Thank you for sharing that entirely relatable nightmare! When we installed the range and hood of my dreams, my spouse and I struck up a deal: I would clean everything from waist level down and the rest was on him. Many YouTube tutorials later he cleverly hired someone recommended by our appliance store. Gary, knowledgeable and lithe and a former Vent-A-Hood employee, did a bang up job. Turns out he was 80 at the time and is now long (and deservedly) retired. We're back to the hood of shame. Wouldn't you and Rory like to come for a visit?
OMGGGGGG! That is such a great story, Linda. Hood of Shame. Precious. My fear is that putting the lightbulbs is somewhat akin to giving birth. You forget the challenges after all you've been through! I'm sure you and your husband can figure it out. We managed to and we're really not very handy.
Love your post about your range hood. We remodeled our kitchen in 1994. At that time Vent-a-Hood was supposed to be very efficient. We bought it because we had a stove top grill, so we needed something strong. Over the decades it has performed its duty, but it is a bear to clean. I avoid it until it is absolutely necessary. It involves taking it apart and cleaning out puddles of collected grease. Some parts, like the wheels/fans, are impossible to clean. A couple of years ago, one of the fans stopped working. I was sure the company had gone out of business. But I found it on the internet and the hood design hadn't changed. I contacted them about service and luckily the only authorized service guy in country lived nearby. He got the part and fixed it. I asked him about cleaning it and he had no recommendations. He says he doesn't clean them. I hate the hood because it is so hard to clean and noisy, but it has lasted a long time. And the light bulb is easy to replace. I have avoided replacing our appliances because most of the new ones simply don't last. I just get them fixed. We're old and don't want to live through another kitchen remodel. Once you change something, it leads to something else. Is there such a thing as an efficient range hood, that is easy to clean and easy to replace light bulbs?
If you get any answers please share! I have a Vent-a-Hood also and really had a hard time with them. And they are only a few miles away! Will try to find the authorized repairman! My husband refuses to remodel again, I think it was too traumatic the last time!
And the company is near you?! Don't these companies every really test drive their products with home cooks? Arrggggh. You spent a lot of money on that VAH.
Linda! You're not old. You're wise and you've been around workhorse kitchens for most of your life. I've long wanted a Vent-A-Hood. As you say, they're supposedly topnotch but they're tough to clean??? And they're suppose to be quiet too. AAAAARGGGH.
I don't think there's an efficient, quiet range hood. I've been in restaurant kitchens and they suck well but are so noisy. I just read about a Hauslane hood that does steam cleaning to "melt" away grease. I don't believe that's possible. It's only a 30-inch unit too. The design is interesting with that flat tray like thing: https://hauslane.com/products/uc-ps38?variant=32458929799267
Maybe in our lifetime there will be a better range hood?!
Andrea, I don't cook as much as I used to. Hopefully I won't have to replace my hood in my lifetime. I want to avoid another remodel. However, this steam cleaning model looks interesting if it works.
I thought I was the only person in the world who hated my vent hood. I remodeled 15 years ago and thought I got the best (will not name😝) and have had nothing but grief. I think Chinese cooking overwhelms it and one light has given up the ghost. Found out I need whole assembly not just lightbulb and I can't get to Model # because it is in the exhaust pipe and illegible after 15 years of grease. Would you buy another ZLine?🙏 TIA! Love your articles!
Oh lord. I'm sorry! I like the ZLine enough because I own it and it's now clean and more or less refurbished with the new bulbs. If it were to break down and need replacing, I'd shop for other brands -- keeping in mind, the same factors -- easy of cleaning, bulb replacement, noise vs suction and price.
I just noted that Food and Wine likes the Hauslane 30-inch hood which has some kind of steam cleaning function. If it were 36 inches, it would be good for a standard 30-inch stove. Hauslane is an affordable option -- they have other models to consider. https://www.foodandwine.com/best-range-hoods-7113081
If you can, go ducted. Ductless filters air and returns the resulting air to your kitchen.
Your hood maintenance tale has brightened (pun intended) my Sunday morning. I have mastered filter cleaning, but live in fear of light bulb replacement. The pendent light over my kitchen sink is difficult enough. Your saga has convinced me to just call the electrician and hope I can combine it with generator maintenance for a more cost effective visit.
Light bulb replacement fear and anxiety! As I'm typing, I'm looking at our dining room lighting fixture, which hasn't needed bulb replacement in years. Good lord. You've got a great plan, Ann.
