Atlas Cavaliere-Euro SV218D30IM

Island chimney range hoods are by far the most expensive type of kitchen ventilation. Most range hoods of this type cost at least $2,000, so at first glance the feature-packed Cavaliere-Euro SV218D30IM seems almost too good to be true. This stylish stainless-steel-and-glass range hood has a wide range of features, including six fan settings, four dimmable halogen lights, delayed shutoff, electronic touchpad controls and a filter cleaning reminder. At 7 sones on the highest fan setting (1 sone is about as loud as a running refrigerator), it's not exactly quiet, but it's not much louder than most models with a high cubic-feet-per-minute (CFM) rating. Owner reviews for this model are plentiful and very positive, but it does have a few drawbacks. Several owners report that the instructions are so unclear that even professional installers have trouble setting up the range hood, and a few say that it is easy to bump your head on the hood once it is in place. This range hood is 30 inches wide. A 36-inch model, the SV218D36IM, is also available. If your range isn't installed in an island, other highly rated range hoods include the wall-mounted GE Profile JV936DSS (*Est. $820) and the under-cabinet Kenmore 5234 (*Est. $145).

The Cavaliere-Euro SV218D36IM is also sold under the Euro-Kitchen Spagna Vetro brand. Aside from the name on the label, the range hoods are identical. This range hood has not been included under either name in any professional tests, but we found a significant number of owner reviews at retailers Overstock.com. There is also some discussion of this model on GardenWeb.com's appliances forum.