Gas Cooktops with downdraft are the perfect choice for cooking as they efficiently eliminate smoke and odors while you are cooking. The wonderfully designed cooktops are exactly the same size as conventional cooktops and will easily fit in the designated space in your kitchen.
The gas cooktops with downdraft use a special technique that draws the odors, smoke, and steam downwards while you are cooking and expels them to the exterior of your home with the unique downdraft system. Gas Cooktops with downdraft are a great choice also because they eliminate the need for you to install and use an extractor fan in your kitchen.
They are available in various sizes so you can find the ideal model to fit your kitchen space and they also come in many attractive designs like black and chrome so you can choose the perfect model to match your other kitchen items and appliances. They are also specially designed to be cleaned easily and most of the models come complete with an easy to clean filter that can be removed for cleaning.
5 Best Gas Cooktop With Downdraft: Editor’s Recommendation
1. Frigidaire FGGC3047QS Gallery 30 Gas Cooktop in Stainless Steel
Most cooktops have four burners. While this is plenty for some kitchens, it is often difficult to come across a cooktop that has more than four burners. One really good thing about the Frigidaire gas cooktop is that it has four burners, but it also has a fifth one in the middle. This makes organizing whatever is planned to be cooked on the stovetop a bit easier. It also makes things a bit more convenient, as most of the bigger burners on a cooktop are located in the back. The big burner on the Frigidaire cooktop is located in the middle.
There is only one big burner on the Frigidaire cooktop, and that can be an issue. If you are looking to cook using any more than one big burner, then you will either need to take a chance using the other four burners. The knobs that turn the burners on are located right on the front of the cooktop, which can be hazardous as it is very easy to accidentally switch one of the burners on without knowing. Also, there is an issue with cleaning. The surface underneath the burners are made of stainless steel, which can be scratched. This means cleaning it will require something that does not have a hard surface. This can be detrimental because if you wait too long to clean the surface, it will be difficult to clean it without scratching it, but if you do not wait long enough, the surface will still be hot and can be dangerous to clean.
Pros:
- Comes with 4 sealed burners
- Cast iron grates
- The central burner goes from 450 to 18,000 BTU’s
- Attractive appearance
Cons:
- Some users reported problems with flimsy grate seats
- The surface can be scratched easily when cleaning
2. Electrolux Frigidaire Professional FPGC3077RS 30″ Gas Cooktop in Stainless Steel
It’s always a nice thing for a cooktop to have five burners, but one thing that makes things even better is to have all the different burners the same size. The Frigidaire Electrolux is one such cooktop that not only has five burners, but it has five different size burners. The biggest burner is in the center. There is a small and a medium burner at the front and a small and medium one on the back, which is standard for any given cooktop. But some gas cooktops do not have this kind of variety and it is very nice that the Frigidaire Electrolux cooktop does.
Although it is standard for many gas cooktops, the grates strewn among the Frigidaire Electrolux cooktop can be confusing for some. Additionally, the flame from the gas that lights the cooktop tends to rise a little higher than they normally should, which runs the risk of defeating the purpose of the grates making it easy to move whatever pot needs to be moved easily. The stainless steel surface underneath the grates do scratch easily and while they can be easy to clean after cooking, they run the risk of getting scratched quite a bit if too much time goes by after cooking.
Pros:
- Made out of high-quality stainless steel
- Central burner gives you 18,000 BTU’s
- Left front and rear burners of 9,500 BTU’s each
- Right front burner of 12,000 BTU’s
- Attractive appearance
Cons:
- Some users reported problems with broken grates
- Some users claimed difficulties with contacting the sellers
3. Frigidaire FGGC3645QS – Frigidaire Gallery 36 inch Gas Cooktop in Stainless Steel
Most gas cooktops are 30 inches wide. This can be a problem for some kitchens, as it can leave open spaces after the cooktop gets installed. These open spaces can be a less than appealing. The Frigidaire 36’’ cooktop solves this issue, as it is six inches wider. This can make the countertop it gets installed on look a little more complete. Different than the Frigidaire 30’’ cooktop, the burners are different sizes. The biggest burner is still in the middle, but instead of the other four being the exact same size, there is a medium sized and small burner on the front and back portions of the cooktop. This allows for a little more variety.
The grates on the Frigidaire 36’’ cooktop are designed for anything on top of it to easily slide over from one burner to the next without having to physically pick anything up off the burner. In theory, this is ideal and would be a great reason to own the Frigidaire 36’’ cooktop. But in its actual execution, the Frigidaire 36’’ cooktop does not do this as good as it could. Remember that the cooktop uses gas to cook things, so instead of a light coming on when being turned on, a flame rises up whenever one of the burners is activated. This makes sliding something from one burner to the next a little more dangerous than it could be. The knobs that turn the burners on are made of metal, and it can be difficult to clean if anything gets underneath the knobs. While this is a minor flaw, it is a flaw nonetheless.