This made me appreciate the older, simple style that was installed in the early 90's in my home, nothing digital or contortionist required! Compliments on the tiling (?) surround of the window, quite striking, lovely!
I'm with you, Shire. Those range hoods were about $150 and the bulbs were easily replaced, like with one hand!
Thanks for noticing the tiles. It the kitchen bling. Kinda reminds me of a Chanel purse. It's a Japanese tile called Origami that Cepac tile imports: https://cepactile.com/product/origami/
Had a good chuckle reading the article. Sounds like my home. I dread the day we have to replace the light bulbs. Will take your advice on getting a range hood that is bigger than the stove due to particles if we ever renovate our kitchen or share your advice with friends and family. That’s brilliant.
Well, all I can say is if we can do it, you can do it too! Go bigger with the exhaust, when you can. It makes a world of difference. I didn't realize it until I did my homework with this renovation. I have a 30-inch range with 6 burners. I rarely have all of them going but things can get very busy on the stove.
Congratulations on a successful repair! I am convinced that range hoods are the devil. Nothing about them is ever easy.
We have the same stove you purchaed and it seems to vent more heat than our former stove, especially via the back. This causes our range hood to go off on its own with a message to clean or change the filters, which I have done, repeatedly. It turns out that there is a third filter, SOMEWHERE, which is the problem. Despite doing everything but ripping out the wall, we cannot find this third filter. Would love suggestions if anyone has any.
👿 range hoods! Love and hate them but we need them!
Oh, the range hood has a heat sensor -- usually called a "heat sentry". Our old one had that and it would go off once in a while when we had the LG range. You cannot control heat sentry while it's operating. It's militaristic as its name. I couldn't stand heat sentry and avoided it when choosing a new one.
The range hood company should tell you about the third filter location. What's wrong with these companies that sell us these fancy kitchen appliances???
The Cafe range heats up and needs that back vent to push out the heat. It's weird but I often use the convection setting in the stove and haven't noticed the heat factor as much. It's probably because the fan is on and the air is circulating out the back anyway? I don't know if that helps you. The Zline doesn't have heat sentry so it wouldn't go on if Cafe was blowing out too much super hot air.
Wow, I had no idea that range hoods require so much maintenance and headaches! Our kitchen has a microwave above the stove with a small time vent/fan. Not a problem at all though. The couple of times (toasting dry chilies or using a grill pan on the stovetop) I need more I just open a window and sliding door. I can relate to the lightbulb difficulties though! The last time I needed to replace a lightbulb under the microwave, I had to buy several until I found one that fit. And the one that fits will not turn off, so the light is on all the time! I also had to chuckle about how when you’re married (us, 22 years) you seem to sort some things out without needing to discuss them. For example, I think I’ve always been the one to buy lightbulbs for our home. 💡 😂
Thank you for the reminder that I need to clean my range hood 🤦♀️
Also, why do appliance retailers not ask how big your exhaust hose is? I bought a range hood that needed larger than a 4” hose. I can only set it to 4 out of 6 otherwise I overwhelm the hood.
I can sympathize with what you went through. When we remodeled our kitchen, we didn’t go whole hog and demo the old one, so we kept the ‘70s footprint and just updated everything. The old Jenn-Air stovetop in the island was replaced with a gas Thermador professional stovetop, but we had to keep the downdraft type of hood. (An opossum made an entrance through the vent during the remodel.). Thermador had a compatible hood, which can be raised and lowered. But of course this mechanism failed after some time, and they don’t make this model anymore! It still vents okay, but I don’t think it’s as good as the overhead hoods. Yours looks great and I like the brightness, especially for photos. One advantage to the downdraft style—no light bulbs!
Goodness now I dread the day I have to replace my range hood light, as it looks like the same light unit as yours. It’s been nearly 10 years and I haven’t had to replace them.
Thank you for sharing that entirely relatable nightmare! When we installed the range and hood of my dreams, my spouse and I struck up a deal: I would clean everything from waist level down and the rest was on him. Many YouTube tutorials later he cleverly hired someone recommended by our appliance store. Gary, knowledgeable and lithe and a former Vent-A-Hood employee, did a bang up job. Turns out he was 80 at the time and is now long (and deservedly) retired. We're back to the hood of shame. Wouldn't you and Rory like to come for a visit?
