The easier and cheaper option is to move your cooktop to an outside wall. There are few options that work well in an island situation and most of them do not meet your budget. Yes, you will be constantly cleaning (daily) a glass hood, and an island hood is especially difficult to access to do that.

check out kobe's glass island hood with baffles
this is what I would have gone for

Here is a link that might be useful: Kobe IS-124

Thanks for the quick responses! Unfortunately, I cannot move the range. We are redoing an existing kitchen and the duct work is already there. Which is why it needs to be a 6" duct. Unfortunately, the Kobe, which looks like exactly what I want (but do not want to pay for) specifies a 7" duct. I would be tempted, but it has to be a 6" duct.

I trying to decide between the Euro-kitchen hood below and the Kobe IS-123. Is the Kobe worth the $600 more it costs than the Euro-kitchen?

Here is a link that might be useful: Euro-kitchen

Sorry to tag along on your thread nordhavn, but I am trying to make the same decision you are. I am hoping to get this hood purchased this week if at all possible. So any more input and opinions would be appreciated.

Hi, Kandkwi. I am still searching. I am concerned about cheap on line fans because, while it could save a bundle of money, if it has problems, replacing can be a royal pain. I also have decided that I want the hood to be as unobtrusive as possible, so a large chimney ( which is what the cheaper ones have) does not fit the bill...unfortunately, since that quickly seems to leave me with the Zephyr. I also want it to be as quiet as possible, which seems to lead me to the Futuro. I have been going nuts trying to find a comparison of the 2 and have had no luck~ so if you find something, do let me know. And I am hoping to do it this week, too.

...it needs to be a 6" duct. Unfortunately, the Kobe, which looks like exactly what I want (but do not want to pay for) specifies a 7" duct.

Just regarding the duct size issue, I wouldn't normally recommend going with a fan that needs a larger duct than what you have. HOWEVER, in your case, it's only a 1" size difference, and you have stringent requirements on the appearance (i.e. glass canopy), and you say that this model is "exactly what I want". Kobe also has a good reputation on this forum for making quality hoods. The consequence of your 1" difference will be a somewhat noisier hood. There have been posts on this forum from people with 6" ducts using hoods that need 8", who experience more noise, but that seems to be the only consequence. It'll depend on you whether you feel, quality-of-life-wise, that consequence is a significant one.

As to the price, how out of your budget is it? I have found that with my kitchen re-do, I have sacrificed some things I originally planned for in my kitchen for some things I really wanted. I.e. I re-jiggered where I was spending money. There's several cabinetry options I decided to forego in favor of some other things, and I don't think I'll miss them. Is there something else in your kitchen you can sacrifice in order to get the hood that you say is "exactly" what you want"?

For our budget, the difference between the two choices is about $600. Now given the fact that my range and hood totals about half of our total appliance cost makes me want to get the best value for my dollar. I am certain the Kobe hood is better, the question is, is it $600 better?

I am bumping this up. So should I spend the extra $600 for the Kobe?

At the moment, I am thinking that I will go with the Zephyr. I have decided that I am not willing to risk disaster after installation, and will, as juliet suggested, find some other place to save the money. I might be sacrificing some quiet for the smaller chimney, but I will look at it all the time and listen to it for an hour a day.
I suspect that there is a lot of profit in these things, but there is nothing I can do about it. (I am not trying to deny sellers profit~ but I would prefer not to gild the faucets on their bathtubs!)

Hi, I just found this thread. I found the Kobe had the quietest performance and for me, it was worth the extra money. In an open concept room, I want to be able to hold a conversation while the fan is running, and their whisper quiet setting is the lowest sone setting out there. It is something you will use everytime you cook to keep your kitchen free of odors and grease...IMO it is worth it.

Thank you so much for your input! I am still trying to decide... I have accepted the awful price. Now the question is appearance. The Kobe is 3 inches wider than the Zephyr. I prefer it to be as unobtrusive as possible, since I do not consider exhaust fans to be things of beauty, especially when they are interfering with a pretty view, as mine will be. I have not heard either one, but it seems that the Kobe is considerably quieter. Have you heard both? Is the lower noise level of the Kobe worth the wider profile?

I'm with you on the exhaust fans not being a thing of beauty, however, I ordered the Kobe curved glass island hood and I am happy with my decision. I think the glass keeps it as unobstrusive as possible, and the open concept of my floor plan means that I looked at the noise level of every appliance. There were other fans that were sleeker but they couldn't match the quietness of the Kobe, or the price. Kobe makes a very highly regarded product and it isn't as expensive as some you can buy. Good luck with your decision.

can any of you post pictures of a curved glass island hood? I am trying to show my friend that it will not block the view in her kitchen remodel and will be better than trying to go with a downdraft gas range