An Unusual Find...Vintage Kenmore Range Hood

[Ultramatic]

 

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">Along with the Kenmore dryer I found last Sunday, I also came across this Sears Kenmore Range Hood Mod # 850.5456721. I called Sears in the vain attempt to find replacement filters (four), but no dice. He did tell me it was manufactured in 1987 by the Whirlpool corporation.</span>  

 

[Ultramatic]

The "Beast" is surprisingly heavy...

<span style="font-size: medium;">...and well built for being a product of the late '80's. When I first saw it I thought it was late '60's, early '70's. I guess it was designed back then. </span>

 

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[Ultramatic]

Yep, that decorative strip lights up...

 

[Ultramatic]

3 cheers for faux wood!

 

[Ultramatic]

Yikes, this has NOT been cleaned in many years!

<span style="font-size: medium;">And he's a big boy, 42 inches wide. My 1965 Slattery is 36 inches. Oddly enough, the cut out for the range hood in my kitchen is 44 inches wide. An easy fit.</span> 

 

 

[Ultramatic]

One of the FOUR filters...

<span style="font-size: medium;">So far I've tried, ammonia, engine degreaser and Easy Off. With limited success.</span>  

 

 

[kenmoreguy89]

So it's not an external venting one?
I pretty dislike these indoor ones, I think they're worth nothing..... still nice for places where outside venting isn't possible though.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

For the grease dirt things, are they stainless??? If  they're and are  not alluminum, I'd go out buy a box of washing soda, let it soak overnight in very hot water, soda and  a good degeaser solution or ammonia, then give a run in the dishwasher heavy soil cycle...

That's what I would try to do.... most of  today's degreasers usually fail, at least for me....

 

[alr2903]

Ultramatic try boiling them in a tall pot like a turkey fryer. arthur

 

[Ultramatic]

Although ideal, no exterior venting is possible for my kitch

<span style="font-size: medium;">...so you have to use these types of hoods. The other 2 filters are aluminum, and the remaining 2 seem to be made of steel. Will try your baking soda approach...thanks! </span>

 

[Ultramatic]

...try boiling them in a tall pot...

<span style="font-size: medium;">Another great idea...thanks Arthur!</span>

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Good for you! It's a nice hood, surely better of one's of today ventless ones, of course!!!!

I hope my suggestion would help you, not sure if you confused or you understand baking soda but I said washing soda, baking soda would not do much as washing soda would in this case, even though many people do that with baking soda also,  but being yours a particular thick aged and guess built up in several years layer ...washing soda/sal soda indeed really would be the only solution  as it is a way more powerful degreaser than baking soda!

Just DO NOT use washing soda in Alluminum ones only in stainless ones.... washing soda will damage allunminum as it will oxidate it!
Boiling them or soak in a very hot solution of water and soda may be the key, just thought you didn't have a that large pot but if you have that would be wonderful to boil in soda and water, otherwise just pour hot water in you sink and let the soak.
Good luck!

[this post was last edited: 4/24/2013-16:58]

 

[alr2903]

Ultramatic. I think the front panel lights up on your hood too. Should look very nice @ night. I suggested boiling in water only. Is there activated charcoal in the filters? I would be cautious with the chemicals. Boil, drip dry, and maybe a nice slow bake on foil at about 250. alr

 

[cuffs054]

I'm betting on charcoal also. If you shake them you may be able to hear it.

 

[DADoES]

 
My parents have one very similar.  Vented, variable speed, dual squirrel-cage blowers, filter is a u-shaped wrap-around affair.  The front panel is backlit when the fluorescent light is on except around the controls where your unit is woodgrain.  I cannot place exactly when it was bought but likely was within a couple years of 1975 ... to match the KDI-17a which had a stainless steel panel.  It was moved along when we bought a different house in the early 1980s (per this picture, which was taken in Sept 2001).

 

[Ultramatic]

<span style="font-size: medium;">Thanks Federico!</span>

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">@ Arthur/cuffs. I think you are both right, these filters do seem to be charcoal. </span>

 

<span style="font-size: medium;">I do have a large pot, so they're all getting boiled tonight!</span>

 

 

 

[Ultramatic]

<span style="font-size: medium;">@ DADoES, hmmm, if your hood was from the '70's, mine has to be older. The Sears rep must had been wrong dating my hood to 1987.</span> 

 

[danemodsandy]

That's Wayyyy Older....

....Than 1987. My copy of the Fall/Winter, 1975 Big Book shows basically the same hood, already updated with black glass-look plastic replacing your white panel, and the Ye Olde Fayke Woode Graine accent omitted. It's just like the one DADoES shows in his pic.

Never mind what the rep said - you can still get filters for this unit. Filters Fast is a company specializing in HTF filters for range hoods, and they even have trim-to-fit charcoal filters that should work with this unit.

BTW, the purpose of the charcoal filter is to help eliminate cooking odors, so replacing them will make your cooking much more pleasant. It also serves as a fine filter for grease, trapping particles that can get through the mesh filters.

Here's a link:

American Metal Universal Oven Range Hood Filter Kit - Trim to Fit

Protect the life of your range hood or microwave with the American Metal RYM1518G. Replacement parts like this are a necessity and should be prioritized for overall home health. Shop today!

www.filtersfast.com

 

[Ultramatic]

Thanks for the link Sandy!

<span style="font-size: medium;">I will most definitely contact them. The secondary filter is indeed a charcoal one. I was wondering, would it be possible to simply refill it with fresh charcoal? BTW, the primary mesh filters are boiling away. </span>

 

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