The Broan-NuTone BCSQ130SS is a 30 inch convertible under cabinet hood rated at 375 max blower CFM, with HVI certified output of 250 to 280 CFM on high and 1.5 sones at normal speed. Its strengths are quiet running and replaceable LEDs. Limited airflow for gas ranges is the catch. It suits electric and induction kitchens with short ducts.
Quiet running and certified figures are the two reasons to pick this hood. The Broan-NuTone BCSQ130SS, a 30 inch convertible under cabinet model, holds 1.5 sones at normal speed and carries HVI certification for airflow and sound, which rival Cosmo hoods lack.
The limitation is airflow. The 375 CFM headline is an open air blower figure, and certified high speed output lands at 250 to 280 CFM, below what most 30 inch gas ranges need. For anyone cooking on electric or induction, that gap rarely matters. Broan has discontinued the model in favor of the GLA2303SS, though retail stock remains.
Is the Broan-NuTone BCSQ130SS Right for You?
The Broan-NuTone BCSQ130SS fits a 30 inch electric or induction cooktop under a standard upper cabinet, with a duct already in place. It suits you if you simmer more than you sear and want a hood you can talk over. In our assessment, it makes the most sense in a kitchen replacing an older 30 inch Broan on an existing 3.25 by 10 inch duct.
Skip it if your gas range carries 40,000 BTU or more of total burner output, or if you sear and wok cook several times a week. Both need more capture than 250 to 280 certified CFM provides.
See Also: Our Top 10 Under-Cabinet Range Hoods
Specs at a glance
Specification | Detail |
CFM (HVI certified or manufacturer rated) | 375 max blower, open air. HVI high speed 250 to 280 by duct type |
Sone rating, low / medium / high | 1.5 / 3.0 / 5.5 vertical, 6.0 high horizontal (medium not HVI certified) |
Speed settings | 3 |
Filter type and count | 2 open mesh aluminum, dishwasher safe (replacement HPFA130) |
Duct size | 3.25 x 10 in. rectangular or 7 in. round vertical |
Dimensions, W x D x H | 30 x 19.625 x 6 in. |
Mounting height range | 18 to 24 in. above the cooking surface |
Lighting | 2 x 4 W GU10 LED, 3000K, replaceable |
Controls | 5 mechanical push buttons |
Convertible to ductless | Yes |
Electrical | 120 V, 0.65 A, hardwired |
Warranty | 1 year limited |
Reasons To Buy
Reasons Not To Buy
Airflow: Does 375 CFM Cover Your Cooktop?
For a 30 inch electric or induction cooktop, yes. For most gas ranges, no. The 375 CFM figure is max blower CFM, the blower running in open air with no duct attached. HVI certified output at 0.1 inch of static pressure is 250 CFM through a vertical 3.25 by 10 inch duct, 240 horizontal, and 280 through 7 inch round.
Gas sizing runs at roughly 1 CFM per 100 BTU, so a common 45,000 BTU range needs about 450 CFM, and the best certified figure covers 62% of it. By kitchen volume, a 10 by 12 foot kitchen with 8 foot ceilings holds 960 cubic feet, and 15 air changes per hour works out to 240 CFM, which every certified duct option clears.
Delivered output drops as duct resistance climbs. At 0.25 inch of static pressure, a level a longer run with elbows can reach, high speed falls to 150 to 160 CFM. What our research turned up is that normal speed moves 110 to 140 CFM, enough for simmering but not searing, which leaves medium at 160 to 190 CFM as the real working speed.
Noise: Is it Really Quiet?
Yes on low and medium, and barely on high. Normal speed holds 1.5 sones, close to a refrigerator hum, and medium sits at 3.0 sones, near normal conversation. High climbs to 5.5 to 6.0 sones, the point where a hood starts to dominate the room.
Sones scale with perceived loudness, so 6 sones sounds roughly twice as loud as 3. What stands out to us is the gap between quiet and useful, since the speed you can talk over is not the speed that clears a seared steak.
Venting
The BCSQ130SS is a four way convertible hood. It vents vertically or horizontally through 3.25 by 10 inch duct with the included damper, vertically through 7 inch round with a BP87Q damper sold separately, or ductless through hidden louvers on top.
Recirculation handles odor and some smoke but removes neither heat nor moisture, and Broan calls for new charcoal filters every 3 to 6 months. Our take is that this hood earns its place ducted, with ductless reserved for kitchens where an exterior run is impossible.
Fitment
The BCSQ130SS covers a 30 inch cooktop edge to edge with no extra width. A matched width works over electric or induction. Over gas, going one size wider captures the plume off the outer burners, and Keep in mind the BCSQ1 series tops out without a 36-inch size.
The 19.625 inch deep canopy projects about 7.6 inches past a standard 12 inch upper cabinet, covering the rear burners and part of the front row. Broan specifies 18 to 24 inches above the cooktop without separating gas from electric, so check your range manual for a stricter gas clearance.
