hob or a cook station with 2-3 burners, a good 60 cm chimney will suffice. However, if you have 3-4 burners and are using them at maximal capacity at least 50 percent of the time, then it is recommended that you get a 90 cm chimney.

7 Best Kitchen Chimneys in India: At a Glance

3 Best Budget Chimneys in India: Detailed Reviews

#1: Elica 60 cm 880 m3/hr Chimney

Editor’s Rating: 7.5/10

If you keep your chimney filters clean all the time on a schedule, you will likely have a wonderful experience with this one. If you’re the kind that likes to clean it only when it is absolutely required, then in our opinion either go for a bigger or a filterless chimney.

That being said, cleaning is relatively easy on this chimney and it doesn’t cause much wear and tear either. It is a sleek and functionally designed chimney that blends nicely with all types of kitchens. While the airflow is on the lower side, the motor provides enough suction to effectively remove smoke and fumes fast.

There are LED lamps provided that make cooking easier and more enjoyable. The controls on this chimney however are push buttons and the only flaw with those is that they require proper maintenance or start showing signs of wear like sticking and becoming less responsive.

The noise level of this chimney is an average of 58 decibels and we would also like to mention here that the noise level is greatly dependent on how well a chimney is maintained. When oil and grease accumulate in the filters and on the motor the suction power is affected which can lead to rattling noises while the chimney is operating.

However, this holds for all chimneys with filters and isn’t just a point of consideration for this particular one. All in all, this is a good and effective chimney for a small kitchen that is priced very affordably. The manufacturers are offering a 5-year warranty on the motor and a 1-year one on the whole product.

Who’s it for: If you’re looking for the best cassette filter kitchen chimney for a small kitchen from a reliable brand in the market, that is not going to cost you a lot, go for this one.

#2: Faber 60 cm Pyramid Kitchen Chimney

Editor’s Rating: 8/10

With a black powder finish and curved pyramid design, it has an old old-style charming look that blends well with the traditional kitchen and lends an eclectic appeal to the modern kitchen.

It has an impressive suction capacity of 1000 m3/hr and works very effectively for kitchens even bigger than 200 sq ft. The company claims that it is well suited for a 2-4 burner and endures Indian cooking quite well. This means that it should be able to handle heavy frying and grilling.

There are not many chimneys in the market that boast layered baffle filters but this one does. This chimney has 3 layered stainless-steel filters that are quite durable and very easy to clean. The stainless-steel material also means that the filters are dishwasher safe.

It comes with two standard LED lamps. Sadly, at this price point most companies are only offering push-button control, so that’s what you get in this chimney too. There are 3-speed buttons and a light button for using the light separately without using the chimney. 

There are a few complaints about the noise level being a little on the higher side, despite the company claiming that it is only 52 decibels. However, it must be noted here that the noise level of a chimney is greatly dependent on the quality of installation.

A well-installed chimney can operate at a much lower noise level whereas even a well-built chimney will start creating a racket if it is not installed properly. This is a very well-built chimney at a very decent price point so if you do decide to go for this one, ensuring that you get proper installation will ensure years of silent operation.

Talking of well built, the manufacturers are offering a 12-year warranty on the motor which is quite impressive. It, of course, comes with the standard 1-year overall warranty too.

Who’s it for: If you are looking for a beautifully designed and powerful chimney that is going to last you a lifetime, go for this one. Not many chimneys come with a 12-year warranty on the motor.

#3: Eurodomo 90 cm curved glass Kitchen Chimney

Editor’s Rating: 8.5/10

This chimney stands up very well to the Indian-style frying and grilling activities that generate a good deal of smoke and grime.

The design of the chimney is modern with curved glass over a metal body that gives it a contemporary look. While the chimneys that we’ve reviewed so far in this category were equipped with push-button controls, this one comes with touch controls that look smart and elegant. There are the standard two LED lamps as well.

The noise is very low when the chimney is functional and three fan modes allow you to set the airflow as per requirement. There is a timer function too on this chimney that allows you to set the chimney on a schedule and even delay it’s powering off.

This chimney has baffle filters that stand up very well to oil-heavy cooking. The filters are stainless steel and can be cleaned easily at home too. While they require the standard maintenance that all baffle filters do i.e., cleaning once every few months, it’s the inside cleaning that has been made very convenient with the auto-clean function.

