In this work, we develop a non-isothermal model for diesel particulate filters including exothermic and competing chemical reactions. We begin with an isothermal, single-reaction model and we gradually increase its complexity. By comparing various models, we aim at establishing the minimum degree of complexity required to effectively model the system under investigation. Based on the numerical simulations, we conclude that isothermal models are adequate only if the temperature of the catalyst is, at all times, completely below or completely above a critical temperature. However, if the goal is to predict the critical temperature, only non-isothermal models should be used. The results with competing reactions, on the other hand, show that the presence of competing reactions does not affect significantly the overall conversion in the filter. (C) 2016 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.