XO is a premium brand known for a range of finest appliances in the market including an under-counter refrigerator, waste disposal unit, outdoor kitchen, and ventilation hoods.
Let’s leave other products for another day’s discussion and focus on ventilation hoods. Are ventilation hoods good?
XO offers a variety of ventilation hoods with a wide range of CFM ratings to handle kitchens of all sizes. This brand offers a full suite of ventilation hood products including wall-mount chimney, under-cabinet hood, Island mount, custom hood inserts, glide-outs, and professional models.
In this article, we are going to explore what you would really be getting into if you were to purchase XO today.
Are XO Range Hoods Strong?
XO is known for its strong ventilation hood products. Though you can get an XO range hood with as low as 350 CFM high-efficiency blower, some of their models have up to 1,000 CFM.
A CFM is simply the amount of air a range hood fan is capable of removing through its filter per minute. The higher the CFM rating, the more powerful the fan, and that translates to the amount of air it can remove.
A strong blower will effectively eliminate hot and toxic gases as well as the unsightly grease and smoke from your kitchen. This keeps you from suffocating as the polluted gas is sucked and replaced with a fresh one.
For that reason, it will be helpful if the fan is strong enough to effectively cover the cooking area and suck up all the potential pollution. Some XO products offer just that and you are sure to find what suits your kitchen.
However, such powerful blowers come with the disadvantage of being too loud. Some will sound like you are cooking next to a jet engine. For a home kitchen, this noise may be unnecessary, particularly when you have visitors.
If you have to purchase a XO product with such a robust blower, I would recommend you buy it for your restaurant. City streets are filled with traffic noise that will neutralize the noise from your range hood.
How do I Figure Out the CFM Requirement for Your Home?
The good thing is, you can calculate the right CFM for your home. For an electric cooktop, you will require 100 CFM (for wall-mounted and under-cabinet XO range hoods) for every linear foot.
Given that the most common types of cooktops are 3.0 inches, you will require a CFM of 300 to meet the recommended CFM requirement.
This is simply calculated as 3.0 in wide cooktop X 100CFM = 300 CFM.
For Island hoods, you will multiply by 150 CFM. That is 3.0 inches X 150 CFM = 375 CFM.
Gas cooktops heat more than electric cooktops. Therefore, it is a good idea to choose a fan with a higher CFM if you have a stove. To calculate the CFM for a gas stove you will have to add the BTU rating for all the burners then divide your total by 100.
Are XO Range Hoods Easy to Install?
This will depend on the type of XO range hood that you purchase. Generally, there are three types of range hoods: ducted, ductless, and convertible. XO offers all these types.
The ductless type is the easiest to install since it does not require a duct leading to an external vent. The greasy sucked air doesn’t have to go out through a vent.
Instead, the air is moved through a filter, including a carbon filter that traps dust and neutralizes strong cooking odor. For that reason, you will not have to go through the process of ductwork.
On the other hand, a ducted XO range hood will require ductwork. The ductwork may involve drilling some holes and wiring. Convertibles are typically ducted but can be converted to ductless using a recurring kit.
That said, DIY installation of these products may work well with ductless models. For ducted models, I would recommend hiring an expert. But if you have a ready vent or simply want to do the replacement, you can manage the project by yourself.
What is the Cost of XO Range Hoods?
Generally, range hoods are one of the most expensive appliances you will have in your home. Top-quality XO products are among the industry’s most expensive products.
The price of a XO range hood is influenced by several factors including the type of the XO product, CFM rating, the special features it comes with among others. In terms of the type, here is what you should expect.
| Type of hood | Average cost (the product only) |
| Under-cabinet Wall mount Island hood Cabinet insert | $200 – $1,100 $300 – $1,200 $600 – $1,200 $600 – $1,500 |
You may also incur some installation fees if you hire someone to do the installation for you. Generally, hiring an expert costs somewhere in the range of $300 – $500 depending on the extent of the work.
Is it Easy to Clean XO Range Hoods?
XO is easy to take apart in deep cleaning. You can remove the greased pan, the screw holding the grease guard, the grease guard, the grease guard cup and clean every component.
The user manual clearly describes how to clean a XO fan. You have to take a look at this because there are a few parts you are required to remove and soak in warm water. https://xoappliance.com/media/manuals/XOAmanual.pdf
If you don’t want to go through the process of taking apart the fan, we have the shortcut. Simply turn on the fan to a high, spray the grease guards, and all the solution.
Removed grease should collect in the grease collector. If the grease doesn’t collect in the grease collector, it means it is sitting either in the wheel grease collector or the hood. If you have time, simply take the whole thing apart and confirm if that could be the case. The grease should be cleaned up.
Conclusion
Range hoods are a must-have in our kitchen and therefore, we must be cautious about the brand that we choose. XO has the advantage of offering variety to suit the needs of every homeowner. If you are planning to buy your next ventilation hoods, I challenge you to give this brand a try.
References
https://www.designerappliances.com/kitchen-appliances/cooking/range-hoods-xo.html
