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rmcphee123

Xtreme Air range hoods

rmcphee123
11 years ago

We are in the process of building a new home and I am trying to decide on a range hood. We are looking at island hoods (yes, I know most people on this forum are shaking their heads right now) Anyway, since it will be on an island I want something that works really well. And the fans discussed on this forum are so expensive. In researching fans, I found a company called Xtreme Air and the prices are under $1000 for specs similar to the more expensive fans, but I can find very few reviews and those that I did find weren't very informative. Has any one hear heard of them, or even better does any one here have one?

Thanks.

Comments (46)

  • rmcphee123
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Bumping this up--hoping someone will reply. Does anyone have any suggestions for a decent island hood for under $1000? I wanted baffle filter, LED lights and at least 600 CFM. Our kitchen plan calls for a 36 inch induction cooktop on a peninsula between the kitchen and dining room, so I need the hood to work efficiently.

    The Xtreme Air filters were the only ones I could find that met my qualifications and were under $1000. I just am nervous because I can't find any decent reviews. Does any one have any other recommendations?

    Thanks again.

  • KAREN
    11 years ago

    Bump

  • Tracy555
    10 years ago

    I am also looking for feedback on this hood. Anyone care to share his/her experience? thanks a lot!

  • KAREN
    10 years ago

    I'm still looking for some feedback on this brand. I haven't found a lot about the brand, but what I have found it has been very good.

  • kaseki
    10 years ago

    I have no feedback on brands I haven't owned, but (with reference to one example I looked up) can remark that even if the blower is 900 CFM by itself, it is unlikely to flow that much air given the pressure losses of the duct, the baffles, imperfect make-up air supply, and all of the directional transitions in the crowded hood interior. The actual lower CFM may still be OK depending on what and how you cook, your tolerance for odor, and willingness to deal with potential grease escape. For many, such a hood is a major step up from microwave oven recirculating hoods and other minimalist approaches that have been foisted on consumers for decades. Higher cost hoods will generally provide more capability, that, like higher cost Hi-Fi systems or higher cost automobiles, may not be considered cost-effective by the buyer.

    Everyone has to make his own decision in the affordability/aesthetics/performance trade space, and best is always the enemy of good enough. What few of us can determine is what is good enough for you.

    kas

  • KAREN
    10 years ago

    You are right Kas. I'm looking for a hood for an induction range and I don't do a lot of frying. I know I need to worry about the steam aspect of cooking. I figure a 900 CFM blower would be an upgrade to the ducted OTR microwave I have now.
    Parts

  • Tracy555
    10 years ago

    Went ahead and ordered a 36" wall mount. Will report back.

  • KAREN
    10 years ago

    Where did you order it from? I will be waiting for your report.

    Parts

  • Tracy555
    10 years ago

    Amazon. There are several authorized on-line dealers. Price is about the same for everyone, so we went with Amazon. Here is a video I found on YouTube. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CcDliR8SG64. It'll come in next Wed.

  • Caren Weiner
    10 years ago

    We have also ordered a 36" Wall Mount Xtreme Air 900cfm for our remodel. We learned about these hoods from a Kitchen Designer. We watched the youtube video on the performance and felt they would meet our needs (we will be installing a 36' NXR). There is a Sakura hood in our current home and we usually only turn on the hood when we are frying or stir frying.

    We ordered the hood from MainFaucet.com which has the look and feel of one of the build.com sites. The hood arrived on the date promised (tracking info provided). We carefully inspected the hood and found it to be in good shape.

    We have awhile to go on the remodel before we will be installing so I can't provide any feedback on performance - yet.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Main Faucet

  • Tracy555
    10 years ago

    MzKiz, glad to hear tht good report so far. Did you get the PX2? We have had an NXR gas stove for several years. We were going to get a new stove since we are redoing our kitchen. I searched high and low within a reasonable price range, and could not find anything comparable. I personally do not care for the type operated on an electronic chip. So, I will give my NXR a good cleaning not that it is in the garage and stick to it.

