Are you disgusted with lingering smoke and food odors whenever you cook indoors? Well, we’re going to help you find the best gas cooktop with downdraft by showing you our three top picks. Reviews are what we do.
And when it comes to cooking, we understand that it’s important to get toxic fumes and kitchen odors efficiently exhausted from the home. We looked at a much 30-inch gas cooktop with downdraft with you in mind. It wasn’t hard for us to agree on the three models. Let’s dive right in.
3 Best 30-inch Gas Cooktops with Downdraft:
1. GE Profile 30-Inch Gas Downdraft Black Glass Top Stainless Steel Trim PGP9830SJSS
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To start off our downdraft gas cooktop reviews, we have this beautiful black glass top model. Burners include one large, one small, and two medium-sized burners. The grates sit about two inches above the glass on the connected metal posts.
This model offers a wide range of heating capabilities and it cooks food evenly. But it also tends to bring more customer complaints than the other two top picks bring.
What Customers are Saying
Retailers sometimes deceptively lead consumers to believe this the cooktop is made of stainless steel when it is actually made of black glass with stainless steel trim.
You may receive a propane gas cool top instead of a natural gas downdraft cooktop, which would be costly to have converted. This 30-inch model may not fit your cutout. Additionally, the rectangular exhaust duct may need to be altered to fit around ducting, and that brings its own set of problems.
Pros
- Cooks food evenly
- Burners are all-purpose burners
- Provides a wide range of heating capability
- Useful for most cooking needs
- Contains spillovers
- Has built-in insulation
Cons
- Nomenclature erroneously refers to this model as stainless steel
- You may receive a propane gas cooktop instead of a natural gas cooktop
- Does not fit a standard 30” cutout
- Plastic knobs
- Hard to clean
- Missing rubber feet on grates can lead to cracking the glass top
- The manufacturer warranty covers only one year
2. GE Profile 30-Inch Built-In Gas Downdraft Cooktop White PGP9830TJWW
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Another one of our favorite stainless steel gas cooktops with downdraft ventilation is this GE Profile 30-inch model. This sleek-looking cooktop with white glass and black grates would complement an all-white kitchen or a kitchen with white appliances.
The glass top is sealed, which facilitates thorough, easy cleaning. There is one large burner, one small burner, and two medium-sized burners. Rubber feet on the grates protect the glass from damage.
This cooktop cooks a variety of foods evenly. It is meant for use with natural gas, but it is made so that you could switch it over to propane. The GE Profile 30-inch cooktop comes with a powerful downdraft that works well enough to eliminate your need for an overhead exhaust fan.
What Customers are Saying
The Profile 30-inch cooktop is new, but customers have so far had no complaints other than that the rubber feet on grates already fell off. They say this cooktop is beautiful, gets very hot and is easy to clean. This model has many more pros than cons.
Pros
- A white glass cooktop with black grates is a pleasing design to some people
- Sealed cooktop, easy to clean
- 11,500 BTU
- Has orifices and instructions to change over to propane
- Downdraft is included
- Downdraft works well enough that no overhead fan is needed
Cons
- Missing rubber feet on grates can lead to cracking the glass top
3. KitchenAid KCGD500GSS 30-Inch 4 Burner Stainless Steel Gas Downdraft Cooktop
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While previewing stainless steel gas cooktops with downdraft ventilation, you may decide that this KitchenAid option suits you the best.
This cooktop is made with stainless steel rather than breakable colored glass. However, its coating has some issues. This model also features full cast-iron grates.
You can use propane with this model rather than natural gas. The cooktop has automatic re-ignition. The downdraft ventilation system has three speeds.
What Customers are Saying
Unlike some cooktops, this one fits into standard 30-inch spaces. The option to use it with propane is handy.
Made with shiny stainless steel and genuine iron grates, it looks like a million bucks. Unfortunately, the protective coating fails to protect the steel. The finish scratches easily, and even non-acidic liquid creates pits in it. KitchenAid’s warranty does not cover cosmetic issues. Consumers do say this cooktop is easy to clean, though.
KitchenAid touts that it does not pull flames down on the low setting. Still, the downdraft has been known to pull the flame down along with the smoke. Otherwise, there aren’t many complaints about this model.
