I went to the web site. I know I am dense but that site has the Fashion Chimney on it. Why can't you use that since it seems to fit right down over the cook top. Even this though only goes to 480 CFM which sounds too slow to vent outside unless the outside is directly on the other side of it. In other-words no duct runs. The vent you are looking at looks like it fits up in the ceiling but it says it is 481CFM which sounds too slow to do much. It sounds so slow that I can't imagine how it would suck up smoke in a direct manner. Seems like it would pull it up just enough so it would get airborne and then drift all over the place..carrying grease and whatever else along with it. The site calls these commercial ventilators which gives me the impression that they are used for air exchange and not air exhaust.

Agree with ci lantro: exterior wall is not automatically the best choice from a ventilation standpoint. It's true that exterior wall allows the shortest duct pathway, but longer ductwork can be compensated for by 1) making sure you use adequately sized ducting (10'' is the ideal) 2) minimizing turns and 3) upsizing the blower to compensate. Thus, a 1200 cfm remote blower through a longer run of 10'' duct will likely outperform a 600 cfm blower running out the wall. The biggest reason to consider running up through the attic rather than a shorter path through the wall is simple: the latter requires that you put an exhaust duct on the wall of the house. For all of the folks worried about aesthetics, this is a big deal: do you really want some big aluminum vent stuck on the side of the house right outside your kitchen? Realize too that depending on where the wall in question is located, that you may be blowing your fumes into a potential outdoor living area, like a deck or patio. I'm much happier with the roof vent that we have, which is invisible from almost all views of the house and which exhausts the fumes 40 feet above my deck. Wall venting also makes using a remote blower much more difficult, as mounting an external blower on the side of the house is even more obtrusive than a vent. Why is this an issue? Because if there is any way remotely possible to do it, using a remote blower is far superior to an internal blower in the hood. See my earlier post for my rationale: vent hoods and noise As ci lantro says, as long as you can route ductwork up to the attic through an interior wall, it's just as effective as an exterior wall. Our range pictured above is against an interior wall. It took some creativity, but we were able to run 10'' duct (or for one stretch, 18'' rectangular duct) to the attic. debsan: you and I are really saying the same thing. I totally agree with you that if function is sacrificed for form, then it's a mistake. I was just pointing out that it is possible to have both, contrary to what Kenneth was implying. akchicago: thanks. I agree that the thread I posted was perhaps a bit overly obsessive. But there's good info there. I also strongly agree with you that there are great solutions to problems that are not top $$. I think the key is to be armed with some knowledge, and then find the best option your budget will allow. So, yes, your message is right on target. And to the OP: Don't trust your appliance store! Over and over we read posts about what folks were told by their appliance dealers (the most recent post on Appliances had the dealer claiming that Modern Aire hoods were "inferior quality low end hoods"--laughable). Their real agenda is to push the (typically) single line of hoods they carry. They are like used car dealers. The best approach IMHO is to post even the simplest questions here or on Appliance forum and you'll get good, clear and non-condescending replies--just like what...

Fantech makes such a unit. The blower can be located anywhere so the height of the ceiling should not be a challenge. I would reach out to Fantech and confirm the specs. My Panasonic is the whisper warm unit which does not look like a recessed light but fits in a 2x6 ceiling easily. Good luck!

PS My GC's electrician was here today (he is very experienced, does lots of high end homes around here - which includes MCM). He said he has the Fantech 4" fan grill/light combo and loves it. Prefers it to the Panasonic WhisperRecessed - even though he admits he doesn't have it - because the motor on the Fantech installs away from the ceiling, so no chance of vibration (and thus additional noise). That all said, reviews say the Pansonic is very quiet too (and, well, some white noise in a bathroom can be good!), and I think someone going for your aesthetic should investigate the Panasonic b/c it sounds like (but I'm not sure) the placement and adjustability of the light bulb in it might work better for you - sounds like from their website that it can be recessed far up casting a different area of light. Something like that. HTH!