Cooking can be a lot of fun when using a proper cooktop. Nobody likes to spend time in front of a stove where the smoke from your cooking constantly gets in your eyes or is soaked up by your hair and clothes. Neither is it fun to have the fumes from your cooking hang in the air long after you’ve eaten and tidied the kitchen. This is where a downdraft gas cooktop comes in very handy.

Downdraft cooktops are fairly new in the market especially the gas versions. They do not have the original cooking hood or extractor fan above the cooktop, but instead is designed to effectively extract smoke downwards and away from the cooktop. As soon as smoke and steam is created through normal cooking, the downdraft fan sucks it down through a tube and out through a vent to the outside of your house. This makes cooking and cleaning of your cooktop much easier and effective.

Downdraft gas cooktops are not as stylish and elegant as conventional cooktops making them less popular, but they are available in both silver and black, depending on the colour scheme and style of your kitchen. Some can be quite pricy depending on the make, model and manufacturer but they are generally affordable and reliable. These gas cooktops work very well in smaller spaces and compact kitchens. They are generally cheaper to purchase than the full hood version and although downdraft cooktops work relatively well, they might not be as effective as their extractor fan counterpart. Still they reduce smoke and gasses to a normal and healthy level and works perfect as an island unit.

It’s pretty easy to install a downdraft gas cooktop but advisable to have it installed by the manufacturer or a professional in the industry. Gas appliances should always be double checked, secured and regularly services to prevent and fix gas leaks. Visit your nearest lifestyle centre to view these downdraft gas cooktops to experience for yourself the pros and cons of installing one in your home.