Range Hood Reviews

I purchased the Broan Elite E6436SS for our kitchen remodel. I compared price vs. features with other models before making a decision. We like the clean, sleek and simple appearance of this hood. The blower is infinitly variable and has tremendous suction. The stainless grease filters are dishwasher safe. The noise level is about where I expected it to be. I'm pleased with it so far.

One thing to be aware of is that the buttons are actually heat sensors, meaning that it senses not a push but the heat from your fingertip. This could cause an interesting (or annoying) phenomenon, that is, when you heat up a pot of soup, the rising steam could touch the light button continuously and this would cause the two halogen lights to continuously cycle through three levels of dimming and also automatically reset the cumulative use time intended for cleaning after every 30 hours. Meanwhile, you can't even shut down the power, nor stopped the cycling by holding the light button for three seconds. I figured out this might due to the heat sensor by stretching out my hand right below the light button so to block the rising steam, and that stopped the cycling immediately. So if you run into the same problem, try what I did. We have run into this at least three times now after having it for only a couple weeks.

Just installed my XOB30S. The install was straight forward and simple, good instructions. The fit and finish is superb. Itaians make the best stuff.Bellisimo XO

As others have mentioned, this hood is a good value -- looks good, not overly cheap in materials or workmanship, etc. I'm glad I bought it, especially at an under-$500 price.The negative is mainly the installation instructions, which are hilariously incomplete in hindsight. Also... a bit dangerous. This is a pretty heavy piece of equipment, and the instructions (in Chinglish) tell you to use drywall anchors to mount the top plate against the ceiling! In other words, don't bother looking for a ceiling joist or putting in any custom framing, just drive these expanding anchors into the ceiling and screw them in! Absolutely dangerous -- there is no way those anchors would hold this thing securely: it takes two guys to lift the unit up while a 3rd puts in the screws. Drywall anchors would pull out in less than 2 seconds.I added framing above the ceiling level, and big wood screws through the top plate, and it's pretty secure.Another caveat: the instructions specify that you should drop the upper cover inside the inner cover (like a telescope), and then mount the unit to the ceiling plate. If you do that, you're screwed -- because there is no way to reach inside the top of the assembly and pull the inner cover up when you're done, which is what you need to do in order to screw it in. Fortunately, I experimented on the ground first and realized that, and added some baling wire pulls to the process so that I could get the inner cover up during installation.Since others are succeeding…

The lights were broken before 4 months of use. the motor will go off now and then....and then will start again without any repair. NOT WORTH THE PRICE.

This is good looking. The lights are a bit dimmer than we thought they would be but still okay for what we need

I recently bought and installed a Zephyr Essentials Typhoon. While it is an effective ventilation hood, the reason I am writing this review is to share that the self-cleaning feature did not work well enough for me.I prepared some stir fry shortly after it was installed. The grease in my pan was smoking and going into the hood. The next day, I cleaned it per the directions. Spray 409 into the blades while running on low and wait for it to return to the drain cups. Then empty the drain cups. I did this four times that day and then three times the following day. No matter how often I cleaned it, I could still smell the grease inside the hood. Even weeks later, I could still smell the grease in the hood.I am sensitive to smell. This was the main reason I replaced my over-the-range microwave with a range hood - so my house wouldn't smell like what I had just cooked. However, smelling grease every time I walk by the range hood is not acceptable to me. I am replacing this range hood with one that has mesh filters that you can clean and run through the dishwasher.Depending on your sensitivity to smell, this range hood may or may not work for you. If you are NOT sensitive to smell like I am (my husband couldn't smell the grease after I'd cleaned it several times but I could smell it from across my kitchen) this range hood might work for you. But if are sensitive to smell, you might want to consider a mesh or baffle filtered hood instead.

Wow...what an amazing buy! You won't regret it. It's beautiful and very functional. Our kitchen wouldn't be the same without it.

We purchased this range hood and had it installed 4 weeks ago. I am happy with it so far. The design is simple, elegant, easy to use, space-conscious. It's not "ultra" quiet when the venti volume is set at the highest. But in general this is a quiet hood. I cannot comment on the maintenance and am hoping it would easy.

