Too much CFM is a bad thing. Noise should be the least of your worries... Makeup air is important. Do you have a chimney? Do you have other gas appliances in your house that could possibly backdraft? Very rarely do you actually need 1200 CFM. I assume you're cooking with gas, since you're looking at hoods that powerful. How wide is your cooking surface and how many BTUs total? Will you be doing indoor grilling?

I am getting the 715 model, but I think my range has a lower output than yours.

That is really interesting that the 1200 one would cost less. Do you know why? I assumed higher CFMs in the same brand would cause the price to go up.

The higher CFM model doesn't have their DCBL technology in it. Whether that is good or bad I will leave up to you, but one of the big differences is the LED lights as opposed to halogen lights.

So, you are paying for what they consider a technology upgrade, again is it really I don't know, but I love my DCBL model.

Phil

Thanks! I had really decided on the DCBL option, but haven't purchased it yet. I need to stop reading about hoods.

"on-board computer that actively optimizes your range hoodâÂÂs performance"

Sounds like just something to break, on the simplest appliance possible. Don't get me wrong, I love tech, but keep it where it belongs. Electronic controls are important to the proper functioning of modern front load washers. They are NOT important on a dryer. Yet, today's dryers are loaded to the brim with gimmicky features and flashy control panels that sing, when all that is necessary is a simple timer.

Similarly, I think brushless DC motors are awesome, and there are some applications where they really make sense, such as furnaces. But your furnace blower runs a lot in the winter, and in the summer for A/C. How many minutes per day does your hood fan run? The energy savings will be negligible unless you run your hood all day, which most people don't. As for noise level, yes BLDC motors are quieter but the motor on most hoods is barely audible, because it is drowned out by the sound of the air movement! That is the loudest sound from hoods and a quieter motor won't change that.

philwojo99's case with the smoky steak is what I'm trying to prevent. That's exactly what we do sometimes and our current 600CFM hood can't keep up. This is going to be a 42" hood going above a 36" induction cooktop. I did compare the specs put out by Zephyr and the DCBL option looks like it's just a tiny bit quieter at the equivalent CFM. If it helps, the insert will be mounted against an outside wall and just vent straight out, very little ductwork. Other gas appliances are fireplace and furnace.

Yeah I think 1200CFM is WAY too much for a 36" induction cooktop. But it's your kitchen, not mine, and it sounds like you already know what capacity you want.

Just make sure that you have a way to bring in 1200 CFM to make up all that exhausted air for safety reasons, especially if you have a tighter house.

This post was edited by hvtech42 on Sat, Jun 14, 14 at 9:39

We got the DCBL, but our kitchen isn't operational yet. We used one at the showroom, though, and it was impressively quiet. We will also have induction, but our climate is mild enough that steaks are always grilled outdoors. We thought we'd play it safe in case the inspector enforced the MUA requirement above 400 (ours goes to 600 cfm, but house is all electric.)

I liked the idea that we'd run it at a lower cfm and it would really be quiet. LED lights are a bonus. Sorry no real life experience to report yet, but soon!

Thanks for the feedback. This is a tough one! I can't find a showroom that has these side by side. Still going back and forth about which one.

sitinh, what did you end up going with? We're in a similar situation to you. 36-inch induction cooktop, near an outside wall. I was thinking of going with a 42-inch DCBL. would love to hear about your experience, either way. thanks!

Ghost in the Machine...

Bought the Zephyr 34 unit for a remodel and it works fine. However, it appears to be very susceptible to outside RF interference, as it will come on by itself. I have removed the remote, tried re-synchronizing it and it will still come on. I made sure it was not on the timed 4 hour mode. Either their is a ghost in my house turning it on at odd hours of the night, or some RF is affecting it....perhaps a garage door opener, Comcast Wifi modem update...who knows but not fun seeing it run for no reason.

My advise is to buy a unit without the remote control and save the trouble. A lot of money for this headache.

Taking a petulance break here for any other passing readers.

As Sen. Daniel Moynihan once intended: One can have his own opinions, but not his own facts. [Actual famous quote: "You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts."]

First there are facts of fluid dynamics that affect hood performance; the effects of these are published by researchers. See for example California Air Research Board publications and ASHRAE publications. A boiled-down view may be found in the first dozen of so pages of the Greenheck guide: http://www.greenheck.com/media/pdf/otherinfo/KVSApplDesign_catalog.pdf

Then there are specific-to-you requirements, viz., what does my hood have to achieve in performance to keep my kitchen smoke and grease free? This question has been answered multiple times in myriad threads here dating back as far as 10 years. Please search these out.

There are more requirements beyond just establishing required flow rate, notably what the blower rating has to be to achieve the flow rate requirement, and what make-up air (MUA) requirements have to be observed.

Candidate search terms: capture, containment, aperture area, MUA, fan curve, duct diameter.

kas

Can anyone on here advise about the monsoon I versus monsoon dcbl? Unfortunately most vent inserts are currently back ordered. The monsoon I happens to be available. I only need 700 CFMs for my range and the monsoon I has 1200 CFMs. I have wondered why the higher CFMs costs less...