I don't know jack about hoods but my KC recommended VAH and I just love it. So quiet and draws out everything. Mine's over induction, tho, so not much firepower was needed. YMMV with gas.

Trailrunner has posted about her tradewind and I have since seen them in friends' houses. Looks like a great option, and I would definitely choose it if half the price!

Here is a link that might be useful: tradewind

It might be a bit late for an answer here, and bear in mind my model is 9 years old, but I am going out today to look for a replacement for my Ventahood. We have a gas cooktop and love a pan-seared steak every couple of weeks, and despite regular cleaning the hood now leaks grease out through the front switches and down the backsplash. My kitchen looks like a down-market greasy spoon. Yuck.

Why not disassemble it and clean the closed area (switches etc) instead of going through the hassle of installing a new one?

I'm pretty sure that grease accumulation inside the hood and out of normal reach is a pretty common occurence. My not yet one year old kobe was disassembled to replace the rotary switches and I couldn't believe how much grease was pooling inside the front assembly.

That's a good idea, gigelus, thanks. Made an even better idea by the fact that I can't find another fan with the right measurements to just drop right into place without hiring a handyman, a painter, and ending up doing the whole darned room over.

A service call would definitely be cheaper. OK, I'm going to Plan B. :)

I'd love to know what you decided as well, as I am going through the exact same deliberation. It seems that the VAH is quieter overall, having a quieter motor and you don't hear the air as much because of the open design (vs baffles). I also considered installing an inline motor and silencer, but this is only available with the Tradewind. Any insights from others would be much appreciated!!