  • Caren Weiner
    10 years ago

    Tracy555, We got the PX03-W36. We're right there with you on the range - didn't want anything with a motherboard, if possible. Initially, we were going to with a Blue Star RCS but quality issues made us think again, particularly since the local dealer where our new house is located has stopped carrying Blue Star due to service complaints. We considered the Bertazzoni after seeing one in person (style is great) but there is limited info from users on it so we ultimately decided to go with the NXR as it seems like the best bang for the buck with lots of (relatively) happy customers. We will buy our NXR from Costco so with their satisfaction guarantee coupled with the current $300 discount, it seems like the best choice.

  • rmcphee123
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I thought I responded to this thread on Sunday, but can't find my post, so I apologize if this is a duplicate.

    I just wanted to say that I did purchase the Xtreme Air PX05-136--and island hood to go over an induction range. So far I have been very happy with it, but we just moved in a few weeks ago so I don't have any long term comments. It works well, but like Kas said, once you install it with all the transitions and further distances (mine goes up through the 2nd floor and through the roof with a couple of transitions) it isn't as powerful as when you test it initially--It did hold up a piece of light plywood!. I haven't tried that after the installation--don't want to take a chance wrecking the glass top on the induction range, but it definitely holds a piece of light cardboard. It is also relatively quiet and really looks sharp. Mine has 4 led lights which give just enough light without giving off the heat that a halogen lamp would give off.

    As Tracy mentioned, the price is about the same with all the vendors. I ordered mine from Warehouse USA because it was slightly less for my model. In addition, I was able to call and speak with someone to order it. (the person I spoke with was very helpful). It was shipped out directly from XtremeAir.

    Hope this helps. I know I was so wary about ordering because the reviews weren't very helpful.

    Rose

  • Tracy555
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the feedback, Rose, and for starting this discussion. Now three of us have bought their hoods. For the two of you, so far so good. I am looking forward to receiving mine this week. Rose, hope you ate enjoying your new place. For some of us, no kitchens this Thanksgiving. Earing out on Thursday.ð Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone!

  • lubnatgab
    10 years ago

    Hi, I recently purchased a Capital precision 30" range (MCR304-manual clean 19,000 BTU per burner) and need to install a range hood with a minimum 600 CFM. I busted the budget on the range so am considering an Extreme Air as well for the price and advertised range of features (under $600, quiet, LED, 900 CFM) but am similarly wary given the lack of substantive reviews. I would greatly appreciate hearing additional feedback from those who have purchased them-or advice on an alternative. Thanks!

  • otfeldodja
    10 years ago

    There are not many reviews in general for range hoods, especially island hoods. I ran across the youtube video for XtremeAir when trying to find information on the XO XOMI 42 island hood, which our local appliance store recommended. The nice thing about the XOMI42 is that it is quieter than many other hoods. But the XTremeAir is just as quiet, even though it goes to 900 CFM.

    Comparing features, the XtremeAir comes out ahead:

    XOMI42G
    CFM - 600
    Sound - 1.8-6.5
    Warranty - 2 yrs
    Lighting - Halogen (80W)
    Speeds - 3
    Filter - Alum Mesh
    Cost - $1350

    XtremeAir PX01-I42
    CFM - 900
    Sound - 1.5-6.5
    Warranty - 2 yrs (10 motor)
    Lighting - LED (8W)
    Speeds - 4 w/ LCD screen
    Filter - Stainless Steel Baffle
    Cost - $700

    The looks seem more or less comparable, but it's hard to tell from a picture. It is important to us that the hood looks reasonably good, since it is a very visible feature in the kitchen.

    For those who have gone with the XtremeAir -- please let us know how it looks & functions.

    Does it seem cheap at all, or is it less attractive than you were expecting?

    Do you have any issues with performance?

  • otfeldodja
    10 years ago

    Bumpingâ¦any feedback from folks who have installed the XtremeAir?

    Any regrets so far?

  • KAREN
    10 years ago

    Thanks Tracy for the info. It's good to hear from someone who actually has one in use. I'm still considering the Xtreme Air hood. What are your thoughts on the LED lighting? I have read they make good night lights, not exactly what I'm looking for. Does your hood have 2 or 4 lights?
    Thanks again. Parts

  • kaseki
    10 years ago

    Holding up a large piece of cardboard does not, unfortunately for the hope of low-cost testing, test flow rate. It tests the pressure drop the fan can manage at zero flow rate (or low flow rate if there is leakage around the cardboard). This value will be independent of duct characteristics, so long as the duct doesn't leak.

