The chimney should be equal to or wider than your hob/cooktop. For a 2-3 burner hob, a 60 cm chimney is ideal. For a 3-4 burner or larger hob, go with a 75 cm or 90 cm chimney. A wider chimney captures smoke more effectively and prevents grease buildup on walls and cabinets.

Indian cooking involves heavy frying, tadka, and spices that produce a lot of smoke and oil vapour. We recommend a minimum of 1000 m³/hr suction for small kitchens (up to 100 sq ft) and 1200-1600 m³/hr for medium to large kitchens. If you do a lot of deep frying or have an open kitchen layout, choose 1500 m³/hr or higher.

Baffle filter chimneys use stainless steel panels to trap grease — they are durable and never need replacement, but require periodic cleaning (every 2-3 months). Filterless (auto-clean) chimneys use a heated plate to separate oil from smoke automatically. The oil drips into a removable collector cup. Filterless chimneys are virtually maintenance-free and are ideal for heavy Indian cooking.

BLDC (Brushless Direct Current) motors use electronic commutation instead of carbon brushes. This makes them up to 70% more energy efficient, significantly quieter (often below 52 dB), and much longer lasting than traditional AC motors. BLDC motors also provide consistent suction at all speed levels. Our BLDC models come with a 15-year motor warranty.

Ducted mode (exhaust to outside) is always recommended for Indian cooking as it expels smoke, heat, and odour completely out of the kitchen. Ductless/recirculation mode uses charcoal filters to clean the air and push it back into the kitchen — this is less effective for heavy oil and spice cooking. All Elisa chimneys support ducted installation; some models also support ductless mode with an optional charcoal filter kit.

For open kitchens, choose a chimney with at least 1400 m³/hr suction to prevent cooking odours from spreading. Our FLAT FL 900 MAX BLDC (1600 m³/hr) or ZENITH 90 BLDC (1800 m³/hr) are excellent choices. BLDC motors are especially recommended as they operate very quietly, which matters in open-plan spaces.