Filters play an important role in kitchen chimneys. It traps oil, dust, grease and other impurities that can deposit on the inside of the chimney. Thus, it improves the efficiency of the kitchen chimney.
Having the correct type of filter that matches your cooking is essential. To educate our readers on the same, we have discussed the various types of chimney filters in this article.
We will explore the different abilities, cleaning processes, and other perks of these filter materials. Let us also learn how they help in keeping the environment safe and healthy.
Types of Kitchen Chimney Filters
Kitchen chimney filters basically come in three types. And, they are:
- Cassette Filters or Mesh Filters
- Charcoal Filters
- Baffle Filters.
Below is a table depicting the various functionalities, efficiency, and other characteristics of all the filter types.
| CHARACTERISTICS | BAFFLE | MESH OR CASSETTE | CHARCOAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Stainless Steel | Aluminium | Charcoal Slate |
| What It Filters | Grease & Oil Particles | Grease & oil particles | Odour, Oil & Smoke Particles |
| Suitable for Indian Kitchen | Perfect | No | Yes |
| Cleaning | Moderate | Difficult | Not Washable |
| Cleaning Frequency | Once in five to six months | Once in a month | Replace Every Six Months |
| Noise | Moderate | More | More |
| Maintenance | Low | Low | High |
| Durability | More | Moderate | Less |
| Price | Expensive | Inexpensive | Inexpensive |
Let us discuss in detail each type, and its merits and demerits.
1. Mesh Filters or Cassette Filters
Construction
Mesh filters, also known as Cassette filters, come with multiple layers of mesh overlapped on each other. The mesh has tiny holes (less than 0.5 mm) that absorb the grime, oil, and grease particles whenever the air passes through the layers of the filters.
Material
The material used for the mesh filters is either aluminium or stainless steel.
The mesh filters made of aluminium are cost-effective than the stainless-steel ones. They are lightweight, easy to handle, and clean. However, they require proper maintenance than the latter.
Unlike aluminium filters, the stainless-steel ones are a little expensive, heavy in weight, and also difficult to handle.
Washing
When it comes to cleaning a mesh filter, soak it in baking soda or dishwasher liquid. You need to wash them weekly once to ensure proper working of the chimney.
Are They Suitable for Indian Kitchens?
These mesh filters are not suitable for the Indian kitchen as the cooking involves too many spices, frying, and tadka (tempering).
Let us look at the benefits and drawbacks of mesh filters in a kitchen chimney.
Pros
- Cassette or mesh filters are comparatively less expensive than the other filters.
- Because of their lightweight design, you can easily detach the filter from the chimney.
- Mesh filters are dishwasher safe.
- These filters are easy to clean.
- They enhance the efficiency of the chimney and provide proper hygiene.
Cons
- Mesh filters tend to be noisy when operating.
- These filters need regular maintenance as they contain small pores inside, which may easily get clogged.
- The major downside is that they are incapable of withstanding extreme heat temperatures.
2. Charcoal Filters
Construction
Charcoal filters, also called Carbon filters, complement their counterparts, baffle and mesh filters. They contain charcoal slates with holes that help trap the odour. These filters enable the primary filter to absorb grease, oil particles, and smoke. Ductless chimneys usually have charcoal filters.
Material
As the name suggests, the material used for the charcoal filters is charcoal. These filters are comparatively less expensive than mesh filters.
The effectiveness of these filters is majorly dependent on the thickness of the filter and the charcoal granules.
Washing
Charcoal filters are not washable. You need to replace them depending on how frequently you use the stove in your kitchen. Ideally, it is suggestible to replace them once every six months.
Are They Suitable For Indian Kitchens?
The charcoal filters are most suitable for the Indian kitchen because the cooking involves strong aromatic cuisines.
Let us look at the advantages and disadvantages of charcoal or carbon filters in a kitchen chimney.
Pros
- Since you use a charcoal filter to augment the baffle or mesh filter, it improves the overall efficiency of the kitchen chimney.
- These filters are highly efficient in trapping oil particles, smoke, and other grime, ensuring the chimney expel ninety-nine percent pure air.
- The filter has high absorbing power that helps in keeping the chimney walls non-greasy.
- It reduces your time and effort for cleaning the kitchen.
- These filters come in a secondary quality layer that ensures low purchase cost.
