Strong odors and smoke are inevitable when you’re cooking with your stove, grill, electric oven or gas oven. The smelliest food can linger in your kitchen for hours or even days.
In this scenario, a range hood or vent eliminates any unpleasant smoke and odors. These home appliances also make the air clean, free from smoke and steam, resulting in a well-ventilated kitchen. But there are disadvantages: Ducted and ductless range hood and vents can be bulky, eating up some space in your kitchen. And sometimes, the installation can be a hassle.
Having said the not-so-nice things about them, this is where a gas range with downdraft can be advantageous. It can eliminate odors and smoke without eating up too much space in your kitchen. You install it on the countertop. In this article, we are going to review five of the best 30″ gas cooktops with built-in downdraft.
Which Is Better? Range Hood Or Downdraft?
A wall-mounted range hood system clears the air of pollutants. Thus, it results in better air quality and ventilation. It pulls steam and smoke from above, while the cooktop with downdraft pulls the smoke and grease downward. But both pretty much have the same function.
Another difference between the downdraft ventilation system from the overhead ventilation system is the absence of light fixtures. Most brands, such as ZLINE range hoods, have built-in LED lights that illuminate your cooking.
Downdraft systems may be more aesthetically acceptable to some. It doesn’t have a large hood situated on top of the cooking surface. This system can sometimes interfere with the overall look of your kitchen.
But, a top-grade cooktop with downdraft vents boasts of a wide range of luxurious and sophisticated designs. It can be an upgrade from your old cooktop surface.
One point to take note, though, is to make sure that all air vents leading to the outside to avoid any mishaps. Pretty much all the best cooktops with downdraft have safety features, so you don’t have to worry too much about them.
Our Top Recommended 30-inch Gas Cooktops With Downdrafts
We present five recommended gas cooktops with downdraft. Our buying guide will help you decide what brand to get for your kitchen.
| PRODUCT NAME | DIMENSION | WEIGHT | BURNER | BTUs | WARRANTY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KitchenAid KCGD500GSS | 30 x 18.4 x 21.5 inches | 66 lbs. | Four | 17,000 | One year |
| Frigidaire Professional | 30 x 22 x 5 inches | 50 lbs | Five | 18,200 | One year |
| Thor Kitchen 30" Pro-Style Rangetop | 35 x 8 x 25 inches | 93.8 lbs | Four | 17,000 | 2 years on parts and labor |
| GE Profile PGP9830DJBB | 21.9 x 29.8 x 2.2 inches | 60 lbs. | Four | 11,500 | One year limited |
| Frigidaire FGGC3047QS Gallery | 30 x 5 x 21.8 inches | 50 lbs. | Four | 18,000 | Two years limited |
1. KitchenAid KCGD500GSS
This 30-inch model is stainless steel and cast iron, matching perfectly with all your other kitchen appliances. The cast-iron grates create an even surface, so the pots slide easily. And the continuous cast-iron grates look rather posh in your kitchen.
Of the Kitchen Aid KCGD500GSS 30″ 4-Burner Stainless Steel Gas Downdraft Cooktop‘s four burners, two are high powered, one is medium-powered, and one is low-powered. There is also an additional burner cover for warming your butter so that you can go through your daily cooking without any problems. It cooks evenly, and it’s excellent at regulating the temperature.
This stainless steel gas downdraft decently eliminates fumes and smell. And the exhaust fans operate quietly too.
This KitchenAid model is one of the best and most popular 30-inch downdraft gas cooktops. KitchenAid has excelled in terms of functionality, price, and aesthetics. You can enjoy the same benefits of a wall-mounted range hood vent system without needing too much space for the installation.
- Comes with a propane conversion kit
- Easy to clean
- Powerful vent
- Equipped with a melt cap
- It’s a 4-burner gas cooktop
- The finish chips off easily
- The vent sometimes pulls the flame
This burner is high powered, but that doesn’t mean that you cant melt chocolate for your brownies. The melt cap is a great innovation that allows you to melt butter or chocolate without burning. You can also use it for delicate sauces.
