Baking, frying, and stir-frying create delicious cooking aromas, but those smells often linger in the home for hours, even reaching the living room or bedroom. An air purifier can be a useful supplement to your extractor hood, but it is important to know what an air purifier can and cannot do.
What happens during cooking
Cooking releases not only scent molecules but also fine grease particles and, in some cases, smoke—for example, when cooking over high heat or slightly burning food. These particles and gases spread quickly through the room, especially in open-plan kitchens that adjoin the living room. An extractor hood above the stove catches some of this directly, but what the hood misses stays in the air.
The role of an air purifier
An air purifier with a HEPA filter captures the fine grease particles and airborne dust generated during cooking. For scent components, an activated carbon filter is needed; this layer absorbs the scent molecules that would otherwise settle into curtains, pillows, and textiles. The combination of both filter types ensures that an air purifier removes both particles and some of the odor from the air.
Practical tips for fewer cooking odors
- Always turn on the extractor hood while cooking; this remains the first and most important measure.
- Ventilate briefly after cooking by opening a window.
- Place an air purifier near the kitchen or open living area, not in a separate, closed-off room.
- Let the device continue running for a while after cooking, as scent molecules often remain in textiles and the air for hours.
What you can realistically expect
An air purifier does not replace the extractor hood and will not immediately eliminate strong smells like fried fish. However, many people notice that the air feels fresh again more quickly and that odors do not linger as long, especially when combined with proper ventilation.
Our advice
In our experience, it works well to place an air purifier with sufficient capacity in or near the kitchen. The Dynter AirPure Plus PA244 has a CADR of 260 m3/h and is suitable for rooms up to 55 m2, meaning it provides sufficient airflow even in an open kitchen-living room combination. Thanks to its 4-stage filtration with a HEPA13 filter and activated carbon, both fine cooking particles and some of the scent molecules are captured. With three speed settings and a whisper-quiet night mode, you can leave the device running all day without it being a disturbance.
Curious if the AirPure Plus PA244 is right for your kitchen? Check the specifications and order it here.