Kobe SSP30 and SSP36 - 30" and 36" wide backsplashes
durable 18 gauge seamless 304 series satin finish stainless steel
Also available - chromed steel hood rack for model CH181 Kobe
*** we do not sell backsplash or rack without a hood ***

Kobe model SSP30 backsplash - 30 inch wide 304 series stainless steel
$135 FREE shipping and handling
please note that free shipping offer ONLY applies when ordering WITH a hood

Kobe model SSP36 backsplash - 36 inch wide 304 series stainless steel
$159 FREE shipping and handling
please note that free shipping offer ONLY applies when ordering WITH a hood

Kobe model CH81SR duct rack is 35-1/2 inch wide
ONLY fits the model CH181 hood
$110 $99 FREE shipping and handling
please note that free shipping offer ONLY applies when ordering WITH a hood

A WORD ABOUT STAINLESS STEEL

There are several things to shop for in a hood - three main concerns are stainless steel quality, thickness and seamless construction.   A single paragraph can not do the subject justice, but it boils down to the "series" of stainless steel and the "gauge" of the metal.   The main grades (series) of stainless steel used for appliances are #304 and #430.   Series 430 is commonly found in mid-range appliances since it is easier to bend, curve and mold.   Series 304 stainless steel is an upgrade and generally considered the mark of quality.   More difficult to work with, #304 has a higher carbon content and lower iron content, making the steel as rust proof as possible.   A simple way to test stainless steel is to try to attach a magnet to it.   Cheaper stainless steel hoods have such a high iron (ferrus) content that a magnet will easily stick to them.   Series 304 has such a low iron content that magnets just slide right off.   The "gauge" of the stainless steel is a relative measurement of its thickness.   All Kobe hoods (except the CH181) use the thickest 18 gauge stainless steel.   Cheaper brands of kitchen hood use as thin as 20, 22, 23, or even something as pathetic as 24 gauge steel.   The best hoods are of seamless construction - all Kobe hoods (except the CH181) are seamless.   Cheaper brands will bend the stainless and rivet panels together, allowing moisture, grease and grime to infiltrate and accumulate in the cracks.   Do your research and you will soon see the quality, value and performance advantages of Kobe Range Hoods.

SIZING A RESIDENTIAL KITCHEN VENT HOOD

The majority of people purchase the same width hood as the range, but interior designers are increasingly pairing larger hoods with smaller ovens.   The extra expanse of stainless steel lends a more "serious" commercial flare to any design.   Smoke and steam plume as they come off the cooktop, so installing a wider hood makes perfect functional sense, allowing lower fan speeds to be more effective.   A good rule of thumb for any gas or electric range is 50CFM per square foot of cooktop.   Thus, a 36 inch wide range would require at least a 300CFM hood and all non-recirculating Kobe hoods are 600+CFM at top speed.   The depth, front to back, of any residential hood should be less than 24 inches or you bounce your forehead off the front every time you reach for a pan on the back burner.   Residential hoods are generally placed 27 to 30 inches off range top, making a 24 inch depth hood inconvenient, at best, for people of average height.   Residential hoods are traditionally 19 to 22 inch depth front to back.   The only 24 inch depth Kobe is the CH100 for more commercial applications where full coverage is required (UL710).

UNDERSTANDING QUALITY FILTER SYSTEMS

As you shop around for a kitchen hood, you need to pay close attention to what happens with the grease.   There is an excellent reason why we only retail Kobe hoods - they work.   Cheap hoods cut many corners, one of which is to install a flimsy set of aluminum mesh grease filters and call it a day.   This just does not work ... simple aluminum mesh filters catch some of the grease, which heats up as you cook and drips back down onto the stove top.   You will never see flat aluminum mesh filters in a restaurant for a good reason - grease dripping back down onto the stove top can cause a fire.   Kobe addresses the grease filtering/catching issue one of two ways: 1) grease catchment cups or 2) baffle filters.   Grease catchment cups are stainless steel "dishes" mounted below the cone shaped mesh filters.   As the filter catches grease, it heats up and drains down into the oil catchment cups.   When you are ready to clean the filters, you simply unscrew the cap, remove the filter assembly, rinse and wash (dishwasher safe).   Baffle filters use a series of inverted cup shaped "baffles", which cool the moist greasy air as it flows though, condensing/catching oil and then allowing the grease and moisture to flow down into the lower trough (where it is held until cleaning).   Recent popularity of the commercial look in residential kitchens has created a very high demand for baffle filters.   The extra expanse of stainless steel underneath does make for a more professional, industrial appearance.   Performance wise, baffle filters allow slightly better air flow at the expense of trapping a bit less grease, but the difference is too slight to consider as a factor in your choice of hood model.

GENERAL NOTES ON VENTING EXHAUST HOODS

All Kobe hoods include at least one fan motor - so they do not require any additional parts for installation.   The client does provide their own vent pipe and terminus on roof or outer wall.   Since building codes vary from one town to the next, we do not sell vent pipe or terminus parts - you can find these parts at your local plumbing supply store.   Unless local code requires otherwise, we normally install single wall galvanized Type B gas vent pipe, which is thinner than comparable wood stove vent pipe.   While corrugated "flex" pipe may be cheaper and easier to bend, it tends to trap grease (harder to clean) and is not as reliable (easy to tear).   Dampers (back draft preventers) are not installed on Kobe hoods - they are best installed at the vent cap ("flapper"), when used at all.   It is considered an engineering weakness to install dampers above the fan where they are extremely inconvenient to replace and impossible to clean regularily.   At best, dirty dampers restrict air flow ... at worst, corrosion and grease buildup eventually renders them inoperable.   All Kobe hoods utilize three sided adjustable duct covers (side facing wall is open), which allow you to install a 90 degree bend in the vent pipe and go straight out the wall the hood is mounted upon.   Two Kobe models CH122 and CH179 are unique in that they feature a 3-1/4" by 10" vent knockout on the back.   Note that rectangular venting is fine for short distances and often found in remodels, but round kitchen hood vent pipes are much easier to clean and generally have better aerodynamics.   In homes where straight vertical (up through the roof) venting is not possible, it is best to install a series of 45 degree bends.   When forced to install right angle bends, avoid placing the first 90 within two feet of fan, avoid using more than two 90s, and avoid horizontal runs greater than twenty five feet.   To do otherwise, cuts down on the efficiency of any fan, from any kitchen hood manufacturer.   Lowered efficiency (less cubic feet per minute CFM) is a function of aerodynamic drag in the pipe - backpressure from bends and horizontal runs force the fan work harder for the same CFM.   And no, we do not have any estimate of the amount of CFM loss per bend or run, but we will add that information as soon as we can authenticate it.   In the end, you make due with what you have to work with in the home ... any hood from any manufacturer is going to have the same aerodynamic limitations.