What Size Kitchen Chimney Do I Need? (India 2026)
Getting chimney size right comes down to two things: width (so smoke does not escape the sides of your hob) and suction (so it clears smoke and grease fast enough for Indian cooking). Here is the hob-to-size table Indian buyers actually need, the factors that push you toward more suction, and how baffle vs auto-clean filters affect upkeep. When you are ready to compare specific models, see our best kitchen chimney guides. Sizing a cooling appliance instead? Our what-size-AC guide uses the same right-sizing approach.
Chimney size by hob & kitchen
| Hob | Typical kitchen | Chimney width | Suction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-burner hob / small cooktop | Small kitchen, light cooking | 60 cm | ~1000 m³/hr |
| 3-burner hob | Standard kitchen, regular cooking | 60 cm | 1000 – 1200 m³/hr |
| 4-burner hob | Standard-to-large kitchen | 60 – 90 cm | 1200 m³/hr |
| 4-burner hob, heavy Indian cooking | Frying, tadka, masala daily | 90 cm | 1200 – 1500 m³/hr |
| 5-burner / large cooktop | Large or open kitchen | 90 cm | 1400 – 1500 m³/hr |
The chimney should be at least as wide as the hob. Suction is a rule of thumb — roughly kitchen volume × 10 air changes per hour; lean to the higher end for oily, masala-heavy Indian cooking. These are widely-used sizing rules of thumb, not exact per-kitchen figures.
Choose higher suction if…
- You do heavy Indian cooking daily — deep-frying, tadka, bhuna masala and other oily, smoky styles.
- The kitchen is large, has a high ceiling, or is open-plan and shares air with the living/dining space.
- Your hob has 4 or more burners, so more smoke and steam are produced at once.
- The kitchen has poor natural ventilation (few or small windows, interior kitchen).
- You cook for a large family or for long stretches, so the chimney runs for extended periods.
How to size your chimney — step by step
- Match the width to your hob. The chimney should be at least as wide as your hob. For a 2–4 burner or small hob, a 60 cm chimney is enough; for a 3–5 burner or large hob, go with 90 cm so smoke does not escape the sides.
- Estimate the suction you need. As a rule of thumb, the chimney should move the kitchen air about 10 times an hour, so suction ≈ kitchen volume × 10. A small kitchen is well served by ~1000 m³/hr; a large kitchen wants more.
- Add suction for Indian cooking. If you fry, do tadka and cook oily, masala-heavy food daily, lean toward the higher end — roughly 1200–1500 m³/hr — because Indian cooking produces far more grease and smoke than lighter cuisines.
- Do not under-size the width. A chimney narrower than the hob lets smoke slip past the edges no matter how strong the suction. Width is about coverage; suction is about pull — you need both to match your kitchen.
- Choose the filter type by upkeep. A baffle-filter chimney needs periodic cleaning of the filter; a filterless / auto-clean chimney reduces that maintenance for greasy Indian kitchens but usually costs more. Pick by how much cleaning you are willing to do.
- Then shortlist by ducting and noise. Once width and suction are set, prefer a ducted install where possible for best smoke removal, and check the noise rating — higher-suction units can be louder. Then compare specific models in our kitchen guides.
Frequently asked questions
What size kitchen chimney do I need for Indian cooking?
For regular Indian cooking, match the chimney width to your hob — 60 cm for a 2–4 burner hob, 90 cm for a 3–5 burner hob — and choose suction of around 1200 m³/hr. If you fry, do tadka and cook oily, masala-heavy food every day, lean toward 1200–1500 m³/hr, because Indian cooking produces far more grease and smoke than lighter cuisines.
Is a 60 cm or 90 cm chimney better?
It depends on your hob. A 60 cm chimney suits a 2–4 burner or small hob and a compact kitchen; a 90 cm chimney suits a 3–5 burner or large hob, a bigger kitchen, or heavy cooking. The chimney should be at least as wide as the hob so smoke does not escape the sides — so if your hob is large, choose 90 cm.
How much suction power do I need in a kitchen chimney?
As a rule of thumb, the chimney should move the kitchen air about 10 times an hour, so suction roughly equals your kitchen volume times 10. A small kitchen is well served by about 1000 m³/hr; a large kitchen or one with heavy Indian frying and masala cooking wants around 1200–1500 m³/hr. When in doubt, size up on suction for Indian cooking.
Is 1200 m³/hr suction enough for a kitchen chimney?
For most Indian kitchens, yes — around 1200 m³/hr comfortably handles a standard-to-large kitchen with regular cooking. If you have a large or open-plan kitchen, a 4–5 burner hob, or you deep-fry and do tadka daily, go higher, toward 1400–1500 m³/hr, so the chimney clears smoke and grease fast enough.
What size chimney for a 4-burner gas stove?
A 4-burner hob is on the boundary between the two standard widths. A 60 cm chimney can cover a compact 4-burner setup, but a 90 cm chimney is the safer choice for a 4-burner hob, especially in a larger kitchen or for heavy cooking, so smoke from the outer burners is still captured. Pair it with roughly 1200 m³/hr of suction, more if you fry a lot.
Is a filterless (auto-clean) chimney better than a baffle-filter one?
Neither is universally better — it is a maintenance trade-off. A baffle-filter chimney needs the filter cleaned periodically, which matters in greasy Indian kitchens. A filterless / auto-clean chimney reduces that hands-on cleaning but usually costs more upfront. If you cook oily food daily and dislike scrubbing filters, auto-clean is worth the premium; otherwise a well-maintained baffle filter works well.
Does the chimney need to be bigger than the hob?
It should be at least as wide as the hob, and being slightly wider is better. A chimney narrower than the hob lets smoke slip past the edges no matter how strong the suction, so width is about coverage. Match a small hob with a 60 cm chimney and a large hob with a 90 cm one, and never go narrower than the cooktop.
PakkaPick researches appliance value for Indian buyers. Chimney sizing here uses standard width and air-change rules of thumb and is guidance, not a substitute for measuring your own hob and kitchen. As an Amazon Associate, PakkaPick earns from qualifying purchases.