OMGGGGGG! That is such a great story, Linda. Hood of Shame. Precious. My fear is that putting the lightbulbs is somewhat akin to giving birth. You forget the challenges after all you've been through! I'm sure you and your husband can figure it out. We managed to and we're really not very handy.
Love your post about your range hood. We remodeled our kitchen in 1994. At that time Vent-a-Hood was supposed to be very efficient. We bought it because we had a stove top grill, so we needed something strong. Over the decades it has performed its duty, but it is a bear to clean. I avoid it until it is absolutely necessary. It involves taking it apart and cleaning out puddles of collected grease. Some parts, like the wheels/fans, are impossible to clean. A couple of years ago, one of the fans stopped working. I was sure the company had gone out of business. But I found it on the internet and the hood design hadn't changed. I contacted them about service and luckily the only authorized service guy in country lived nearby. He got the part and fixed it. I asked him about cleaning it and he had no recommendations. He says he doesn't clean them. I hate the hood because it is so hard to clean and noisy, but it has lasted a long time. And the light bulb is easy to replace. I have avoided replacing our appliances because most of the new ones simply don't last. I just get them fixed. We're old and don't want to live through another kitchen remodel. Once you change something, it leads to something else. Is there such a thing as an efficient range hood, that is easy to clean and easy to replace light bulbs?
If you get any answers please share! I have a Vent-a-Hood also and really had a hard time with them. And they are only a few miles away! Will try to find the authorized repairman! My husband refuses to remodel again, I think it was too traumatic the last time!
And the company is near you?! Don't these companies every really test drive their products with home cooks? Arrggggh. You spent a lot of money on that VAH.
Linda! You're not old. You're wise and you've been around workhorse kitchens for most of your life. I've long wanted a Vent-A-Hood. As you say, they're supposedly topnotch but they're tough to clean??? And they're suppose to be quiet too. AAAAARGGGH.
I don't think there's an efficient, quiet range hood. I've been in restaurant kitchens and they suck well but are so noisy. I just read about a Hauslane hood that does steam cleaning to "melt" away grease. I don't believe that's possible. It's only a 30-inch unit too. The design is interesting with that flat tray like thing: https://hauslane.com/products/uc-ps38?variant=32458929799267
Maybe in our lifetime there will be a better range hood?!
Andrea, I don't cook as much as I used to. Hopefully I won't have to replace my hood in my lifetime. I want to avoid another remodel. However, this steam cleaning model looks interesting if it works.
Yeah but I wish it came in at least 36-inches wide!
I thought I was the only person in the world who hated my vent hood. I remodeled 15 years ago and thought I got the best (will not name😝) and have had nothing but grief. I think Chinese cooking overwhelms it and one light has given up the ghost. Found out I need whole assembly not just lightbulb and I can't get to Model # because it is in the exhaust pipe and illegible after 15 years of grease. Would you buy another ZLine?🙏 TIA! Love your articles!
Oh lord. I'm sorry! I like the ZLine enough because I own it and it's now clean and more or less refurbished with the new bulbs. If it were to break down and need replacing, I'd shop for other brands -- keeping in mind, the same factors -- easy of cleaning, bulb replacement, noise vs suction and price.
I just noted that Food and Wine likes the Hauslane 30-inch hood which has some kind of steam cleaning function. If it were 36 inches, it would be good for a standard 30-inch stove. Hauslane is an affordable option -- they have other models to consider. https://www.foodandwine.com/best-range-hoods-7113081
If you can, go ducted. Ductless filters air and returns the resulting air to your kitchen.
Thank you so much! I feel like I'm chatting with a dear friend! With expert advice! What a bonus!😍
Your hood maintenance tale has brightened (pun intended) my Sunday morning. I have mastered filter cleaning, but live in fear of light bulb replacement. The pendent light over my kitchen sink is difficult enough. Your saga has convinced me to just call the electrician and hope I can combine it with generator maintenance for a more cost effective visit.
Light bulb replacement fear and anxiety! As I'm typing, I'm looking at our dining room lighting fixture, which hasn't needed bulb replacement in years. Good lord. You've got a great plan, Ann.
This made me appreciate the older, simple style that was installed in the early 90's in my home, nothing digital or contortionist required! Compliments on the tiling (?) surround of the window, quite striking, lovely!
I'm with you, Shire. Those range hoods were about $150 and the bulbs were easily replaced, like with one hand!
