dlstewart's Full Review: Broan-NuTone Allure® III QS330 Kitchen Hood
During my kitchen remodel, I purchased a Maytag Gemini Double Oven Range (which I love!). Originally I wasn’t going to purchase a range hood since I had also installed new kitchen lighting. But then I thought direct illumination of the cooktop might be a good idea, and the hood also has a 4-speed fan. I’m very glad I spent the extra money on the Allure III Hood by Broan.
Description
This is a beautiful looking hood. It adds a nice design element in the kitchen. The hood comes in five colors: almond, biscuit, black, white and stainless steel. I purchased the almond color to match the color of my Gemini Oven Range. The hood has a pretty gloss to it, which also makes it easy to clean. It’s made from a baked-on polyester finish. This hood is available in 30", 36" and 42" widths.
The hood I purchased measures 30" wide x 19" deep x 7" tall. The hood is flat along the top where I had it mounted beneath my cabinets over the stove. Then the top of the hood has a slight graceful downward curve in the front. Two filters are located on the bottom of the unit, toward the back. On the underside at the front are two halogen 50-watt bulbs.
The control panel is located on the front of the hood. It sits flush against the surface with eight buttons in a row. The buttons are nice with a durable plastic finish that makes them easy to clean.
The Control Panel
The 10" long control panel is located on the center front of the Allure hood. It is straight along the top and curves upward along the bottom. The row of eight buttons are well arranged and labeled. Starting at the left is the delay button. Then there is a group of four buttons that control the fan speed. Next to this are two buttons that operate the halogen lighting. The last button is a filter button.
When the “delay” and “fan” buttons” are pushed, a green light goes on above the button to indicate it is in use. The last fan speed button has an orange light instead of a green light; this button operates the fan at its highest speed. The filter button has an amber light that goes on above it when the filters need cleaning.
Fan Speeds
The Allure III Hood has two areas for fan air flow. Two groupings of three openings (1" x 1/2") are located discretely under the hood.
The four-speed fan has one button to operate each speed. The buttons are labeled 1, 2, 3 and B – with Ï" being the lowest speed, and “B” the highest. The manufacturer states that the fan is “ultra quiet 0.4 sones at normal speed; extra powerful 400 CFM boost”.
Button # 1: The fan is very quiet. With my hand held beneath one of the three air flow groupings, I can feel the air blowing 8" beneath the openings.
Button # 2: A bit louder but still quiet. I can feel air movement holding my hand 11" beneath the air flow openings.
Button # 3: Definitely loud, and I need to raise my voice a bit when talking to others. I can feel the air blowing with my hand held 16" below the openings.
Button “B”: Turbo air flow! This sounds like an industrial fan. Everyone needs to talk louder when this fan speed is in operation. I can feel the air flow all the way to the cooktop – 24 ½". The manufacturer says the noise at this speed is 4.5 sones.
There is a “delay” button. When the fan is running at any speed, press the delay button, and the fan will continue to operate for ten minutes and then turn itself off.
A great feature of this hood is that it can detect heat buildup and automatically adjust the fan speed to accommodate the heat level.
Halogen Lights
The Allure hood does not come with light bulbs. It uses two 50-watt halogen bulbs that screw into the underside of the hood. The bulbs are 2 1/2" in diameter and quickly become hot when on. After the bulbs are on for a while, the cooktop area definitely becomes warmer.
There are three brightness levels. The on/off button turns both lights on. There is a switch with a minus / plus sign on it. Press the minus sign to lower the brightness level, and press the plus sign to increase illumination. When the light is turned on, it remembers the last setting and turns on to that setting.
Dimmest Setting: I call this mood lighting. The light provided is soft and does illuminate the cooktop; however, the light is not bright.
Brighter: A nice gentle light that offers a good amount of light for working.
Brightest: Everything shines beneath the full power of both 50-watt bulbs. My stainless steel cookware sometimes gleams a little too much. Maybe I should wear sunglasses!
Filters
There are two removable filters that each measure 14 3/8" wide x 11 7/8" deep x 1/4" tall. They are dishwashing machine safe and are even easy to clean by hand. Each filter has a 1/2" diameter recessed hole to easily slide the filters in and out of their housing beneath the hood. The bottom cover has a DuPont Teflon non-stick bottom.
A handy feature is that a small orange light will turn on above the filter button when the filters need cleaning.
Two types of filters can be purchased with this hood. I own the aluminum mesh filters, which are lightweight and easy to clean using hot water and mild detergent (or place in the dishwasher). The unit will also take charcoal filters, which cannot be immersed in water and are not dishwasher safe.
The Fuse
The hood contains a fuse to protect it from power surges. If the fuse blows, the fan and lights will not turn on. The good news is that the manufacturer says the fuses are easy to locate locally ... Radio Shack and other electronic supply stores carry them.
My Experiences
I love this Allure III Hood. It provides ample light and the fan quickly pulls steam and odors from the air. I had the hood professionally installed at the same time my oven was installed. The hood can be ducted to the outside either horizontally or vertically, or it can be non-ducted.
The four-speed fan is wonderful. I tend to use Setting #2, or in case of cooking fish or other offensive odors, Setting #3 or “B”. I try not to use the “B” setting when people want to talk ... it makes too much noise.
I tend to use the medium light setting, which offers plenty of light for my needs. The lowest setting is dim, good for mood lighting or illuminating the kitchen at night. I rarely use the lowest setting. The highest illumination comes in handy on occasion, but I don’t like the glare my stainless steel cookware casts when beneath it.
The hood is easy to clean with mild detergent and a soft cloth or sponge. Also, the two filters are simple to clean, and the light bulbs are easy to replace. I like the light that goes on above the filter button when the filter needs cleaning. That way I don’t lose track of when it was last cleaned.
Purchasing
I bought the Allure III Hood at the same time I purchased my Gemini Oven Range from my local appliance dealer. I was hoping to cut a deal since I was purchasing both items at the same time, but the dealer would not budge on price. I paid $269.95 for the Allure III Hood. However, I was able to talk the dealer into throwing in two free 50-watt halogen light bulbs.
Summary
This is a fantastic range hood that looks great in my kitchen. The controls are easy to use. I’ve owned it for three years, and it still looks like new. The finish is glossy, and I haven’t had to change the light bulbs yet. The unit works great! I would buy it again and recommend it to others.
Update -- December 12, 2008
I thought you would like to know that this range hood is still working great! We have had no problem with it.
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