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It's a vent hood AND an air conditioner!

Two independent functions in a single appliance. Nothing new, unless that appliance is your ventilation hood.

Abbi Perets
Abbi Perets has been writing about technology and family and consumer issues for over ten years. Her work has been featured in print and on the Web, and she has taught courses on consumer and business electronics for HP, Sony, AOL, and other companies. Abbi has also written extensively about business technology for Tech Republic, Gantthead, and other tech sites. Abbi's passion for home appliances stems from the kitchen remodel she managed in her new home in Houston, TX where she lives with her husband and four children.
Abbi Perets

The guys at Crave beat me to the punch on the Imago Plus hood, but they didn't mention Faber's other new product: the Hybrid super-hood. The concept is deceptively simple--it's a traditional vent hood with super-quiet operation, but it's also a climate control unit that can efficiently heat or cool about 430 square feet while purifying the air.

It's two, two, two appliances in one! Faber via Appliancist

Fry up those greasy foods and let Hybrid clear the air; it takes care of the odors, smoke, and steam, and it keeps the kitchen cool and comfortable for you and your guests. The unit's heat-source recovery system makes it eco-friendly, and even with the integrated hood light on, the system uses only minimal electricity.

Hybrid comes in several sizes and can be mounted on the wall, over an island, or as a hanging wall unit, to suit different kitchen needs. Set it to run all day; it's quiet enough that you won't hear it exchanging the air in your kitchen to keep it fresh. Or set the power-off delay to run the unit for 30 minutes and then shut down.

The filters are removable and dishwasher safe, and a filter saturation signal will let you know when it's time to clean.

If you've ever sweated over a hot stove in summer, you understand the brilliance of integrating air conditioning into a vent hood. Pricing hasn't been released yet, but then again, neither has the hood. Look for it in January '09.