The heated auto-clean function essentially heats the inside of the chimney when you turn the function on. The deposited oil then melts away from the surface and collects in an oil collector chamber that requires a basic wash. This feature adds life to the product as the inside chamber gets regular maintenance.

Another feature that makes this chimney a great buy is that it has a very efficient customer care department and supportive post-sales service backing it. The manufacturers are offering one year warranty on the product and 5-year support on the motor.

Who’s it for: If you’re looking for a chimney with powerful suction, touch controls, and auto-clean function in the value segment, go for this one.

2 Best Filterless Chimneys for Kitchen in India: Detailed Reviews

#1: Elica 60 cm Filterless Auto Clean Chimney

Editor’s Rating: 8.5/10

The mesh can be wiped from the outside quite conveniently though. Oil and grease not only bother when it’s outside though so let’s talk about the inside of the chimney.

It has a sealed motor, which means that it does not get oil deposition which can reduce the efficacy of the suction power. Reduced suction power due to oil deposits on the motor is a regular complaint in the filtered chimneys. This is the main reason why they require deep cleaning at least once a year after some usage.

Because the motor is so well protected in this chimney, it can offer a powerful airflow of 1200 m3/hr without much noise. Another reason why there is low noise perhaps is that there are no removable filters that can rattle at high speed. The more removable parts in a product, the more the noise.

The consistent suction power ensures that it draws in any unhealthy smoke or cooking fumes very quickly, keeping the kitchen clean. It’s peculiar that the manufacturers have not mentioned what sized kitchen this chimney is best suited for.

Still, it is a thoughtfully designed product and just in case you think that this chimney is not big enough for your hob, Elica also has a 90 cm Filterless Auto Clean Chimney. Mind you, the difference in size is pure dimensional, meaning the motor has the same 1200m3/hr suction power. The rest of the features are exactly the same, a 90 cm chimney is simply meant for a bigger hob.

Both the 60 cm and 90 cm models have touch controls and come with motion sensing technology. This means that if you have messy hands, which is ever so common while cooking, you can still turn on your chimney with a wave of your hand.

With more waving you can increase the fan speed too. This is a pretty nifty feature, just make sure you’re facing the chimney when you’re waving so your guests don’t leave.

Another very useful feature, that both chimneys have is the heated auto-clean function. Basically, this makes an easy job of cleaning the chimney of all the oil that it has inhaled. There are heating pads inside the chamber that heat the insides of the chimney.

When you push the auto clean button the oil deposits melt due to this heat and collects in an oil collector. The oil collector then has to be given a basic wash. The oil collector cleaning should be done on a schedule that matches the intensity and frequency of use.

Coming back to the 60 cm model, it is a great filterless chimney with thoughtfully designed features at a very affordable price point. The manufacturers are offering a 5-year warranty on the motor and a 1-year warranty on the whole product.

Who’s it for: If you like using your kitchen to the max but do not like the cleaning involved, this product offers filterless technology and auto-clean features which ensure cleaning with the touch of a button.

#2: Faber 60 cm HOOD EVEREST SC TC HC BK 60 Curved Glass, Autoclean Chimney

Editor’s Rating: 8.5/10

The 1200 m3/hr suction proves more than sufficient, making this chimney suitable for a 2-4 burner hob perfectly.

If you have a bigger hob you can go for the Faber 90 cm curved glass auto clean chimney. It is just slightly more in cost for the added size but will complement your bigger-sized hob perfectly.

Coming back to the Faber 60 cm auto clean chimney. It is quick to clean the kitchen air of smoke and fumes and is well suited for a kitchen that is sized from 100 to 200 sq ft. This should cover most small to mid-sized Indian kitchens comfortably.

The chimney also has a heated auto-clean feature which ensures that keeping the insides of the chimney clean is absolutely hassle-free. The heated auto-clean function essentially means that the chimney heats the inside chamber of the chimney with the touch of a button. This oil then slides down and collects in the oil chamber, which can be cleaned quite conveniently.

The controls on this chimney are touch and it also features gesture control. With gesture control, you can turn the device on and off with the wave of your hand. You can also increase the speed of the fan with the gesture. There are the standard 2 LED lamps and the chimney is pretty quiet while in operation.

This chimney comes pretty close to the Elica chimney that we reviewed earlier in this guide. If you’re stuck deciding between the two, pay attention to the design and the weight of the product. Faber chimneys tend to be heavier than Elica chimneys, not that it makes a lot of difference in usage.