    In intermediate sized piece of cardboard that partially fills the aperture will likely test some intermediate point in the fan curve. It might be possible to extrapolate loss by comparing the weight held versus cardboard area as a fraction of the hood aperture. I haven't given this one much thought, though.

    There could be some qualitative measurement merit in hanging a 0.5 x 6 inch piece of cardboard at the aperture edge using Scotch tape as a hinge and noting the cardboard's inward tilt angle due to flow rate before and after installation. The hood distance to the floor or counter would have to be the same in both cases.

    kas

  • Tracy555
    10 years ago

    Parts, mine has two LED lights. They provide ample lighting for me. If u have concerns, may want to try the one with 4 lights.

  • Johnstof
    9 years ago

    I bought an 36" XtremeAir range hood figuring it was a very good price. But you get what you pay for. I haven't installed it yet because doing so would have ruled out any chance of me being able to return it. As it turns out, XtremeAir is refusing to take it back or replace it anyway so I'm going to install it. Fingers are crossed that it works. The problem is the surface finish. It looks very good in most areas but in my hood, there is a distinct defect/flaw in the surface finish. There is not a scratch and I can't feel a crease but it has a definite line about 10 inches long on the main sloped surface of the hood. The people at XtremeAir told me it's the "Nature of brushed stainless". Seriously? None of my other appliances have this "nature" on it. It's not that noticable in some lighting so I am hoping it's not too obvious when installed. But I'm not impressed with the workmanship. Even the logo is not on straight. Sloppy.

  • ontariomom
    9 years ago

    I also was on the lookout for an island hood with decent specs, but not Modern-aire quality or price. We are going with one from Kitchenhoods.ca. It is based out of British Columbia Canada. Below, I have linked the fan we are most likely buying for our island.

    Anyone see anything wrong with the specs?

    We are also planning on sanding down the brushed stainless finish and having it professionally powder coat painted at a local shop. Both the hood manufacturer and powder coat painter are recommending the sanding before paint so the paint adheres. Anyone else planning on painting their hoods?

    Linked below is our reasonably priced island hood with baffle filters. For those fellow Canadians on these boards, this hood might be quite comparable in price and quality to the XtremeAire ones mentioned above.

    Carol

    P.S. Any concerns with our planned hood, please let us know before we buy it.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Our mid $ island hood

  • kaseki
    9 years ago

    It is strange that it has an area in each baffle bank closed off with no baffles. Effluent rising to impact those areas can reflect (curl) out if not captured by the adjacent baffles. This might only occur for grease from very hot surfaces that rises at the upper end of the uprising speed range, so one may be OK using it for normal cooking.

    kas

  • ontariomom
    9 years ago

    Hi Kas,

    I am assuming you are referring to the hood I posted. Thanks for your reply!! You are absolutely correct, the missing baffle area is weird and a bit of a concern. That non baffle area also has handles on it. I will have to check more into why it has handles and why no baffles (maybe that is the grease trap/oil collector that they refer to)?

    Do you see any other features that I should inquire about or be concerned about? I know from reading past posts that you are quite the hood expert. Thanks!

    Carol

  • kaseki
    9 years ago

    I would qualify your view of my expertise to a claim of at best merely understanding the fluid dynamics of hoods to the extent that relevant information on them has been published or can be extrapolated from available data. (See my Clippings for references to some of the better sources.)

    Some of the truth is out there. ... Agent Mulder remarking on his kitchen hood.

    I didn't notice anything else to be picky about in that price range. Of course, one would want the baffles to be real baffles; that is, designed to actually separate grease, but they looked OK in the marginal photos provided.

