Editing Funnel (section)

{{Short description|Pipe with a wide top and narrow bottom}}
{{Other uses}}
[[File:Kitchen Funnel.jpg|thumb|A typical kitchen funnel]]
[[File:Roman Kitchen Funnel Saalburg.jpg|thumb|A ceramic [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] kitchen funnel (1st–3rd century AD)]]

A '''funnel''' is a tube or pipe that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, used for guiding liquid or powder into a small opening.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Funnel |url=https://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--36196/funnel.asp |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=RecipeTips.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-14 |title=Definition of FUNNEL |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/funnel |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=www.merriam-webster.com}}</ref>

Funnels are usually made of [[stainless steel]], [[aluminium]], [[glass]], or [[plastic]]. The material used in its construction should be sturdy enough to withstand the weight of the substance being transferred, and it should not react with the substance. For this reason, stainless steel or glass are useful in transferring [[diesel fuel]], while plastic funnels are useful in the kitchen. Sometimes disposable [[paper]] funnels are used in cases where it would be difficult to adequately clean the funnel afterwards (for example, in adding [[motor oil]] into a car). Dropper funnels, also called [[dropping funnel]]s or tap funnels, have a [[Tap (valve)|tap]] to allow the controlled release of a liquid. A flat funnel,<ref>
{{Cite web |url= http://www.flatfunnel.com 
|title= Flat Funnel for Compact Storage in kitchen garage RV to funnel fluids 
|website= Flat Funnel 
|access-date= 2016-06-09
|url-status= dead
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160528203254/http://www.flatfunnel.com/
|archive-date= 2016-05-28 }}
</ref> made of [[polypropylene]], utilises [[living hinge]]s and flexible walls to fold flat.

The term "funnel" may refer to the [[Chimney (locomotive)|chimney or smokestack]] on a steam [[locomotive]] and commonly refers to [[funnel (ship)|the same on a ship]]. The term ''funnel'' is also applied to other seemingly strange objects like a [[Smoking pipe (tobacco)|smoking pipe]] or a kitchen [[Wastebin|bin]].