There are many benefits to investing in a fume extraction system, and your employees may thank you for it. It can remove harmful fumes produced from welding and protect your employees from falling sick or suffering chronic health conditions.
When it comes to improving indoor air quality in the workplace, it’s important to have fume extraction systems in place.
A welding fume extractor is an extraction system that uses a hose to pull fumes into a filtration system to help clean the air from harmful particulates and chemicals. This industrial equipment is especially useful in removing the welding fumes created when you’re working with metals used in welding applications. Breathing in metal fumes can have extremely dangerous effects such as manganese or cadmium poisoning.
Our Top Recommendations for Welding Fume Extractors for 2023
Aoyue 486+ Fume Extractor – Best Value
The easiest way to eliminate unwanted fumes is to direct them somewhere else. This Aoyue product comes with a 4-inch air duct that directs fumes out of the room. It also uses an activated carbon filter to capture and filter out fumes, pollutants, and odors from the air and stop them from circulating.
This model also includes a conveniently low-voltage lamp to provide welders with better lighting for your work area. There’s an exhaust hose, so you’re able to direct the fumes anywhere you want.
Pros:
- The hose connects to a 4-inch aluminum air duct to help direct welding fumes out of the room.
- Activated carbon feature will filter and particulate fumes and dust
- Has excellent and efficient suction power
- Works well for any stationary welding desk
Cons:
- Makes some noise
KOTTO Smoke Absorber and Iron Welding Fume Extractor – Best Overall
The KOTTO is the perfect filtration product for welders. Its design is extremely compact, making it convenient to use on your draft table and easy to carry. In addition, it has an adjustable fume hood and a flexible 24-inch tube that can be adjusted in any direction.
The KOTTO has one of the thicker activated carbon filters compared to other fume extraction systems at about 0.4 inches. It captures a number of dangerous particles such as solder fumes and gases to prevent dissipation into the room.
What stands out about this KOTTO welding fume extraction device is that it has a high-powered suction fan of 6,000 RPM, allowing you to remove fumes 5 to 6 inches away. According to the manufacturer, it will last up to 50,000 hours, meaning that it’ll serve you and your fellow welders well for a long time.
Pros:
- The filter is designed to be easily replaced
- The fan speed is adjustable and has a 24-inch flexible tube
- It comes with a high suction power of 6,000 RPM
- The noise level is low at 55dbm
Cons:
- It feels quite heavy, considering it’s a small unit
KNOKOO Portable Mobile Solder Fume Extractor – Largest Fume Capacity
If you’re a welder who deals with a large volume of fumes, it is critical that you find a product that can support the removal of these fumes. The KNOKOO Portable Fume Extractor differs from other systems because it uses a three-layer tower filter structure designed to handle a greater amount of fumes and a higher number of particles to maximize efficiency. It sucks in more air faster than a single-layer filter can. The filter can be easily replaced.
In addition, this product also has a few energy-saving features. It uses a frequency converter, a power conversion device that is utilized to control the speed of induction motors. As a result, this improves efficiency and allows you to control power usage.
Pros:
- Able to remove smoke, dust, gas, and welding fumes
- Has less power consumption, which increases the efficiency
- Built-in handles make this product mobile
- Offers power failure protection for additional safety
Cons:
- Much more expensive than any other fume extractor tool
TOTOOL Fume Extractor – Best Blower
Many fume extraction systems are designed to move the fumes into the device through a duct hose. However, the TOTOOL uses a 12-inch high-powered fan instead. This moves stale air rapidly to dissipate the welding fumes out of the room. The problem is since it’s a blower, it’s not ideal to use while working.
Overall, we like the construction of the fan. This product is made from high-quality steel to ensure durability and strength. In addition, the fan has a carrying handle for convenience.
Pros:
- The ventilation hose is wear and flame resistant
- It comes with a 5-meter duct hose to extend across the room
- It pulls in a lot of air for its size
- Easy to transport and store
- Construct with steel housing and high-quality blades
Cons:
- This fume extraction system is quite noisy
Kulannder Fume Extractor – Best Portable
For its size, we’re surprised at how powerful and durable this product is for industrial use. The Kulannder comes with a high-powered suction of 60W, which absorbs particles and purifies the air in the room. Since this extractor is much smaller than other ones, it makes it ideal to use on draft tables while you’re working.
Rather than using a duct hose, this product has a wider suction tuyere to absorb a wide range of different particles. It can also support up to 60,000 hours of working time. There’s a portable handle included and this fume extractor is lightweight enough (3.3 lbs) to take with you anywhere.
Pros:
- Offers 50% more suction power compared to other portable fume extractors
- Available at a low price
- Build with an anti-skid cotton design to reduce noise and prevent scratching the table
- Activated carbon filters can be easily replaced
Cons:
- The filter is thin, so you may need to replace it frequently
KOTTO Solder Smoke Absorber and Fume Extractor – Most Affordable
For those who want a budget-friendly extractor, you should consider this KOTTO product. It works by absorbing harmful particles through the carbon filter, dissipating it, and then removing the fumes 5 to 6 inches away.
After testing the product ourselves, we found that it can suck the particles up to a distance of 12 inches. It comes with one replacement filter and has approximately a power consumption of 120V or 30W, which is relatively low.
Pros:
- This portable fume extractor has a low price
- Can eliminate welding fumes 5 to 6 inches away
- Has a low power consumption for better efficiency
- Carbon-activated filter will capture fumes from chemicals, gases, flux, solder
Cons:
- It only comes with one replacement filter
Choosing The Best Products
When looking at welding fume extraction systems, you’ll want to consider many factors such as the type of filtration and filters used, the amount of power or suction it has, and whether it has any self-cleaning solutions.
Type
First, consider the type of extraction system that you’re looking for. Some use fans, and others use a duct hose to remove fumes. Capture devices may be the better option since they are engineered to contain the particles and then purify the air before releasing it out. Blower fans may be effective but still can be dangerous to the welder nearby.
Filters
There are a number of filters out there. Some use multiple filters, while others use a single filter. Always look at the MERV rating, demonstrating the effectiveness of capturing particles. The MERV rating has a range of 1 through 10, with ten being the most effective.
The Verdict
Choosing the right extractor comes down to what you’re looking for. We found that the best overall product is the KOTTO Smoke Absorber and Iron Welding Fume Extractor. It checks the box for every category that we look for to maintain industrial health and safety standards. The product has a number of excellent features, such as a high-powered suction hose, flexible tubes for mobility, compact size, low noise, and an easily replaceable filter.