Another difference in design is the extended curved glass in the Elica chimney which is not there in the Faber model. Some people feel that the extended curved glass adds to the maintenance as it collects dust and grime and does have to be cleaned regularly. Others simply like the look of it and think it adds to their kitchen aesthetic. At the end of it all, it’s a matter of preference.

This chimney is slightly more expensive than the Elica chimney. However, note that the installation charge on this one tends to be lower. It remains a great buy if you are looking for a 60 cm chimney that is filterless. The manufacturers are offering a 1-year warranty on the product and another 5-year warranty on the motor.

Who’s it for: If you’re in the market for a well-built and designed filterless kitchen chimney with a powerful airflow that will make cleaning it easy as pie, go for this one.

2 Best 90 cm Kitchen Chimneys in India (Most Powerful): Detailed Reviews

#1: Faber 60 cm HOOD PRIMUS PLUS ENERGY HC SC BK 60 Auto-Clean Curved Glass

Editor’s Rating: 8/10

We’ve picked this model as the best chimney for the Indian kitchen because it has a mammoth 1500 m³/hr airflow and comes with all the other bells and whistles too. While we will come to the features in just a minute, it bears mentioning here that this is not a filterless chimney. This chimney comes with stainless steel baffle filters.

Baffle filters are well suited for the Indian kitchen but they do require the occasional maintenance in the form of regular washing. The chimney is well suited for a 2-4 burner hob and is very effective for a kitchen that is even bigger than 200 sq. ft.

There is no question that this chimney will remove any smoke and cooking fumes from the kitchen air in seconds. If you do have a bigger hob or operate other smoke-generating kitchen appliances along with the hob too like an oven or a grill, go for the Faber 90 cm Auto-Clean curved glass Kitchen Chimney.

Coming back to the Faber 60 cm model. This one also has a heated auto-clean feature. This means that with the touch of a button, the inside chamber of the chimney gets heated up and releases any oil deposits which then get collected in the separate oil collector. The oil collector needs a basic wash as maintenance. This feature is present in the 90 cm model as well.

Both models have touch controls with the standard LED lamps. However, there is no motion sensor on this one. There is bound to be some noise as well with such a powerful suction, even though the company claims max noise of only 58 decibels.

This one is meant for those open kitchens, where if you’re cooking the cooking fumes spread really quickly unless cleared out instantly.

For a 1500 m3/hr airflow with baffle filters, this chimney is priced decently. The manufacturers are offering a 5-year warranty on the motor and a 1-year warranty on the product as a whole.

Who’s it for: If you’re looking for pure suction power in your kitchen chimney because you have a very large kitchen or perhaps an open kitchen, and don’t mind the extra noise, go for this one.

#2: Elica 60 cm Auto Clean Chimney 

Editor’s Rating: 9/10

While this one supports a 2-4 burner set and a kitchen more than 200 sq feet perfectly, it does not have a 90 cm variant like in the case of Faber 60 cm chimney. So, if you have a bigger hob, you will either be looking at a filterless model of Elica or will have to settle for a 1200 m3/hr air flow.

Coming back to this Elica 60 cm model. It comes with two baffle filters which are really great at supporting heavy frying and grilling. While they do require regular maintenance in the form of cleaning, the auto-clean feature, makes this cleaning slightly easier.

At the touch of a button, the oil in the chamber of the chimney gets deposited in the oil collector, which just needs a regular wash thereafter.

The controls on this chimney are touch. And, the good news is that unlike the Faber chimney with 1500 m3/hr airflow, this one will allow you to control it with gestures and some well-chosen dance moves. We told you it has more features.

The noise created by this one is slightly lower too. But be forewarned, when you run it on the high setting, it will be discernible that there is a chimney running in the home. Still, it’s not like you’ll be running it at a high speed for long because the powerful motor will clear the air and smoke quickly.

As is the case with all the best kitchen chimneys in India, this one comes with the standard 5-year warranty on the motor and a 1-year on product from the date of Purchase. Considering all the features it is offering, this product is priced reasonably too.

Who’s it for: If you want everything in your chimney such as powerful suction, touch controls, auto clean, and motion-sensing technology, and do not mind cleaning the baffle filters once in a while, go for this one.