I just started using mine about a month ago. I like it so far. I only have the under the cabinet model (vents outside). It's 30". I was retrofitting to replace an OTR microwave. I had it painted the same RAL color as my range and wall oven. I haven't cleaned it yet. Mine is 600cfm.

I love mine. I have the Vent-A-Hood that comes with the optional back splash, heat lamp and warming racks. Easy to clean once you do it the first time.

Debbi, I love your kitchen towel rack.

Debbi --thanks for your response-have you gotten a chance to cook any foods with a strong odor such as fish, burgers, etc? Has it done a good job with keeping the house from smelling?
Homechef59---how many cfm is your ventahood and what size range is it mounted above? Has it worked well with strong smells?

600cfm. Still happy after nine years of ownership. Love the heatlamps - use them way more than I anticipated. Went with wire fold down racks to assure unimpeeded flow of smoke etc. But I have to be honest, cleaning the blower units is a PITA.

If you can, try to find a showroom that will let you try to break down the VAH blower unit (over a range) yourself to see what it would be like to clean regularly. Then disassemble a hood with baffles that you can drop in a dishwasher.

Personally, I would buy my VAH again in a heartbeat. But if my wife was responsible for cleaning it regularly, she'd curse me for choosing the VAH.

I only clean the dripping trays probably once a month without using a dishwasher. When you guys say it is PITA to clean the blowers, do you make them super clean? I have been using mine for 6 months and haven't cleaned the blowers yet. I don't see I have to really clean the blowers hard, maybe once a year? The oil drips to the trays. I cannot see the blowers much anyway. Even if you take effect to clean those blowers, the minute you turn on the hood fan, they get oiled again.

By the way, the inside of a baffle hood fans is a mess as well and you cannot even take it off to clean. :-)

Mine is 12 years old. It is a 600 cfm with two blower motors. It's 24" deep and 36" wide. Ideally, it should be 42" wide with a 900 cfm blower.

Malokd: It's mounted above a 36" six burner Bluestar range top. With this range top I wouldn't try anything smaller. I would rather have the 900 cfm, but I was making do with what I had already. I don't have residual odors. It does the job.

I recently took the entire unit off the wall while doing a kitchen renovation. I reused the entire blower, back splash and decorative hood. It's so sturdy, I saw no reason to replace it.

I have never cleaned the blower wheels. There hasn't been a need. They are covered in a coat of grease, but they are meant to covered in a coat of grease. The grease is thrown into the drip tray. The drip tray is easily cleaned in the dishwasher or sink. I only clean the drip tray and cover. You can take the motor off, but why would you?

Yes, I am referring to a full cleaning of the 'blower housing' being a royal PITA (thanks for clarifying). I do NOT do a full cleaning often (nor do in need to) but when I do it is a major chore. If you look at the VAH website you'll see they advise "it is important to clean the blower housing or filters regularly" but while we cook hard, we don't fry much and 'regularly' is honestly fairly infrequently - yet the VAH runs without issue. Still, you need to make sure you are comfortable with the cleaning of the VAH before you invest and install.

HOOD CLEANING - MAGIC LUNG http://www.ventahood.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=386&Itemid=400

I really like mine, picture attached. However, I have always regretted I didn't order warming lamps. What was I thinking! It was installed in 2001 so not new.