Staying for hours in the kitchen to cook delicious meals for yourself and your family is a hectic task, especially with all the smoke that spreads inside your kitchen while cooking.
In fact, not just while cooking but after cooking, we often observe stubborn oily grease on the kitchen tiles and floor that’s quite difficult to pull off! So, what’s the solution?
Well, a chimney or exhaust fan makes your job a lot easier. These appliances help pull off smoke and impurities from the air and freshen your kitchen environment. However, the question is, what’s the difference between the two, and which one should you get?
Keep reading this article to find every possible difference in one go!
What is an Exhaust Fan?
Designed similar to a ceiling fan, an exhaust fan is an appliance that is used to push smoke or warm air out of a particular place. The difference between a ceiling fan and an exhaust fan is that while ceiling fans move air from top to bottom, the exhaust fan helps out in pushing the air out of place.
What is a Kitchen Chimney?
Just like an exhaust fan, a chimney is also an appliance that is placed on top of other electric appliances and in the kitchen over the stove. It helps in extracting cooking smoke and steam so that they do not hang around and get trapped.
This will eliminate cooking residue from the stovetop and stop odors from permeating the carpet or furnishings.
Difference Between Exhaust Fan And Chimeny:
| Feature | Chimney | Exhaust Fan |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | driven by an electric motor, it absorbs smoke, oil, grease etc. | Air is drawn within and then exhausted outside. |
| Placement | Should be installed on the wall if the stove is placed close to a wall. | Over the ceiling above your stove or on the back wall of the stove |
| Cheaning Effectiveness | Has filter installed. | No filter hence less effective. |
| Suction Motors | Strong suction motors | Not much strong motor. |
| Saftey | The filter needs to be cleaned, hence human interference is required often making it bit risky. | Placed high above and less to none interference required. |
| Price | Quite Expensive (10,000-70,000 INR) | Cheap ( 1000- 3000 INR) |
By now, it might sound that both of them are just the same! So what exactly are the differences between the two? Here are some factors that contribute to their difference.
Exhaust Fan Vs. Kitchen Chimeny: Where Should it be placed?
The exhaust fan’s location is crucial for the proper functioning of the appliances. Although their purpose is some, the place where they should be installed is different.
The following are the ideal places to install exhaust fans:
You can either place an exhaust fan over the ceiling above your stove or on the back wall of the stove.
Similarly, the effectiveness of the chimney is significantly influenced by its placement.
The location of the stove is mostly responsible for the placement. The chimney should be installed on the wall if the stove is placed close to the wall. In this situation, a ducting chimney is typically preferred. The chimney must also be fixed on the ceiling if the stove is placed near the cooking area.
Other Differences Between Exhaust Fan And Kitchen Chimeny:
Cleaning effectiveness:
In terms of the effectiveness of cleaning, there isn’t any filter in the exhaust fan. Although it does separate smoke from grease to some extent, your stains might still be visible on kitchen tiles and floors.
On the other hand, chimneys employ strong suction motors to remove smoke from the kitchen and prevent wall stains.
Suction Motors:
When it comes to preserving a good kitchen environment, chimneys outperform exhaust fans. Strong suction motors are built inside chimneys to quickly separate oil and smoke particles. It helps in maintaining a steady temperature and releases clean air outside.
On the other hand, exhaust fans can only remove smoke from the kitchen; they lack strong suction motors to maintain the room clear of grease and oil stains.
Safety
If you are up to cleaning an exhaust fan, you have to step on a ladder to reach it. They are either placed close to windows or on the ceiling. However, there is less to no human interference.
On the other hand, if you install a chimney, you have to clean its filter every now and then. So, basically, exhaust fans are after.
Price
Compared to the price of chimneys, exhaust fans are extremely affordable. However, one must also take into account the services an exhaust fan may offer, given its cost.
Chimneys are more effective and sophisticated in terms of removing smoke from the kitchen. As a result, they are a little more expensive than exhaust fans.
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Prioritize Your Health:
Health issues like Asthama are a must-consider when purchasing a chimney or exhaust fan. If any of your family members suffer from asthma, installing a chimney is best. Chimneys are way better than Exhaust Fans when it comes to purifying the kitchen environment.
Keep Your Budget in Check:
Running low on budget? Of course, you would not like to mess up your financial goals by spending thousands of dollars on the chimney. Even we wouldn’t recommend a chimney for a low budget unless and until you have got serious health issues.
Cooking Pattern:
We Indian simply can’t stay away from spicy food for long. So, if you and your family members crave spicy food very often, the chimney is the best option for you. However, if you and your family are on a diet, an exhaust fan will be more than enough.
Family Size:
If you are a member of 2-3 people, you might not spend much time cooking. Hence, there’s not much need to buy a chimney. Chimneys are more adequate for families with 5-8 members.
FAQ:
Would the chimney look ugly when installed right above the cooking appliance?
Let’s figure it out and study the appearance –
Exhaust fans are smaller and installed in the vent space vertically. They do not affect the look of the kitchen.
The chimney is attached near and above the stove or cooking device.
The attachment of the chimney to such proximity raises some questions about the designs and looks of the kitchen.
But the market is never harsh to its consumers and offers a range of designs in chimneys, which may enhance your kitchen’s interior.
One can find chimneys in various shapes (like flat and raised with ducts or without), sizes (depending on need and size of cooking appliance), and Colors (mainly you will see silver but there are many with black color or different colors of fiber against decor elements).
Wrapping It Up:
Chimneys are expensive but more considerable because of their features. Chimneys can provide a controlled environment free of odor, smoke, moisture, and greasy patches on walls. Chimneys will also enhance the design n decor of your kitchen. While exhaust fans are budget-friendly with few cons.