Golden Vantage GVBI-36S Review of Wall Mount Range Hood

Golden Vantage GVBI-36S ReviewOne of the latest additions to the array of range hoods on the market today comes from Golden Vantage and has prompted adding the Golden Vantage GVBI-36S review to our site. We have already covered quite few other hoods from this manufacturer elsewhere on the site and also created a comparison table for the 30 inch models.

Keeping the kitchen as clean as we can is always a good idea both for hygiene as well as looks and the range hood does a great job at doing just that by removing all the cooking odors and grease from the air.

So let’s take a look at the Golden Vantage GVBI-36S and see if it would perform the task for which it was intended.

As mentioned this hood measures 36 inch and is suitable for wall-mounting. There are three baffle filters which can be safely washed in a dishwasher. It is made of stainless steel and has a pair of led lights fitted to the rear of the hood to provide illumination to the cooking area.

The CFM figure for the GVBI-36S provided by the manufactures is, Air Flow-Max 760 CFM and in case you’re not too sure what this means I’ll go into the figures in more detail further down the page. The noise level rating is < 65DB again we will clarify later.

Another figure you’ll find in the specifications is the duct size ventilation pipe with an inner diameter of 6″, again what does all this mean. I can see many people scratching their head and asking themselves is this range hood really what I need.

But not to worry, you’ll probably find these same types of figures when looking at a great many of these hoods. So what we learn here can also be used when looking at any other range hood.

Table of Page Contents

Golden Vantage GVBI-36S 36 Inch Range Hood Performance

golden vantage gvbi-36s range hood reviewOur first thoughts when creating the Golden Vantage GVBI-36S review was that the 36 inch range hood will be better suited to the larger ranges and work more efficient. True but only if other factors are in place.

The normal situations recommended are that the hood should overlap the range by around 3 inches per side. Therefore this hood would suit a 30 inch range. That’s not to say that it would not suit a 34 inch, 36 inch or whatever range size you have as other factors come into play.

These include, the distance the hood is above the range, the power of the fan motor which involves that CFM figure again, the ducting path, diameter and length. These factors when the right formula is available can supersede the required extra distance a range hood overlaps the range size.

Distance of Hood Above the Range

Looking first at how the distance the hood is above the range will affect the performance, I think it’s pretty obvious that the further this distance the less powerful the extraction will be.

Work surfaces are more or less standard but there are plenty of choices available when installing the hood. The main criteria when setting the height is to ensure anyone using the range will not be banging there head on the hood. Anyway it gives options.

Power of the Fan Motor and the CFM Rating

golden vantage gvbi-36s fan power controlsThe fan motor and CFM ratings is at the heart of any range hood and one point you need to get right. OK, the air in the kitchen will be a whole lot cleaner no matter what hood is installed, but its surely worth that little bit of extra thought to make sure it works as efficiently as possible.

That’s the reason for using the CFM measure as it provides a base figure that we can use as a comparison. For anyone not familiar what CFM stands for, it’s simply the cubic feet per minute of the air flow removed by the hood. First point you need to know before choosing a hood is what type of range you will be using to cook, electric or gas.

An electric range will require less CFM than gas due to other elements associated with burning gas. Using our example of a 30 inch range, if it were to be electric then for every 10 inches of width you need 100 CFN. If the 30″ range needs 300 CFM then a 36″ range needs 360 CFM if electric. Easy right!

For gas ranges we need another calculation which is using the max number of BTUs which stands for “British thermal unit” and divide that figure by 100, which is BTUs/100. The higher the BTU then the more powerful will be the range hood required to function properly. Now we can understand better what Air Flow-Max 760 CFM means. Read more about this range hood.

Air Flow-Max 760 CFM in Relation to the Golden Vantage GVBI-36S

From what we now know, BTUs/100 means that the 760 CFM would handle a gas range of 75,000 BTUs or 75,000BTU/100. The Max simply means when running at maximum. Air Flow-Max 760 CFM translated is – The air flow when running at maximum will be 760 cubic feet per minute.

That’s quite a good figure when you take into account the recommended CFM when used in a commercial situation is 900. For household use the GVBI-36S would then fit the bill no problem as far as CFM is concerned, so let’s move on and talk about another important component, the ducting path and its length.

Ducting Path, Diameter and Length of Run

The ideal situation is for the cooking fumes to be ducted straight up and vented through the roof in as short a run of ducting as possible. This is not always possible for everyone and a work around can often be to lead the ducting to an outside wall by using a bend and a horizontal run. If the previous situations are not possible then the only option is to use a duct-less system which means recycling the air through filters.