Build and Controls
The BCSQ130SS pairs a stainless shell with a motor carrying thermal overload protection. Broan does not publish the stainless grade or gauge, though one owner notes magnets stick to the hood, which points to a ferritic grade such as 430 rather than 304.
Five mechanical push buttons handle blower power, three speeds, and the light, and they work with greasy fingers in a way touch panels do not. There is no delay shutoff, filter reminder, or Heat Sentry auto speed. We hold this class to working controls rather than extras, and the hood meets that bar.
Lighting
Two 4 watt GU10 LED bulbs at 3000K light the cooktop, and Broan publishes no lumen figure. The bulbs twist out with the included suction cup tool, so a failed bulb is a quick swap rather than a dead light strip. We rate that replaceability as a long term advantage over integrated LEDs. The limitation is a single brightness level with no night setting.
Filters
Two open mesh aluminum grease filters ship with the hood, both dishwasher safe. Broan says only to clean them frequently, so we recommend a monthly wash at moderate cooking frequency and every two weeks if you fry often. Use a phosphate free detergent, since Broan’s warranty excludes mesh discoloration.
Go ducted and you’ll basically never think about filters again. The air goes outside, and that’s the end of it. Go ductless and you’re signing up for HPF30 Type XC charcoal replacements every 3 to 6 months, two to four two-packs a year. It’s not a huge expense on any single order, but it’s one you’ll be placing for as long as you own the hood, and one you’ll forget to reorder right when you need it.
Installation Process
You can mount it yourself, if you are replacing an old 30 inch hood with duct and wiring already in place. The hood hangs from four keyhole screws, and the Broan BCSQ130SS installation manual gives cut dimensions for each duct layout.
The detail most likely to catch you off guard is that the hood is hardwired, with no cord in the box.
At 375 max blower CFM, the hood stays under the 400 CFM threshold where many jurisdictions require make up air under the IRC. If no wiring reaches the location, hire an electrician.
What Real Owners Report
Quiet running at low speed is the most consistent praise in retail reviews of the Broan BCSQ130SS range hood, often from owners replacing a decades-old Broan. Bright lighting and the low 6-inch profile get mentioned nearly as often.
The complaint that comes up most is the single level light, with several owners wanting a night setting and a few calling the bulbs too bright. Some report that installation realistically takes two people, despite the manual describing a one person job.
Isolated reports include a missing suction cup tool and a poor fit replacing an older Broan Allure. A few hoped for more airflow on high, which matches the certified figures. Our research found no recurring pattern of motor or blower failure.
Editorial Ratings
Scores reflect a 30 inch electric or induction kitchen with a short duct run, and our scoring weighs the hood against that use, not the whole under cabinet class.
Dimension | Rating |
Airflow performance | 3/5 |
Noise level | 4.5/5 |
Build quality | 3.5/5 |
Filters and maintenance | 4/5 |
Installation | 4/5 |
Value | 4/5 |
Glacier Series Comparison
Every model below is a 30 inch Glacier under cabinet hood, so we suggest choosing on controls and airflow rather than size.
Model | Width | Best for | Check price |
Broan BCSQ130SS | 30 in. | Quiet running with HVI certified figures | |
Broan BCSD130SS | 30 in. | Light cooking, 300 max blower CFM, two speeds | |
Broan BCDJ130SS | 30 in. | Heavier cooking, Heat Sentry auto speed | |
Broan GLA1303SS | 30 in. | ENERGY STAR rating, rocker switches, 350 max blower CFM |
FAQs
Is 375 CFM enough for a 30 inch gas range?
For most 30 inch gas ranges, no, since a 45,000 BTU range calls for about 450 CFM and certified high speed output tops out at 280. We would not count on it for regular searing or wok cooking on gas.
Can the BCSQ130SS run ductless?
Yes, the BCSQ130SS converts to ductless mode with two HPF30 Type XC charcoal filters, sold separately. Remove the recirculation cover plate, clip the filters in, and replace them every 3 to 6 months.
What duct size does the BCSQ130SS need?
The BCSQ130SS takes 3.25 by 10 inch rectangular duct vertically or horizontally, or 7 inch round duct venting vertically. A 6 inch round run needs a transition, which Broan warns may reduce airflow.
Our Verdict
After a full evaluation, our position is clear on the Broan-NuTone BCSQ130SS. It is a quiet, honestly specified hood for 30 inch electric and induction kitchens, and an undersized one for most gas ranges.
Buy it if you cook on electric or induction, have a short duct run in place, and want a hood you can run through dinner at 1.5 to 3.0 sones. Mechanical buttons and replaceable bulbs keep ownership simple.
Avoid it if you cook on gas above 40,000 BTU, sear often, or want more than a 1 year warranty. Certified output of 250 to 280 CFM will leave smoke behind in those kitchens.
If your kitchen matches the first profile, you can buy this hood knowing exactly what its numbers mean.