This built-in gas downdraft cooktop has both high heat and a low heat setting. This model is ideal for those who are looking for a cooking surface with more versatility. Go from searing prime tenderloin steak to melting white chocolate for your fondue.
2. Frigidaire Professional FPGC3077RS
This 30-inch gas cooktop is stainless steel with cast-iron grates. It consists of five burners, with the center burner being quite high powered. You might want to use it for boiling seafood or tenderizing meat. The meat will come out so tender; you can produce perfect meatballs or seafood for your spaghetti. The left front and rear burner both have 9500 BTUs. It’s the ideal burner heat setting for grilling burgers and kebabs, too.
Each burner of the Frigidaire Professional FPGC3077RS 30″ Gas Cooktop With Griddle has varying cooking power. So it relatively works for almost all types of food.
This 30-inch gas downdraft cooktop also features an electric automatic re-ignition system. And the full width cast iron grates can accommodate bigger pans, so the pans and pots slide effortlessly on the grates.
This stainless steel downdraft cooktop feels like high-quality material. The knobs do not feel flimsy like the competition. This professional cooktop is somewhat similar to the ranges that some fancy restaurants use.
- Versatile
- Durable continuous grates
- 9500-BTU burners
- Scratches easily
- High maintenance
- Takes a while to light up
The combination of stainless steel with black cast-iron grates gives rise to an elegant look. This cooktop is also quite similar to the ones used in some restaurants. Expect this model to be durable — this cooktop with downdraft that can last for more years to come. The brand’s reviews are also full of positive comments.
The varying cooking power of the 9500-BTU all-purpose burners allows you to cook any food at the recommended temperature. It’s easy to be a master chef when you have an efficient cooktop as your partner.
3. Thor Kitchen 30″ Pro-Style Stainless Steel Rangetop
This cooktop is one heavy-duty burner. It’s noticeably more substantial and thicker than other brands. This gas cooktop allows you to cook more food at a time because of its four sealed burners. And, the knob lights turn on whenever a stove is currently working.
This range top has an even surface, so your pots and pans won’t slide off if you accidentally bumped them. Expect the steel grates to be a bit heavier too. It has a large cooking surface- you can even fit the most massive canning pot on the 36-inch top countertop.
The LED lights make it easier to distinguish if a burner is on, so it’s perfect for those who tend to leave the stove open.
- Plenty of burners
- Durable
- Large countertop surface is easy to install
- Has a safety feature to stop the continuous flow of gas
- Great customer service
- Sealed burner style cooktop
- The heavy grates are hard to realign after cleaning
- Location of the knobs are confusing
This range top with four burners is ideal for those who cook a lot of food at the same time. If you need more burners running at the same time, this model is perfect. The large countertop surface is also ideal if you are whipping up something festive. It has enough space to accommodate even the most massive pot. You can even use the burners altogether to heat a big pot.
This gas cooktop also has sealed burners. Apart from the modern style, sealed burners render it easy to clean.
4. GE Profile PGP9830DJBB
This cooktop with 4 burners has a unique design. The GE Profile 30″ built-in gas cooktop with downdraft features burners with 11500 BTU. With its all-purpose burners, you can expect this model to deliver a range of cooking power for any food. You can also expect the flames to go a bit higher than the countertop itself.
The 5-inch round exhaust works very well in eliminating odors and smoke. This GE Profile 30″ cooktop has a built-in glass, making up a sleek and modern looking countertop that will make your kitchen look more expensive. It comes in three colors. From black, white to gray, it can match the aesthetics of your kitchen.
The sealed burners prevent overspill of liquids on the countertop, making cleaning a breeze.
- Liquids do not spill to the countertop
- Blowers have multiple fan settings
- Sleek and professional looking
- Easy to clean surface
- The black glass part is prone to watermarks
- The deep downdraft is quite challenging to clean
- The knobs are quite flimsy
- Iron grates are too high
- Maybe a bit small for some
The glass top of this cooktop downdraft makes this model look more high end. If you want to add a bit more style to your kitchen countertop, this is the model for you. Do take note that with the covered cooktop comes grates that are a bit elevated. If this is of no concern to you, you’d be delighted with this lavish-looking cooktop.
