Sizing a kitchen chimney for an Indian kitchen

Suction is rated in cubic metres per hour, and the arithmetic is simple: room volume multiplied by the air changes you want per hour. For a typical Indian kitchen doing daily tempering and deep-frying, ten to twelve air changes an hour is the honest requirement, which for most kitchens lands between 1,200 and 1,500 m³/hr.

Suction is not the whole story. Duct length and bends are what kill real-world performance — every 90-degree bend costs meaningfully more than a straight run, and a chimney ducted six metres through three bends will underperform its rating badly. Plan the shortest duct path to the outside wall before you choose the model.

Filter type decides maintenance. Baffle filters handle Indian cooking oil far better than mesh, and auto-clean models move the oil into a collector you empty rather than a filter you scrub. Charcoal filters are for recirculating installations only, and a recirculating chimney in an Indian kitchen is a compromise you will regret.

Mount it 65 to 75 cm above the hob. Higher looks better and captures less; lower captures well and you will hit your head on it.

A chimney ducted six metres through three bends will not deliver its rated suction.