Clearing the air -- with style & economy

Do you enjoy steaks, seafood and poultry broiled to perfection? Or steaming pots of pasta? If you answered “yes”, you need a good range hood. Do you also want that hood to look good and light up your work area without breaking your remodeling budget? If you answered “yes” to that one too, here is your solution.

The Broan/Nutone QS130WW, or Allure I as it is known, represents a stylish step up from the traditional range hood. Marketed under both the Broan and Nutone brand names (the latter is what appears on my hood), it features a principle called “Twin Cyclonic” action. This involves two downward-directed streams of air from the front edge of the hood which help draw cooking fumes into the blower area at the rear. It works very effectively, clearing steam and broiler smoke much more efficiently than the 1950’s era ceiling fan that I had previously. The Allure I is rated at 220 cubic feet per minute, generous for my 10 by 10 foot kitchen.

When one enters my kitchen, the first thing that greets the eye is the range area. Thus, I wanted something that would look better than a budget-priced hood. But style isn’t the only reason I chose the sleek Allure I: Quietness is also one of its attributes. At the higher of its two speeds, this unit is rated at an unobtrusive 5.0 sones. Though not totally whisper-quiet, it permits easy conversation. The low speed, which provides acceptable exhaust performance, is nearly inaudible at only 1.5 sones.

A simple rocker switch controls the two-speed fan and another one operates the two-level halogen floodlights. The twin, 50-watt PAR20 bulbs provide dazzling lighting; the high setting is almost too bright. Most of the time, I use the lower level which matches that of the under-cabinet halogen floodlights elsewhere in the kitchen. The dishwasher-safe filters snap out easily, which permits unobstructed access for cleaning.

The Allure I allows three venting options: Direct through the wall (the recommended method for best performance), through the ceiling or unvented. Mine is vented directly through the wall and therein lies its one weakness: Its susceptibility to drafts. When the wind is of a certain strength and from the side of the house in which the hood is installed, I can sometimes feel an uncomfortable cold draft near the range. To date, neither my remodeler nor Nutone itself have offered any possible solutions to that problem.

I purchased my Allure at I Home Depot for $149 (not including bulbs). Step-up models -- the Allure II and III – offer increased performance and slightly lower noise levels as well as three-speed centrifugal blowers and other features. Still, the Allure I represents the best overall value, in my opinion and it clears the air effectively no matter what I cook.