This is a nice looking Chimney Style vent I bought for my kitchen re-model. The instructions to install were a little confusing. But with the help of my dad, we were able to knock it out in about 3 hours. The vent looks good and is pretty quiet. The built-in light gives off good illumination but it take a little while to warm up and come up to full brightness.My only complaint is that I ran this vent ductless (did not vent out through the roof). And I have had a terrible time finding the charcoal filters that the manufacterer recommends. I have ordered the model number charcoal filters that are recommended in the installation instructions, but they don't fit!Otherwise, this is a good product. I've owned it for 3 months now and no problems so far.

After less than two years, the dual MR16 lights stopped working. I sent an email to tech support at the company, and they advised I bypass the 110V-12V transformer, and install GU10 bulbs instead (running the lights at 110V instead of 12V). They even sent me pictures showing what needed to be done, and offered to sell me their very own $50 kit, which made it all plug and play (and convenient).Before ordering anything, I looked over the unit a bit more. No power in or out of the 12V transformer. I looked over the circuit board, and found a blown 5x20 glass fuse hidden on the main circuit board. I had to pull a wire off the board to gain access, which was secured with a crimped-on female push-on terminal. When I tried pulling the terminal off the board, the entire male end that was soldered to the board pulled out along with it! I pushed it back in enough to make contact, but this connection is not solid, and cannot be trusted. Moving on, I replaced the fuse, and there is power into the transformer now, but nothing out. Obviously a blown transformer, but still wondering why the fuse blew.Having much DIY electrical experience with homes, boats, and cars, I knew I could easily re-wire these lights without buying a silly $50.00 kit. It's a two hot and neutral wires split to two light bulbs, not a NASA space shuttle for God's sake.After the re-wire, the lights work, but do not turn off. They are always on regardless of button position. Now the company is telling me I need a new circuit…

Pros: Very nice looking, quality stainless for the price. Upfront controls, simple to operate, low fan noise at lower speed settings.Cons: Rear halogen light placement means front burners on range are a little dimly lit, but I have other peripheral counter-top lighting that compensates for this, so not really an issue for me. The designed in SAT70 12V halogen transformer failed within the first month, maybe because it was not designed to be dimmed. It was an easy repair to cut the four wires and splice in a better quality Lightech LET-75 transformer. Now the range hood is fully functional.

Very elegant style, looks great. Noisier than I expected from other reviews that said it was quiet, but still tolerable. I wish I could change the clock from 24 hour to 12 hour mode, but that's a very minor annoyance. All in all, I'm very happy with it and the ship time was very fast. It's also well packaged.

The seven most difficult words in a marriage made easier by the quality and looks of this product. We had no idea how this "huge thing" would look hanging in the middle of our kitchen, but there was no other place where the stove would work and there was no way we would have a stove without a hood.While I ordered it elsewhere (a kitchen fan specialty site) the delivery and shipping was as efficient as any I have ever received from AMAZON and the product is beautiful, but falls one star short because of the effort involved in installation, as even the pros I hired to do it took a couple of days to get it in place. Now I will say it is PERFECTLY centered and operates beautifully. Since I have NO experience with other hoods, I cannot say this was unusually long or not.The end result is magnificent and I am so glad that in a project which cost as much as a kitchen renovation, we did not skimp or cut corners on something as vital and obvious as the hood unit.Oh yeah, the seven words?"I think we should renovate the kitchen"

The idea to purchase this hood came from a vist to Ikea. There is a similar hood there but with FREE 2 day shipping (Prime/Student) Amazon is my first choice if they have what I'm looking for. Broan products are basically ubiquitous being found in bathrooms and kitchens throughout the U.S. therefore I knew that the manufacturing of the item ought to be good. The unit met my expectation in this regard and then some. I had planned to vent through the wall however some of the framing and the location of the plug caused me to have to vent through the roof. If you're upgrading from a standard-style hood you may want to look carefully at what you may have to cut through to get this done, i.e. joists, rafters, ductwork. I found the paperwork inside theunit behind the grease screen after a little searching and it took about 3 hours to install, not including a trip to the store for steel duct, roof boot, etc... This is a good unit at this price, in my opinion.