Ducted should be the aim when the situation allows but there are a couple of things to take into account when planning your installation. The diameter of ducting is important and I’ve seen recommendations call for as much as 8 inches for a 760 CFM model as we are reviewing here. Although as you will see there are other factors we can take into account. Such as, straight runs are more efficient than bends and vertical runs are better than horizontal.

After all, heat wants to rise naturally which helps the air flow, bends restrict and hamper this flow. From this it means, when run horizontally and to cope with bends will need more power than to vent vertically and should be considered in any calculations. Longer duct runs will also weaken the air flow and needs to be accounted for.

Understanding all of the possible scenarios will help you make your decision, as everyone will have their own circumstances. You could have a long straight up through the roof ducting path which might be the equivalent and work as efficient as a short horizontal run with one bend.

The Golden Vantage GVBI-36S range hood has a duct ventilation pipe with an inner diameter of 6 inches which will work well in a great many situations. Providing the run was not exceptionally long, with horizontal runs and many right hand bends. Keeping things straight and as short as possible is the key when planning your installation.

Filter System, Lighting and Controls

golden vantage gvbi-36s range hood lightingThe GVBI-36S wall mount range hood is made from durable stainless steel with 3 baffle filters made of anodized aluminum which are safe to wash through in the dishwasher. There are generally 2 types of filters types used in a ducted kitchen range hood set up. Mesh or Baffle filters and can be a whole topic in itself with the many online conversations as to which one is best.

Personally I would recommend the Baffle type mainly because they can cope with heavy use of greasy types of food better and we all love stir fried foods in our household. Apart from coping better they require to be cleaned less often as mesh can clog up more easily. Again this is just my thoughts and perhaps the type of use might prove more important.

To light up the cooking area the GVBI-36S hood has 2 x 2 watt LED lights located at the rear of the hood. These are controlled by illuminated touch controls on the front panel of the hood.

To control the speed required from the internal blower there is the choice of 3 speeds available to cover all the different cooking situations, again controlled via push buttons on the front panel.

Currently unavailable.

Easy Clean Stainless Steel Hood and Dimensions

golden vantage gvbi-36s range hood installationThe Golden Vantage range hood comes in a brushed stainless steel finish which has been the choice finish of appliances by those in the cooking professional trades for many years. Stainless steel apart from being a long lasting material is so easy to keep clean and lends itself well to the kitchen environment.

The styling is Contemporary European and easy on the eye. This modern style is so popular today and fits in well with all other living spaces.

The dimensions of the wall mount hood section are 35.5 inches wide x 19 inches deep. The chimney is a telescopic construction and can be set to the required height to suit ceiling heights of up to 8.5 foot, see the fitting diagram opposite.

The weight is 35.8 pounds and the noise level figure is rated as less than 65 DB which is pretty much normal for these types of hoods. Another feature is that there are non-return air flaps which are designed to avoid the loss of heat when the hood is not being used.

The warranty provided by the manufacturer – Warranty for Parts is for 3 years limited.

Pros

review plus point symbol  Good CFM

 

review plus point symbol  Stainless steel finish

 

review plus point symbol  3 speed

 

review plus point symbol  Baffle filters

 

review plus point symbol  Telescopic chimney

 

review plus point symbol  Good larger size

 

review plus point symbol  Warranty Parts 3 years

 

review plus point symbol  Contemporary European style

 

review plus point symbol  Non-return air flaps

 

review plus point symbol  Light weight for installation

 

Cons

review minus points symbol  Perhaps an extra light at the front might be helpful

Price of the Golden Vantage GVBI-36S

At the time of writing the GVBI-36S range hood is selling for $239.00 with FREE shipping with a saving at present of $460.00 – 66% in percentage terms.

Currently unavailable.

Golden Vantage GVBI-36S Review Summary

To sum up the Golden Vantage GVBI-36S review I think it could be a good option for anyone who is using a 30 inch range and even bigger.

The styling would fit in well with many of today’s kitchen styles with its sleek modern look. The lighting may be a problem as there is no indication whether they can be adjusted to shine the light were you want it. Probably a very miner point in the scale of things but may be important to some.

The Air Flow-Max 760 CFM figure is good but as usual with the more powerful fans you can pay the price with the increase in noise generated. Of course this is often determined by the type of cooking being performed at the time and doesn’t always need to be at full tilt.

This Golden Vantage GVBI-36S review gives the hood a thumbs up and I feel sure many people will have years of use from it. Mainly due to the pretty decent Golden Vantage warranty and the stainless steel construction.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *