Which models are you comparing?

Broan E6442SS (under cabinet mounted 42", 600 CFM) or
Best K210A42SS (also under cabinet mounted, 42" 800CFM).

Even online I can't seem to find much information about which would be better. Online sites sell them for about the same price but the store is selling the Broan for $300 less.
Thank you!

attofarad: that's a good point. Either way, one is over $700 at the appliance store, the other is $1100. Do we really need to spend so much for a hood? I've never had a powerful enough stove to require a separate hood, so I do trust the appliance guy, as well as everyone else on this forum that says a hood is a necessity. But they seem so expensive!

We have the same Broan model in the 30" version. It works very well. We don't find it any louder than far more expensive models. The location of the switches took a while to learn.

I noticed that the Best model comes with mesh filters standard and the baffle filters are an upgrade whereas the Broan comes with baffles.

Why are baffles better -- whats the difference?

Mesh filters clog up more easily and are harder to clean. We have the Broan E64 in 30" with an inline 1100 cfm blower. Works great and because it's inline it's relatively quiet. Baffles are really easy to clean. Just put thme in the dishwasher once every 2 weeks.

I have a Best vent hood with mesh filters. I run them through the dishwasher every two to four weeks (depending on how much I've been using the stove top) and they clean up as good as new. They are very high quality stainless mesh.

When I was shopping for a vent hood a few years ago the advice I got on Gardenweb was that mesh was best for cooks who like to run the vent hood at a low to medium speed and baffles work best when running the vent on a higher speed. I don't actually know if that is true. But I have been very happy with the mesh. I do like to run it on low speed for all types of cooking. I only use the full blast when I am searing meat.

A typical range hood maintains a similar position directly above a cooking surface, most often the stove. Range hoods should be wide enough to cover this surface entirely. The hood consists of a skirt positioned over this surface at a height that is comfortable for the average user. The skirt surrounds grease filters backed by a fan that sucks air into the unit. Fans may feature several speed options. Most fans have at least two speed settings, one designed for operation during cooking, and one that is much quieter to be used during meals. Some advanced models have an automatic fan feature that turns the fan on when temperatures get too high. This feature is a signal to the fan that steam or smoke might be present in the air and the fan should be operating. Range hoods can also feature automatic shut-off timer options.

Here is a link that might be useful: range hoods