Selecting the best chimney for the kitchen will not only offer you a perfect finishing touch to the kitchen but also keeps it healthier, cleaner, and safer for the user. Ultimately this kitchen appliance makes it an ideal place to cook delicious meals. Different types of filters come in an extensive range of styles and sizes. But in this particular article, we will be discussing the pros and cons of the charcoal and grease filters present in the chimney.
Grease Filters
The grease filters are present in most of the chimney below the unit and eliminate any grease present in the air. They are generally composed of metal mesh, and you can wash them in a dishwasher or sink. They make sure that they eliminate the worst elements from the machine processes. They are usually composed of fleece or ceramic material. The filters need to be clean once every 5 to 8 weeks.
Advantages of Grease Filter
- They capture the grease before entering the exhaust system and reduce the risks of contaminants entering the ductwork, roofs, exhaust wood, and fans. It decreases the risk of fire breakouts.
- Chimney with grease filters reduces 75% of the cleaning frequency. Less cleaning means less labour, expenses, and inconvenience. In commercial kitchens, this is a boon as the usage of it means less interruption of business.
- The grease lock filters catch the grease before entering into the exhaust system, thus reducing the risk of particles emitting to the rooftop. This system also elongates the life of the roof for a longer time.
Disadvantages of Grease Filters
- One of the biggest cons of grease filters is the installation. It needs a setup that will go through the kitchen interior to the outside of a home or a building. It restricts the locations where you can install it, thereby making the installation more costly.
- This grease filter sends the moisture and heat back into the kitchen, thus enhancing the humidity.
- They are louder in comparison to the charcoal filters. The fan needs more power to operate to increase the total number of decibels.
Charcoal Filters
Charcoal filters are optional filters, fitted behind the baffle or cassette filter. As evident from the name, this filter is composed of charcoal that absorbs the oil and grease contaminants in it. The absorption power of the filters depends on their thickness and the granules of the charcoal. They are not washable and need to be replaced from time to time. these types of filters also uses in the air purifiers.
Advantages of Charcoal Filters
- As the companies manufacture charcoal filters and baffle or cassette filters, it enhances the kitchen chimney’s efficiency.
Disadvantages of Charcoal Filters
- Since the charcoal filter is not washable, you have to replace the entire filter every 2 to 3 months based on usage.
- The usage of this filter leads to additional overhead maintenance.
Differences Between Charcoal and Grease Filters
Now that we have known about the advantages and disadvantages of the charcoal and grease filters, now it is time to know about their differences, which are discussed below.
| Charcoal Filter | Grease Filter | |
| Composition | Made up of charcoal slate with innumerable holes present in it. | Composed of metal mesh |
| Working method | The holes present in the charcoal slate absorb all the smoke and oil particles in it. | This filter is present behind the baffle and cassette filter to trap all the oil and grease particles in it. |
| Cleaning process | Cannot be washed, need to be replaced | Can be washed in the dishwasher or in the sink |
| Cleaning frequency | Need to be replaced every 3 to 4 months based on the usage | Needs to be cleaned once in every 3 to 8 weeks |
| Noise level | More | Moderate |
| Durability | Less and needs to be replaced frequently | Long-lasting |
| Price | Expensive | cheap |
Read About: Baffle Filter VS Cassette Filter
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this article has helped you to choose the right filter between the charcoal and grease models. But according to our opinion chimneys, with grease filters are more economical and long-lasting compared to the charcoal ones.
After completing this graduation in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Manipal University in 2013, Ankit began rummaging the current Indian market of technology and science. At apolloedoc, Ankit’s job profile consists of cumulating, researching, testing, and verifying products related to tech.
He has a knack for details and catches even the tiniest advantages and flaws that can make or break the product. Since last year, he has been writing for apolloedoc and has been our knight in shining armour when reviewing home appliances.
Ankit’s favourite pastimes consist of jamming onto his guitar with a couple of friends and constantly updating and learning new things! He is also a big-time pet lover and has a cute little pug named Oreo back in Chandigarh. He has bagged many achievements in his college by participating in multiple extracurricular activities.
Writing is something that comes to Ankit naturally. He has his own blog where he posts about coding languages and even provides coaching to students from 12th grade to 2nd year of college. At apolloedoc, Ankit beautifully showcases his knack for the written word by lucidly explaining information in an unbiased way.