Pros
- Four burners with 5,000 – 17,000 BTU
- 3-speed downdraft ventilation with 300 CFM
- Automatic re-ignition
- Full-width cast iron grates
- Can be used with propane
- Comes with a propane conversion kit and instructions
- Strong enough to support a heavy canning pot
- Downdraft does not put out low-setting flames
Cons
- Stainless steel protective coat pits and scratches easily
- The warranty does not cover cosmetic issues
Factors to Consider When Buying Gas Cooktop with Downdraft
Installation
Cooktops come in widths between 60 and 90 cm. You’ll want to make sure that you have sufficient space between your counters for the desired cooktop, along with sufficient ventilation space beneath it.
You’ll want to have a licensed plumber install and connect your cooktop.
Gas or propane
While it would be cheapest to use mains gas, you can use bottled LPG with some of these cooktops. You can also opt for a ceramic or induction cooktop.
Burner type
You can select from the wok, large, medium, and simmer burners.
Burner layout
If you have a 60cm gas cooktop, you’ll only be able to use up to three of the cooktops at a time. If you use large cookware, you’ll need to consider getting an 80 – 90cm cooking space that has the fifth burner located away from the others. You’ll also want simmer burners closest to you and the medium-sized ones in the back. Get oblong-shaped burners for barbecuing using a grill or hotplate.
Flame height
While instructions will come with your cookstove, have the plumber who installs your cooktop also adjust the flame heights for you.
Flame failure
You should only use a cooktop that has a flame failure safety feature. This kind of device either cuts off the gas or reignites the flame when it goes out unintentionally.
Flame failure can happen on a cooktop that has a downdraft because the downdraft can suck the flame out. You’ll know your unit has a safety feature by the presence of a rod or two next to each burner.
Cleaning
Clean up spills immediately to prevent clogging the burners. Be prepared to remove several parts, including knobs and trivets. Choose fingerprint-resistant coating if you get a stainless steel model. Get enamel coating for the easiest cleanup. Use a ceramic cleaner on glass. Use warm, soapy water on microfiber to clean most cooktop surfaces.
Cost
Expect to spend between $300 and $3,000 for a 30-inch cooktop stove with downdraft.
Advantages and Drawbacks of Gas Cooktop with Downdraft
Advantages
- A gas cooktop with a downdraft is a statement of style and sophistication. That’s partly because a cooktop is made from unusual, classy-looking materials such as colored glass or shiny stainless steel. The burners come in different sizes, and iron grates tower unusually high above the flames.
- Sophistication can also be measured by the experience a product provides. A cooktop heats up quickly and cooks evenly. Its surface and grates clean up easily.
- But the main source of the sophisticated experience you’ll have is the downdraft (exhaust fan). The downdraft is built into the cooktop and sits right there next to the burners. At this location, the fan pulls toxic fumes, odors, and steam downward before they reach your breathing space. This low location also keeps fan noise away from your ears.
Drawbacks
- There are some drawbacks to owning such understated elegance, though. One drawback could occur during installation. That’s when anything from the unit’s actual size and the ducting’s shape to the energy type the unit is set up for can present problems.
- Another area of concern is the material used for the cooktop surface. While the glass cooktops come with grates that have rubber feet on them, the grates can crack the glass whenever the rubber feet go missing. The stainless steel cooktops don’t crack, but they may have a protective coating that does not actually protect the steel from scratches or pitting.
This has been a review of 30-inch cooktops. If you prefer a larger cooktop, you’ll want to read a 36-inch gas cooktop with downdraft reviews.
Summary
You have many factors to consider when you select a gas cooktop with downdraft. Not only does the cooktop need to fit into your countertop and fit in with the décor, but it also needs to suit your cooking needs and be safe.
We’ve reviewed three 30-inch cooktops with a downdraft. We choose #3, the sharp-looking stainless steel KitchenAid option, like our top pick. It has a powerful downdraft plus a safety re-ignition feature.
The white GE Profile 30-Inch built-in model takes second place because of its cutting-edge color and lack of customer complaints.
If you are in the market for a smoker or grill, you can view our grill reviews at theorganizedpantry.org. We’d love to serve you.