Different types of chimney filters

Chimney filter types

Depending on the manufacturing structure and materials Chimney filters are classified into three types.

• Mesh Filter / Cassette filters
• Baffle filter
• Charcoal filter

Chimney filters baffle vs mesh vs charcoal

Mesh Filter / Cassette filters

Multiple layers of mesh retain grease, oil particle from smoke and throw out remaining smoke. Mesh holes blocked by grease, oil particles it results reduction of suction capacity. Stainless steel or aluminium is used for cassette filter. Stainless steel cassette filters little bit expensive relative to the aluminium filter. But Aluminium cassette filter is lighter, easy to handle, but carefully cleaning is required whereas stainless steel is heavier, a little bit tricky to handle but cleaning is very easy. Clean chimney can be done with dishwashing liquid, baking soda. Need to wash once a week. As per our Indian cooking habit mesh / cassette filter is not suitable for us.

Pros of cassette filter

• Cassette filter is cheaper than the counterpart baffle filter.
• Cassette filter is of lightweight, therefore detaching cassette filter from chimney is so easy.
• Look for 'Cassette filter' keyword in the product description to find the rigth cassette chimney.

Cons of cassette filter

• Must be clean regularly, once a week. Even some cases grease, oil that stick on mesh threads catch fire. Overall cleaning cassette filter much difficult than baffle filter.
• Cassette filter prevents easy air flow and makes little bit extra noise compare to baffle filter.

Baffle filter

The baffle is flow control panel. The panel made of multiple curves through which air moves, during this process panel retains oil, grease particles in it. Mostly baffle filters made up of stainless steel. Aluminium baffle filters are also available in market but rarely. As grease, oil particles are not an obstacle to the flow of air, so it affect on the suction power. Need to clean once a 3 to 4 weeks. Best suitable filter for Indian cooking habits.

Pros of baffle filter

• Baffle filter easy to clean and low maintenance than cassette filter. In fact baffle filters are dishwasher safe.
• Baffle filter more durable than cassette filter.
• Improved air flow therefore efficient suction power of motor.
• Baffle filter chimneys are best for Indian food items with Masala food. It is very easy to find baffle chimney, look for the product description and search for baffle. For example Elica 60 cm 880 m3/hr Chimney (STRIP BF 60 NERO, 2 Baffle Filters, Black) is one of such good baffle filter kitchen chimney.

Cons of baffle filter

• Baffle filters little bit heavy, so that detaching baffle filter from chimney is difficult. As baffle filter is less like to clean, approximately once a month, therefore this con can be negligible.
• Expensive than it's counterpart cassette filter.

Charcoal filter

The charcoal filter is optional filters that are used along with cassette or baffle filter. As the name suggest this type filters made up of charcoal. Charcoal filter absorbs the grease, oil particles in it. Absorption power depends on the thickness of filters and the charcoal granules. The charcoal filter is not washable, depending on the usage you have to change.

Pros of Carbon filter

• As carbon filter used along with the cassette of baffle filter, it improves the efficiency of kitchen chimney.

Cons of Carbon filter

• As carbon filter not washable, user have to replace in 2 to 3 months depending on the usage. Replacing carbon filter makes additional overhead of maintenance.

Cleaning chimney filter

The chimney filters should be cleaned for every 3-4 weeks because the greasy filters will reduce the chimney efficiency. So it is better to clean the chimney filters at least once in a month. Cleaning baffle filter is little easy than mesh filter as well as mesh filter needs frequent cleaning, whereas baffle filters not. You can clean the chimney filters using simple ingredients like hot water, baking soda, lemon, vinegar, caustic soda or paint thinner. Hot water is the main ingredient, this will lose the stickiness of the filters.

The basic technique of cleaning using baking soda, salt and lemon. Take a medium size tub and pour hot boiling water along with 2-4 tbsp baking soda, 2-4 tbsp salt and squeeze a lemon in it. Leave the filters into the tub for 2-3 hours. After taking it out from tub scrub it with mild detergent liquid and sun dry it.. In case of caustic soda, sprinkle 2-4 tbsp caustic soda in the tub and add hot boiling water into the tub. Let it rest for 2-3 hours. If necessary, scrub it with scrubber and sun dry it.

Chimney-filter types conclusion

As we Indian mostly cooks spicy and oily food, baffle filter is best suitable for Indian kitchen because of their efficiency, low noise level and easy cleaning. You can read our Kitchen chimney buying guide to get the more details about kitchen chimney.

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