Would you mind defining what you consider "the quieter end" and "halfway decent"?

I'm still learning on this topic myself but ranges in that price range, I suspect, won't be tremendously useful. For example there are some Broan economy models (like the Allure) that fit your budget, but they use mesh filters (difficult and messy to clean I believe) and are only 20" deep so it won't fully cover the front burners on your cooktop. (Don't know how quiet it is.) But generally speaking, in that price range, my hunch is there will be some significant tradeoffs...and I"m not sure if it will be an improvement from your OTR microwave for the money.

You might be better off saving your money and using your OTR microwave for now. If you're going to get a range hood instead, perhaps you should wait and save up for a more useful hood (i.e., one with baffle filters which you can put in the dishwasher to clean)?

Sorry that probably didn't help much.

Well, I'm not sure I can quantify quieter, maybe 10 sones or less? I suppose what I mean by half-way decent is one that can actually pull in steam and smoke. Probably something better than the basic big box store carries.My current down draft only pulls in about 50% if I'm using a pot taller than 5".

The more I look around, the more I see hoods for well over the price range I'm targeting. You're probably right about just using what I've already bought.

Thanks.

Kathe

for what it's worth...

In the Twin Cities, I was able to look at the Broan Allure models mounted right next to a Vent-a-Hood in the Stellian showroom. I can't recall what the VAH model was, but it was comparable in price to the Allure III, about $350.

My cooking is done on a 30 inch regular electric range. Standard cooking; some broiling but fish is usually done on outside barbecue. For our family, the sound of the vent is of much more significance than the airhandling capacity--background sound prevents conversation or hearing of other things when you're slightly deaf. Loud sound is unacceptable to us and would prevent us from using the hood altogether.

The Broan Allure III, which I can purchase at Stellian for a little over $300, has a very low setting which is barely audible to me, remember I'm somewhat deaf. The Vent-A-Hood was also fairly low in sound, but my (eccentric) ears said that the Allure III was quieter on low and on pretty low, and those are the modes I will be using much of the time. The Allure III on high and on ultraboost mode is med. loud and very loud and their cfm movement will suffice for occasional short time use for big smoke/stink I think.

Salesperson, an old hand type, says he prefers the V-A-H but not because of sound issues. He likes the mechanical stuff with the VentAHood because it collects grease and you wash it out afterward and he says the air collecting area is better size. The Broan has a dishwasher washable grease filter and will be fine for my purposes. I have steam issues more than fat. My Broan from the 1970s still works but it's too noisy for my old ears. I generally run it on lowest setting now, unless I'm blanching veg, etc in summer. I should have bought a replacement years ago, but at least now the quietness technology is improved.

As for over-the-range microwave hoods, I don't like them. Short people can't reach them and the air handling is not as good or as quiet as a dedicated unit can offer. Also, as your kids grow up, you will be saying "excuse me" all the time as two people try to do different things in the same space. If the microwave goes belly up, your vent hood goes as well. How many microwaves have you already owned in the last few years?

Broan vent connections seem to be problematical; plan to buy some specialized vent ducting. In our case, we think we can recycle the old vent connection.