I would choose the 36" VAH with 600 CFM. I'd only bother going wider if you were a mad stir fryer OR you had an island or otherwise open area.

(I have a 36" 600 CFM over my 36" cooktop and don't need more. I can kill the bacon smell. If I want to, that is.)

Definitely don't get the 100cfm kobe. We have a thermador 36" in our current house, with a Kobe (I'm assuming it's low cfm), and not only does stuff still get greasy (like the cabinets above the hood, the hood itself), but because it's 36", the upper cabs on either side of the hood also have gotten a nice build-up of grease over the years. sigh. Did I mention we have cleaners every 2 weeks?

Next house, I'm getting a 36" blue star or capital, and SS backsplash, and the strongest 42" hood I can afford!

Well, we are getting a 36" Blue Star range with a 36" Kobe with 1000 cfm. It's not installed yet, so I can't tell you how effective the set up is. Our good friends have a 48" Blue Star with a 48" Kobe and love it. All the appliance people we spoke with said 1000 cfm would be fine, we were more than willing to listen to any arguments for a larger set up and no one tried to sell us anything bigger. Anyway, I think my DH liked the nifty lighted controls on the Kobe.

Juniork--OP said 1000cfm, not 100.

I'm trying to find the right hood for a Capital Culinarian 36" rangetop. I have thought about a VAH, but have second thoughts with many bad reports of their noisiness and difficulty of cleaning. Some of the noise issues may be because of ducting issues, but I'm not sure I want to take that chance. Kobe has a solid reputation over on the Appliance Forum. Have you done any research over there? Warning, you may become even more confused if you read too much about venting like noise, internal blowers, online blowers, make-up air, etc. Speaking of make-up air, have you checked your local codes to see if you'll need it? My local code requires it for any hood with 400 cfms or more.

I would recommend the Kobe for the baffle filter, quietness, and higher cfms. With higher cfms, you won't have to turn the hood on as high to get the venting you need most of the time. Lower speed equals less noise.

Also, another thing to consider is when you go with something as powerful as 1000 cfm you will need some sort of make up air - or you risk pulling air, ashes, combustion gasses from fireplaces, furnaces etc...

In our new home, which is well sealed, with "just" a 500 cfm fan we are going to install a MUA damper and air vent to bring in fresh air. This is now code for most locations.

VAH is a SOB to clean.

I would absolutely get the Kobe.

Kobe can be difficult to install but once you are done with that you are done Kobe's pecularities.

VAH's cleaning issues are ongoing.

The Kobe will be much quieter.

Thank you very much for your advice. I was worried about the Kobe because I have read so much more about the Ventahood, but am now feeling much better about it.

I don't think we have to worry about the ventilation in our house and the 1000 CFMs because our house was built in 1928 and is far from airtight.

You do need to check into your code requirements for MUA even if you have an older house. In my area, MUA is code regardless of house draftiness.

Justbecause you've heard about VAH more often, doesn't make it better. :)

oops, breezy, you're absolutely right! I change my opinion! I would go with the 1000 kobe, as well. Are they about the same price? I found a 42" kobe for about $1500, but it looked as though the same size vent-a-hood would be more like $2000

Will you have cabinets on either side? if so, then the 36" should work just fine. With nothing on either side, larger is better. The 'fumes' spread left/right/forward so capture area becomes important.