I spent quite a bit of time in an upscale store looking at ranges and they were very keen on V-A-H (they do sell other brands too). I felt like one of the sales people I had spoken to was a straight shooter and he was steering me toward a more modest model of V-A-H. In another store they were saying VAH is overpriced and were pushing a specific Best model. It definitely was not as quiet, but it was a lot less. Everywhere I have gone I have been told that VAH is great, but that there are others that might be a bit less wonderful but that are much less expensive. How's that for a very unscientific summary?!
Good luck with it.

I don't think you've read enough threads on VAH. There are plenty of negatives experienced here by many owners. I've seen VAH's clever marketing of the so-called magic lung referred to as "drinking the koolaid." No doubt they excel at getting appliance stores to tout their product.

Personally, after reading about them here for almost three years, I cannot imagine trying to clean one. My hood has three baffle filters. Once a week or so, I pop them out (exceedingly easy) and stick them in the DW. That's it!! No greasy squirrel cage mess to clean or screws needing to be undone by wrenches while standing on a step stool. I'll link a thread below that might help to understand.

Here is a link that might be useful: VAH thread