Product review (4 stars): Attractive hood that we modified for low ceiling & soffit
We installed a Broan EI5936 hood as part of a kitchen remodel last summer, and I am very happy with how it looks and works. We had some difficulties finding a hood that would work for us because we have standard 8' ceilings and we wanted the island hood hung a bit high due to the fact that we have tall men in our family and we didn't want them bumping into a hood or having it get in their way while cooking. After much research we chose this hood because with modification we were able to hang it 36" (the max recommended height) above our cooktop.

POSITIVES:
-It looks lovely. It is sleek and modern, without looking too modern in my transitional style home. The curve blends nicely with my GE Profile appliances.
-The glass canopy makes it look less heavy and doesn't obstruct the view over my island as much as a solid canopy may.
-It draws well enough, although I am sure it would be even better if hung lower. It is STILL better than our old island downdraft.
-The three level lighting looks great.
-The filter is easy to clean.

NEGATIVES:
-It is loud. We can't really carry on a conversation with it on the highest setting.
-The glass does require a lot of cleaning, since any dust on top or grease on the bottom shows right away.

MODIFICATIONS: The modifications ended up being a challenge, but with a capable contractor and electrician we are happy with the end result. We chose this model because the "guts" (blower, etc.) did not extend up the chimney so high that they prevented us from shortening the chimney. The first step was easy. The support frame was easily shortened with a hack saw and the stainless exterior sleeve was trimmed to our desired length. Installation was then complicated by the fact that when the ceiling was opened, one of the rafters was dead center above our cooktop, requiring us to build a small soffit in order to enclose the duct work as it bypassed the rafter. In the end, our electrician mounted the motor to the rafter. The soffit (finished with nice cherry trim to match our cabinets) covering the duct work has a removable access panel in case we ever need to service the motor. It all looks and works great.

Note:  The EI5936SS has a slightly different appearance than the EI5936 that we bought elsewhere, mostly a difference in the style of the controls from what I can see.  My review pertains to the EI5936, but I hope my comments may be helpful to anyone seeking information about modification.  We had a difficult time finding much information on-line regarding modifying hoods in this way.