Head-to-head · Best Range Hoods

Zephyr Tempest II AK7536CS 36" vs ZLINE KECOMi-36 Professional Island Mount

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Zephyr Tempest II AK7536CS 36" comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.6 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about Serious home cooks running a 36" range or pro-style cooktop who want maximum CFM, code-aware airflow tuning, and a polished pro-style look on the wall. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Range Hoods

Zephyr Tempest II AK7536CS 36"

4.6

$1,349

The Zephyr Tempest II AK7536CS is the wall-mount hood serious home cooks reach for when they want a pro-style frame without jumping to commercial gear. The 650 CFM baffle setup vents heavy oil smoke and wok flares without dragging, and Zephyr's Airflow Control Technology and CleanAir delay-off features handle the regulatory and air-quality details most mid-tier hoods ignore.

Strengths

— 650 CFM internal blower with optional 1,200 CFM upgrade clears wok-frying and high-BTU range smoke in seconds
— Airflow Control Technology lets installers cap CFM to meet local makeup-air codes without swapping the unit
— Six-speed electronic touch controls with LumiLight LED at 2700K-5000K TruHue color tuning

Watch-outs

— 650 CFM blower hits roughly 9 sones on high — audibly loud even with the larger duct kit
— Premium pricing places it well above the typical apartment-grade chimney hood
— Larger 1,200 CFM blower requires HVI-mandated makeup air, which adds install complexity

$1,349 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #3 in Best Range Hoods

ZLINE KECOMi-36 Professional Island Mount

4.5

$1,020

The ZLINE KECOMi-36 is the island-mount hood to beat in this price band. A 700 CFM 4-speed blower, baffle filters, a lifetime motor warranty, and exceptionally quiet low-speed operation cover the venting demands of a free-standing island cooktop, and the 36-inch stainless silhouette anchors the design centerpiece of most open kitchens.

Strengths

— 700 CFM 4-speed blower handles an open-island cooktop without recirculation help from surrounding walls
— Quiet across the range — 30 dB at speed 1 and 52 dB at full speed
— Lifetime motor warranty plus 3-year parts coverage leads the segment

Watch-outs

— Push-button control panel feels less premium than the touch panels on equivalently priced wall units
— Halogen-free LED lighting lacks color-temperature adjustment found on the Zephyr Tempest II
— Lower CFM than the upgraded ZLINE remote-blower variants if maximum ceiling-mounted ventilation is the goal

$1,020 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Zephyr Tempest II AK7536CS 36"

Out-ventilates the Broan-NuTone EW4830SS on heavy cooking by a wide margin (650 CFM vs 460 CFM) and offers far better filter access than the value-tier Hauslane PS18, but costs roughly 2.5x more than either. Against the ZLINE KECOMi-36, the Tempest II edges out on lighting tunability and Airflow Control Technology but ships with a shorter warranty.

ZLINE KECOMi-36 Professional Island Mount

Vents an open island better than the wall-mount Zephyr Tempest II can — a wall hood loses substantial CFM-effective when mounted on an island. Against the Best CP35I309SB insert, the ZLINE ships as a finished design statement that doesn't require custom millwork. The KECOMi-36 trades the Zephyr's TruHue lighting and the Broan EW4830SS's brand-name service network for the segment-leading 3-year/lifetime warranty.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Zephyr Tempest II AK7536CS 36"	ZLINE KECOMi-36 Professional Island Mount
Type	Wall-Mount Chimney	Island Mount
Width	36 inches	36 inches
Airflow	650 CFM (1,200 CFM upgrade available)	700 CFM (4-speed: 280/420/560/700)
Sound Level	Approx. 1.5 sones low / 9 sones high	30 dB low / 52 dB high
Duct Diameter	8" round or 3.25" x 10" rectangular	8" round
Filter Type	Professional baffle stainless, dishwasher-safe	Baffle stainless, dishwasher-safe
Speeds	6 (electronic touch)	4 (push-button)
Lighting	Dual-level LumiLight LED, 2700K-5000K TruHue	2 directional LED
Smart Control	Wireless remote (optional)	Push-button panel with delayed auto-shutoff
Warranty	1-year parts, lifetime motor (limited)	3-year parts, lifetime motor

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