Thanks for noticing the tiles. It the kitchen bling. Kinda reminds me of a Chanel purse. It's a Japanese tile called Origami that Cepac tile imports: https://cepactile.com/product/origami/
Thank you, gorgeous!
Had a good chuckle reading the article. Sounds like my home. I dread the day we have to replace the light bulbs. Will take your advice on getting a range hood that is bigger than the stove due to particles if we ever renovate our kitchen or share your advice with friends and family. That’s brilliant.
Well, all I can say is if we can do it, you can do it too! Go bigger with the exhaust, when you can. It makes a world of difference. I didn't realize it until I did my homework with this renovation. I have a 30-inch range with 6 burners. I rarely have all of them going but things can get very busy on the stove.
Congratulations on a successful repair! I am convinced that range hoods are the devil. Nothing about them is ever easy.
We have the same stove you purchaed and it seems to vent more heat than our former stove, especially via the back. This causes our range hood to go off on its own with a message to clean or change the filters, which I have done, repeatedly. It turns out that there is a third filter, SOMEWHERE, which is the problem. Despite doing everything but ripping out the wall, we cannot find this third filter. Would love suggestions if anyone has any.
👿 range hoods! Love and hate them but we need them!
Oh, the range hood has a heat sensor -- usually called a "heat sentry". Our old one had that and it would go off once in a while when we had the LG range. You cannot control heat sentry while it's operating. It's militaristic as its name. I couldn't stand heat sentry and avoided it when choosing a new one.
The range hood company should tell you about the third filter location. What's wrong with these companies that sell us these fancy kitchen appliances???
The Cafe range heats up and needs that back vent to push out the heat. It's weird but I often use the convection setting in the stove and haven't noticed the heat factor as much. It's probably because the fan is on and the air is circulating out the back anyway? I don't know if that helps you. The Zline doesn't have heat sentry so it wouldn't go on if Cafe was blowing out too much super hot air.
Does anyone have insights for Eva?
Thanks, Andrea! I had no idea range hoods were available without the "heat sentry." (I also didn't know it had a name!). Time for me to go shopping.
Thank you for your advice on the stove and the range hood maintenance.👍😎
My pleasure, Denny!
Suzanne, This is the repairman we used Erick Scofield. MODE DISTRIBUTING, LLC
4945 E. Hunter Ave. Anaheim, CA 92807
Office: 714.523.1511 | Cell: 510.589.3988
Fax: 714.522.0875 | modedistributing.com He lived in the SF Bay Area in 2021. ericks@modedistributing.com
I truly can't wait to upgrade my range hood. it does a decent job, but the filter is not dishwasher safe and I hate cleaning it and it gets g r o s s.
Wow, I had no idea that range hoods require so much maintenance and headaches! Our kitchen has a microwave above the stove with a small time vent/fan. Not a problem at all though. The couple of times (toasting dry chilies or using a grill pan on the stovetop) I need more I just open a window and sliding door. I can relate to the lightbulb difficulties though! The last time I needed to replace a lightbulb under the microwave, I had to buy several until I found one that fit. And the one that fits will not turn off, so the light is on all the time! I also had to chuckle about how when you’re married (us, 22 years) you seem to sort some things out without needing to discuss them. For example, I think I’ve always been the one to buy lightbulbs for our home. 💡 😂
Thank you for the reminder that I need to clean my range hood 🤦♀️
Also, why do appliance retailers not ask how big your exhaust hose is? I bought a range hood that needed larger than a 4” hose. I can only set it to 4 out of 6 otherwise I overwhelm the hood.
I can sympathize with what you went through. When we remodeled our kitchen, we didn’t go whole hog and demo the old one, so we kept the ‘70s footprint and just updated everything. The old Jenn-Air stovetop in the island was replaced with a gas Thermador professional stovetop, but we had to keep the downdraft type of hood. (An opossum made an entrance through the vent during the remodel.). Thermador had a compatible hood, which can be raised and lowered. But of course this mechanism failed after some time, and they don’t make this model anymore! It still vents okay, but I don’t think it’s as good as the overhead hoods. Yours looks great and I like the brightness, especially for photos. One advantage to the downdraft style—no light bulbs!
Goodness now I dread the day I have to replace my range hood light, as it looks like the same light unit as yours. It’s been nearly 10 years and I haven’t had to replace them.