Cons
- Charcoal filters are not washable.
- You will have to replace them every six months.
- The maintenance cost is high.
3. Baffle Filters
Construction
Baffle filters are an improvement of the aluminium mesh filters. Mostly used in many Indian kitchen chimneys, this filter consists of a panel with multiple layers through which the air passes.
The panel in the filter retains the oil and grease molecules, allowing them to stick to the layer surfaces. This process facilitates the release of only smoke and hot air into the outside atmosphere.
Material
The baffle filters mostly contain a stainless-steel body. However, they are also available in aluminium, which is very rare. These filters are expensive and the prices vary from brand to brand.
Washing
You should clean the baffle filters once every five to six months. In addition to that, the stainless-steel material may rust after periodic usage. Hence, it is advisable to change them every five years to prolong the life of the chimney.
Are They Suitable For Indian Kitchens?
Baffle filters are best suitable and highly recommended in Indian Kitchen because of the deep-frying cooking, high oil usage, spices, and on-stove grills.
Let us look at the merits and demerits of baffle filters in a kitchen chimney.
Pros
- Baffle filters are easy to clean and are dishwasher safe.
- They require low maintenance.
- In comparison with cassette filters, baffle filters are more durable.
- The stainless steel material of the panels is more durable than aluminium.
- The improved airflow feature of the panels guarantees efficient suction power.
Cons
- Baffle filters are expensive when compared to their counterpart, mesh filters.
- The baffle filters are heavy,
- Because of their heavyweight, detaching filters from the chimney can be difficult.
What Is the Need Of A Kitchen Chimney Filter?
A kitchen chimney plays a crucial role in sucking all the impurities, grease, and oil particles from the kitchen, keeping your kitchen odour-free, pollution-free and hygienic. The absorption power of the chimney is again dependent on the filters. This is how a filter aids the chimney.
1. Helps in keeping the environment clean:
As discussed earlier, the filters help in keeping the environment clean. They absorb all the impurities from the air and release the fresh air into the outside atmosphere. Initially, the chimneys lacked filters, which made them release the grease and other pollutants into the air. This added more to the pollution.
To curb the pollution levels in the environment, they introduced filters. Needless to say, they were effective in trapping the harmful substances inside them while allowing only air to pass through them.
2. Prevents the greasing of the internal chimney walls:
If a chimney does not have filters, all the grease and oil particles pass through the columns. They further get trapped inside the walls, affecting the efficiency of the device.
To ensure the high performance of the appliance and prevent the walls from greasing, it is essential to have filters in them.
3. Freshens the air and purifies it:
Some kitchen chimneys do not release the air to the environment but circulate the same in the kitchen after removing the impurities. In such a case, the recirculating air needs to be fresh and free from harmful molecules or pollutants. The filters efficiently purify the air and help in fresh air circulation.
4. Makes the chimney more efficient:
Chimney filters enhance the efficiency of the appliance. That means, your device will not encounter frequent repairs or services, provided you maintain your filters clean. This will not only increase the life span of your chimney but will also enable uninterrupted performance.
Some Frequently Asked Questions:
Any type of chimney filter can be much more durable when handled with proper care and maintenance. Regular cleaning with hot water and soap can extend the life of your chimney filter. This can also prevent corrosion.
We suggest you to go with stainless steel chimney filter as it’s more durable.
For Indian cooking, it is always best to with the baffle chimney filter as it requires less maintenance and more efficient.
With the advancement in technology, even the chimneys are upgrading to a new version. The new type of chimney’s now being introduced have no filter but will have a blade fan which rotates at the RPM you set. With this, the oil and other particles get collected in an oil collector. The oil collectors are also easy to remove and clean.
However, as it’s the recent invention, only companies Faber, Hindware and Elica have these filterless kitchen chimneys. We suggest you to wait till these new models prove their efficacy.
There no one particular time to replace your filters. Consider these scenarios:
• If you don’t remember the last time you cleaned your filter, then it’s time to clean it.
• If your walls and ceiling start to accumulate grease, then it’s time to change the filter.
• If you find any damage, holes or dents, you must change the filter.
Conclusion:
Since you will be spending a considerable amount of money on your chimney, you should be aware of the use of different filter types. I hope this article provided you with everything you need to know about chimney filters and their types. Save your time and money by investing in a wise option.
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