Pros:
- Sealed burners are easy to clean
- A special slow simmer burner for melting chocolate and other smaller tasks
- Easy temperature control with the special Ready-Select option
- Back left burner gives you 9,500 BTU’s
- Back right burner at 5,000 BTU’s
- Front left burner at 12,000 BTU’s
- The front right burner at 15,000 BTU’s
- Hot surface indicator light
Cons:
- Some users have complained that the lowest setting on this burner is too high (so, you can simmer things on it that well)
- Some users have complained about poor customer service
4. Thorkitchen Pro-Style Gas Rangetop with 6 Sealed Burners 36 – Inch, Stainless Steel HRT3618U
It is standard for most gas cooktops to be equipped with four of five burners. This is to be expected for nearly all gas cooktops. This is not the case with the Thorkitchen gas cooktop, as it has six burners. This is not the only good thing about it. The six burners on it are different sizes as well, which allows for a lot of versatility. The burners on the back are all the same size. On the front row of the burners, the middle burner is the smallest, and is flanked by two bigger burners. This makes the Thorkitchen gas cooktop very ideal for larger homes that do a lot of cooking for a lot of people.
Cooktops with so many burners can be a really valuable asset. But they have their flaws as well. As anyone would probably figure, a cooktop with six burners is bound to be crowded, especially when cooking a lot of things. This is an issue with the Thorkitchen gas cooktop, as there is not a lot of space between each burner on the back row. The front row of burners is set up nicely, with a small burner flanked by two larger ones. But the back row is not set up this way and it can cause some problems. The Thorkitchen gas cooktop can also be rather difficult to clean because of the lack of space between burners.
Pros:
- Comes with 6 high-power burners
- Two single burners at 18,000 BTU’s
- One dual burner at 15,000 BTU’s
- Three single burners at 12,000 BTU’s each
- Features a black porcelain drip pan
- 3 heavy-duty cast-iron grates
- Stainless steel control panel
- Zinc alloy control knobs
Cons:
- Quite expensive
- The grates can be tough to align once attempt to place them back on after cleaning
5. Bosch 500 Series 36″ Stainless Steel 5 Burner Gas Cooktop
The problem with some gas cooktops that have five burners is that they are very crowded and difficult to clean. This is especially true when if these burners are only 30 inches wide. It can be difficult to clean underneath the grates, which, if left alone for too long, can be even more difficult to clean perfectly because of the possibility of the steel underneath the burners having the propensity to scratch. The Bosch 36’’ cooktop eliminates most of this by designing the grates in a way where nothing is too crowded. This makes it easier to clean underneath and is one of the best things about it.
The knobs that control the burners leave something to be desired. Most gas cooktops, with the knowledge that things can get extremely hot, construct the knobs that control the burners from some form of metal to prevent them from being affected by the heat. This is not the case with this gas cooktop, as they are made of plastic. This makes them vulnerable to the impending heat that the cooktop can produce, and if one is using the cooktop for a long time, it is possible that the knobs could be affected by the heat.
Pros:
- Comes with an OptiSim burner for simmering delicate sauces and meat
- Electronic re-ignition
- One-piece stainless steel design
- 16,000 BTU’s
- Elegant design
Cons:
- Fairly expensive
- Some users have reported some discoloration around the burners
How Exactly Do Gas Cooktops With Downdraft Work?
The cooktops use a unique downdraft system that draws the smoke, steam, and odors downwards while you are cooking preventing them from escaping into the air in your kitchen.
With conventional cooktops the steam and odors rise up into the air and this is why it fills the kitchen while you are cooking which also steams up the windows and the cooking smells then go everywhere around your house.
Gas cooktops with downdraft also make cooking easier as they keep the steam and smoke away from your face while you are cooking so you can clearly see what you are doing. The cooktops can be easily connected to an extraction point in your kitchen to ensure that all the steam and odors go outside the house while you are cooking.
What Are the Main Advantages of the Best Gas Cooktop With Downdraft?
- Efficiently expel odors, steam, and smoke from your kitchen while you cook
- Prevents lingering odors building up around your home in your furniture, curtains, and clothes
- Saves you space in the kitchen as you don’ t have to install an extractor fan above the cooktop
- Saves you money purchasing an extractor fan
- Prevents steam and smoke damage from occurring on the kitchen cupboards, and damaging paint on the walls and ceiling
- Creates a more attractive open style kitchen without the need for an overhead fan.
The gas cooktops with downdraft are a great way to get rid of the steam and unwanted odors when cooking, grilling or frying. The attractive and compact designs available give you a great selection so you can choose the perfect style for your kitchen as you can select from various glass, ceramic and stainless steel materials.
Verdict
Using gas cooktops with downdraft also give you more space as they can be used efficiently without the need for an extractor fan and they give your kitchen a more open look without needing to mount a fan above the cooktop. Best gas cooktop with downdraft will be an easy way to cook without odors, smoke and steam.