    As always, I suggest at least 90 cfm per square foot of aperture, to be achieved with the entire system's pressure losses including duct losses, baffle losses, transition losses, and pressure losses from imperfect MUA. A hood on the lower end of the size scale with typical ducting and a leaky house will probably not require a motor rated for more than 1.5 times the cfm calculated from the aperture area times the 90 value. For this hood, I would count the whole aperture area, included the blocked parts, to aid in containing the effluent that is nominally "captured" by the overall aperture.

    Without schlieren photography or a deliberate test with smoking hot peanut oil using a burner under the blocked section, if such a hood is set up at some supplier over a working cooktop perhaps boiling water might generate enough steam to at least see the behavior of capture and containment in that section.

    kas

  • ontariomom
    9 years ago

    Thank you Kas, for looking over the hood specs and giving me some more info and things to check out before ordering. I will look at your clippings and try to get a clear understanding of your post and info referenced.

    Thanks!

    Carol

  • kathyt9706
    9 years ago

    My husband and I went to a dinner of our friend's house and saw the the hood. He is using PX03-36". That one looks really good in the shape of 36" (I'd prefer PX02 if it's only 30"). We had a chance to test it out and really liked the PX03. However, since we don't have any cabinet at the cooking area so we decided to go with the 42" for a bigger suction area. After one month waiting for other stuffs to get done in the kitchen, we just install the PX06 42" version and I am happy to share it with you guys.

    I tried to test by cooking for couple days but not much since the kitchen is not dont yet. So far the hood is doing what it is supposed to do greatly. One little thing to say is that my model does not have the oil container in the back like the one Tracy has or the PX03....Probably have to check and clean the filters more often then ...

  • kaseki
    9 years ago

    Hard to see from the photo above if those are real baffles or not.

    Nice tile layout.

    kas

  • UrenNguyen
    9 years ago

    I was searching to buy a wall mount range hood which there is so many brands available which I was confused. I have read a review posted by Tracy555 which made me to learn about XtremeAir range hood. I watched their video on YouTube and on their website. I came to take a look in person in one of their dealer in Santa Ana, California. I finally bought one PX02-W30 the same one with TracyâÂÂs Posted. My wife and I are so happy with quality of this range hood. Oh, I have learned Magnetic vs. NON-magnetic stainless steel. ItâÂÂs very quiet and powerful. We are Asian that we cook a lot of heavy smell food that used to cook outside of the house. Since we had XtremeAir range hood installed, we are no longer to cook outside. We are very pleased with the product.
    Thanks Tracy for your posted.

  • herbertlew
    9 years ago

    Any updates on your xtreme air hoods?

  • linleep4
    9 years ago

    Are there any updates from those of you that ordered the Extreme Air hoods? We are doing a kitchen remodel and I'm looking at a 42" island hood. I want good lighting and reasonable quietness. Ease of cleaning is good too.

    Thanks for any info.

  • nadianyc
    9 years ago

    Yes, updates, please. Bumping. I'm considering purchasing an Extreme Air as well.

  • radaM66
    9 years ago

    Decided to give the XtremeAir a shot... Will post details once it arrives and is installed.

  • Caren Weiner
    9 years ago

    We have had our Xtreme Air hood - PX03-W36 - installed now for 9 months and are very pleased with it. We are using the hood with a 36" American Range Performer. We have stir fried, pan fried fish, etc. and have had no issues with odor or smoke. This hood looks great with our range and the noise level is consistent with other hoods I have used. We have received numerous compliments on this hood and a friend who was visiting saw it and ordered one for her new kitchen. I would buy this hood again!

  • nadianyc
    9 years ago

    So good to hear, MzKiz! I have the Xtreme Air hood set for my kitchen, currently being built. Thanks for your input.

  • wjones59
    8 years ago

    any more updates on the Xtreme Air hoods? especially the three from the original position? I'm looking at options and am very interested in how they are...


    Thanks


  • KAREN
    8 years ago

    Would also be interested in reviews on the Xtreme Air hoods.

  • nadianyc
    8 years ago

    I've had the Xtreme Air PX06-36 installed for a few months now and am having issues with the touch-pad on the front of the hood. It doesn't work alot of the time so we have to use the remote control. Hoping Xtreme Air sends a tech to us soon.