The GE Profile is an ideal cooktop burner if you’re doing a youtube video or cooking demo. It is sure to make you seem like you exude a sense of expertise.
5. Frigidaire FGGC3047QS Gallery
This gas cooktop in stainless steel has continuous cast-iron grates. The control knobs are not plastic. Instead, it’s solid metal. These metal knobs have a convenient angle to the front.
The Frigidaire Gallery is a sealed-burner style cooktop. All four burners produce even heat; the center burner, mainly, is high powered. It’s ideal for boiling water or cooking pasta since the heat ensures that you evenly cook meals. And that’s all at a faster rate.
It also has a low powered simmer burner for your delicate sauces or when you want to melt chocolates for your fudge brownies.
This stainless steel with a glass cooktop also features recessed burners: this type of burner is easy to clean. You have to wipe off any liquids that may have spilled. Unlike the standard burners, spillages tend to stick to the bottom of the burners.
So if you have children around, you have to take extra care. Or maybe put a guard upon your counter to prevent your little ones from reaching it.
- Consistent flame
- Durable metal burner control knobs
- Continuous grates
- Dishwasher-safe
- Can leave watermarks
- Stainless steel material is prone to scratches
- The burners are too deep from the grate
- Recessed burners
The burners are high powered, with the center burner being perfect for boiling water. And the control panel is quite accessible because it’s upfront and angled. But it can also be used for cooking or heating delicate food items such as sauces, butter or chocolate. So will be able to enjoy the versatility of this model. You can use it to cook almost any type of food.
The continuous grates allow you to cook with large pots without the need to lift the grates. The corner to corner cast-iron grates also makes this cooktop well built. The grates account for easy cleaning, and it’s dishwasher safe too.
How Does A Gas Cooktop With Downdraft Work?
Gas cooktops with downdrafts are an alternative to range hood vents. You have to install range hood vents. And often, it needs ample space to function efficiently. Gas cooktops with downdraft, on the other hand, have vents installed in the cooktop. Both efficiently eliminates smoke.
This system pulls out the odor, grease, steam, and smoke downward through an exhaust fan. The oil smells and smoke, then travel through a series of ducts and leads to the outside.
You assemble the exhaust in the cooktop. A downdraft ventilation system may use two types of exhaust systems: the central downdraft exhaust system, and the active downdraft exhaust system.
Central Downdraft Exhaust
For the central downdraft exhaust system, the exhaust runs on a central system. It’s at the center of the cooktop, hence the name. This type of vent system is stationary. The extractor fans under the cooktop pull the air downward and to the outside. Whether you’re cooking pasta or searing beef, it will pull down all the steam and smoke.
Active Downdraft Exhaust
On the other hand, as the term “active downdraft exhaust system” implies, it’s active: you have to push a button to “activate” the vents. The vents are at the rear of the stove. As you turn on the switch, all grease, smoke, and steam are pulled through a series of ducts and downward. It then leads outside.
Conclusion
You compromise indoor air quality whenever you cook meals. Along with the festive dinner comes vapors, toxic air, and grease. These sometimes stick to your furniture too. A vent or a range hood system can improve your indoor air quality.
And in the absence of a range hood, a cooktop with downdraft is the best alternative. It will save you space, so you still have more storage space for your kitchen essentials. And the best brands are not just functional, but they also have attractive designs. It can also increase the appeal of your kitchen.
It will also save you money — cooktops with built-in downdraft cost cheaper than a range hood. Our 30″ gas cooktop with downdraft reviews will help you get the an excellent cooktop that will give your kitchen area a more healthy environment.
For me, cooking is a beautiful and relaxing activity- more so eating! To match my appetite, I always make sure that my kitchen & dining aesthetics are on point. With my suggestions, I’m sure you can achieve the same thing.
