For most people, cooking is relaxing time spend over a cooktop with friends and family and stirring up a meal to delight young and old. Having the right equipment to prepare sumptuous meals makes the experience even more rewarding.  Unfortunately many of us still struggle with old and worn out stove tops that leave the kitchen full of grease, heat and often unwanted smells. Next time you decide to renovate the kitchen or simply just replace your old stove or cooktop, consider the benefits of buying a Downdraft gas cooktop.

Most of us are used to the conventional hood above the cooktop with an extractor fan that draws the heat and steam away from the cooktop. However, the heat and steam still rises up and usually blurs the view to whatever you’re cooking, plus cooking hoods are often large, noisy and not always a pretty sight. A cooking hood just won’t work in a small kitchen.

As the name suggests, a downdraft cooktop creates a draft in a downwards direction, sucking in the air, heat and steam above the cooktop. As the air is sucked down, it cools down and sinks, leaving your cooking area clean and clear. Heat naturally rises and to suck it in a downwards direction, a powerful fan should be installed. It also helps if your kitchen area is well ventilated, especially in smaller kitchens.

Price wise, the downdraft gas cooktop makes a lot of sense. It’s cheaper to install, no additional hood and extractor is required and gas is less expensive to use in the long run. Although gas cooktops have more rigid edges and are less elegant than electric cooktops, they come in many beautiful designs and with many practical features. Downdraft gas cooktops are easy to use, they work effectively and you will never have a problem during power failures. Downdraft cooktops are easy to install and makes a lot of sense when space is a problem or you find cooktop hoods unsightly.