I would ask this on the Appliances Forum.

As someone who recently waited too long to clean her vent a hood, I strongly encourage you to get the stainless lining.

Thank you, pirula. I'm leaning stainless, but did you find that your painted surface is failing?

buehl - yes, I've now cross-posted on the appliances forum... I guess I had searched broadly for earlier discussions, and found an older lengthy discussion of range hoods here :-).

-- brian

Here is a link that might be useful: this query on the Appliances Forum

I don't have a painted surface. Don't even remember that being an option in my time. I have stainless and was SO glad I did when it came time to clean it.

One of my spinning squirrel cages, (the white one) some of the paint flaked off in the dishwasher. No big deal, it's completely invisible. But if that's the paint they use on the interior too, you don't want to have anything to do with it.