MOLTEN GOLD – Hood Wink

Kitchen clients seldom think about their kitchen ventilation, unless there’s a signature style they absolutely have to have. Except for the grandiose models, vent hoods just don’t elicit the same sighs of client longing that a pro style range or refrigerator does. Until now…

I saw this sleek baby at a mini expo sponsored by a kitchen trade magazine a couple of months ago. It’s perfect for those kitchens with dreamy views or contemporary lines and layout. It’s also a completely new concept in the category – at least, I haven’t seen any like it since I started designing nine years ago.

The Hood

The ceiling-recessed BEST® Sorpresa Cirrus Range Hood is linear, discreet and almost completely out of sight. It was designed with today’s open-living concepts in mind.  With Cirrus, no matter where the cooktop is located, the visual statement of the hood won’t impact the flow of the room. So can enjoy quiet, effective cooking ventilation with unobstructed views of the outdoors or other living areas in your space.  How cool is that???

Multiple award-winning Cirrus hood doesn’t block views
(Photo Courtesy:  BEST® Sorpresa)

How it works

The perimeter aspiration filter design provides improved capture and smooth surfaces to ease cleaning. In lay person terms, this means smoke and odors will be captured and eliminated better than a similar design with exposed filters, because Best increases the speed of the air being extracted at the edges.  The smooth surface of the panel makes it easier to wipe clean and because the filters are hidden, the appearance remains cleaner between cleanings.  (You sure don’t want a dirty-looking ceiling!)   The quick release dishwasher-safe filters help keep Cirrus low maintenance, too.  You know how much I love that attribute.

Additionally, the hood features a delay timer that automatically shuts it off 10 minutes after you finish cooking, (and it finishes extracting), along with a clean filter reminder.  A hand-held remote control allows for easy operation of blower and lighting. (No, you don’t need a ladder to turn it on and off.)

This hood can be configured with a 500 CFM internal blower or an external blower up to 1500 CFM. For the internal blower, a nine-foot high ceiling and 80,000 BTU cooking surface are the max.

The Cirrus is designed to be installed no lower than seven feet above the floor; for best capture we recommend installing it no higher than nine feet.   This hood, with either the internal blower or external blower, is safe to use with gas products up to 120,000 BTU. Cirrus with the internal blower is best suited for cooktop applications up to 80,000 BTU. If using a single Cirrus over a cooktop greater than that, they recommend using an external blower rated at 800 CFM or more.

You can also install two Cirrus units with internal blowers side by side if your cooktop is more than 36 inches wide. Both units can be set-up to have synchronized operation from one remote control.

Cirrus’ LED lights and cutting-edge technology
(Photo Courtesy:  BEST® Sorpresa)

About BEST Range Hoods

Best is the Lexus to parent brand Broan’s Toyota. Both are U.S.-based divisions of Nortek, a manufacturer founded in 1967 and headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island. The company is a diversified producer of residential and commercial building products, especially in the ventilation, heating and cooling sectors. Its Best and Sorpresa hoods are inspired by both Italian design and Yankee ingenuity. That’s what I call the best of both worlds!

The Facts

Specifications:   110 cm (43-3/8”)
Prices:                  $2,399 and up (for internal blower model)
Warranty:            One Year Limited Warranty
Web Sites:            BestSorpresa.com, BESTrangehoods.com