  • ontariomom
    8 years ago

    Did you get the touch-pad issues sorted out. Any other issues or good points to report, nadianyc?

    Carol

  • ontariomom
    8 years ago

    Also hoping those who own an Xtreme-Air island hood might weigh in. Are you satisfied with the hood?

    Carol

  • nadianyc
    7 years ago
    DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON XtremeAir RANGE HOODS!! I wanted to do the right thing and buy an American-made product and it is garbage! Customer service is s joke! The touch pad doesn't work and the lights flicker on and off. When I asked for them to send out a tech (as it was still under 'full warranty,' they sent a poorly made video for us to repair it. The video was so shaky and everything was off camera--You couldn't see what we were supposed to do to fix it. They refused to send out a tech or do anything to really solve the problem. Terrible!!!!
  • Luis Fernandez Sardina
    7 years ago

    We purchased a new XtremeAir PX03-W30 for our recently built home in January 2014. It was delivered on time and in perfect condition. Post sale customer service was great: the chimney was a couple of inches short for our ceiling height (we followed the manufacturer’s installation instructions) and they were quick to offer an extension that was specially ordered to the factory (we did have to wait several weeks for it to arrive). We have now had the hood for over 30 months, with many hours of use, and we have had absolutely no issues with it at all. My wife and daughter do a lot of cooking, including frying, and the hood effectively does its job. The hood is sturdy, made of high quality materials, it looks great (like a high-end appliance), and the baffle filters are easy to clean. We are extremely pleased with our purchase; in my opinion it’s a great value and I highly recommend it.

  • William Whalen
    6 years ago

    We have a 900 CFM Extreme Air Hood, that vents out the back wall with a 6 inch pipe. Massachusetts building code required us to put a 6 inch fresh air make up vent in the basement that opens when the fan is on. The fan work very well with 4 speeds. I don't know the model number off hand but it has the LED display. The only issues i have was the 2 LED lights in the front are not bright enough to light our tile on the back wall (looks very similar to the "UrenNguyen" photo). I have been hunting for replacement LED wafer assemblies to no avail. If the hood had 4 lights it would solve the problem. Looked at changing to old school halogen but they are 120 volt and LED is 12 volt. I did change the LED assemblies to yellow LED but that didn't help. Does anyone know of a brighter light assembly or a 3 plus watt LED wafer I can put in the original housing? I can solder the wires on.

  • barryv_gw
    6 years ago

    I bought a different model from xtremeair, and actually was very unhappy with the amount of suction, as well as the lights.


    I did a lot of searching, I didn't find complete assemblies, but you can find LED bulbs with greater lumens -- output . This is one that I tried https://www.miniinthebox.com/g4-6w-12x5730smd-550-570lm-3500k-6000k-warm-white-cool-white-light-led-spot-bulb-12v_p3828620.html?prm=2.5.1.1  

    This uses 12 volts DC, 2 watts, which is the same as the original, and I bought some G4 leads to use in wiring it. I had to cut up the housing for the original fixture to get this bulb to fit, and while it may have been a little brighter, for me, the light went straight down, in front of the front most burner, and left the front burner area dim, and the rear burner area dark, just like the original ones. I looked for a swivel, but never found one. I think a swivel or eyeball assembly would help immensely if you could find one. Note that if you go over 2 watts per bulb, you likely need a different transformer. I eventually changed out the motors for an external motor, and used this assembly https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B072LV94MY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 

    which really floods the whole top of the range with a nice light - though the cord looks kind of clunky, I hid part of the cord in an adjacent cabinet, but the rest is on the underside of the hood. As the reviews say, the sticky tape part is not very sticky, but I used epoxy to glue the magnetic strips to the underside of the hood, and the lights stay in place. I arranged them so there is one strip on each side and one strip in the rear, and kept the factory lights for the front.

  • PRO
    StoneGate NC llc
    6 years ago

    Has anyone installed this unit in a home with 12' ceilings? I was wondering how the hood would look with such a long chimney, and if the suction was just as good. The ceiling goes into the attic so it would immediately turn from the attic and vent out to the wall from there, probably about 8'. Any advice, and pictures, would be appreciated.