GREAT CHOICE FOR DUCT-FREE INSTALL

Purchase date: JANUARY 2007
Review date: JANUARY 2007
Model purchased: QS136SS (STAINLESS)
Note: QS1 is the series, 36 is the size, SS is the color.
So if you (for example) wanted a 42" black it would be QS142BL
Purchased at: Lowe's Home Improvement

I needed a new range hood due to the fact that I was changing over my dated kitchen appliances from Almond to new Stainless Steel units.
After quite a bit of deliberation I chose the BROAN (NuTone) ALLURE 1 series. I had a difficult time deciding on what to purchase because I am very frugal (aka cheap) but I also want good quality. I chose this model because I found it to be a good balance of the 2.

I wanted a hood that looked nice. Something with a modern and clean appearance and I wanted something reasonable in cost. I also wanted good cook surface illumination.

Before purchasing this hood I also considered several other models, mainly the GE Profile. Which is a very nice hood and very similar in its styling. The reason I chose the BROAN is that it was about half the cost of the GE Profile and other comparable hoods and also my range hood is installed duct free or recirculating.
In my opinion, when a hood is installed duct-free it is mainly there for looks. I don't think that performance is an important factor because you are simply taking the air through a charcoal filter and placing it back into the room. If there is moisture in the air, it will still be there.
I DO NOT feel that this hood would be a good choice for persons installing in a DUCTED situation and also wanting good venting performance. I have read several reviews for these models that indicate poor venting performance, and I would say that is probably true. The unit does a mediocre job at best of drawing smoke and steam into the fan in my duct free install. Performance would be slightly increased in a ducted install due to factors like updrafts and negative air pressure. However I stand firm on my opinion that this would not be a good choice for a ducted install.
If you need a hood for a ducted install I might suggest checking out the GE Profile. They have a similar appearance but have a more solid construction and are usually reviewed better in regards to venting performance. They are, as I mentioned, considerably higher in cost.
So my decision to get the BROAN was based on good looks at a good price with the knowledge that the venting performance really wasn't that important to ME.

The first unit I received had a defective part and had to be returned. But both the manufacturer and the retailer did a good job in handling the exchange.

I installed this hood myself with the help of a friend to hold it while I put in the screws. Install time was about 30 minutes including prep time. If you do not have someone to help you install the hood. Are limited physically or if you are timid when it comes to working with direct wire connections then professional installation would be the way to go.

The hood looks GREAT. It has a very stylish appearance and has 2 wonderful PAR20 50watt halogen bulbs (sold separately) that do an amazing job of illuminating your cook surface, especially compared to standard incandescent bulbs.
Also, the underside of the hood is fully enclosed. This means that rather than your filter just covering the fan housing and leaving lots of open space for grease and gunk to collect, you have filters covering the whole underside. This will make the unit much easier to clean and maintain.
The ventilation fan is whisper quiet on the LOW setting at 1.5 sones, but the actual amount of air moved on this setting seems to be minimal. The HIGH setting is just a bit noisy at 5.0 sones, so if you are wanting a super quiet hood you may want to consider a more expensive model.

In closing, I think this hood is a great choice and a great value for non-ducted installs. If you want great performance in a ducted fan, you may want to look elsewhere.