WANTED: High End Electric Down Draft Cook Top

[buffygirl]

Is there such a thing??? After months and months of research on replacing my kitchen appliances, including a gas cooktop, we found out today that due to a gas leak, we are going to have to replace our cooktop with electric. :( The expense and mess of replacing a bad gas line to our island is too much to bear (our house is on slab).

I'm just thankful that we didn't already spend the money on the gas cooktop. Literally, we were just days away from purchase...

Kim

[sneezles]

Kim,
I've seen ones by Jenn-Air (45" with 3 bays) runs about $1,000 and by Whirpool(30", ceramic top, unchangeable, and fairly small draft section).

Are you looking for a particular size, type (glass, ceramic), color?

[HejazSunKat]

I would suggest moseying on over to the appliance or kitchen remodeling forums on Garden Web. They are a wealth of information and advice.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/

[cocoa'smom]

Dacor makes a down draft ventilation system that can work with any cooktop. GE Profile makes one, as well. When we did our kitchen 5 years ago, we looked at the Dacor, but because of cost, got a Frigidare downdraft and really regret it. The motor is SO loud and it has to be on pretty high to do any good. The Dacor has the option to put the motor outside the house, which I really wish we had done. If I had to do it again, I would definitely pay the money for the Dacor. Not sure what the GE Profile is like.

[buffygirl]

Thanks for the responses....

Sneezles, ee need a 36", probably black or stainless. I say "probably" because we are almost ready to change out our counters and back splash, but not quite ready. We have money set aside to do it, but I haven't had time to design what I want.

Cocoa's mom, thanks for pointing me in the direction of Dacor, I had no idea they made a down draft.

Good call on Garden Web, in my frenzy that totally slipped my mind!

This is all so frustrating! I have zero time to shop for what I want and I'm extremely picky. And I really want to continue with gas cooking.

Sorry for the whine. I know there are waaaaay worse things people are going through right now. In the whole scheme of things this is no big deal. It's just that I am supposed to have dinner for 14 for Thanksgiving and no way to cook it at this point. Central Market here I come :)

[tea4one]

How frustrating indeed. I never knew dacor had a downdraft either. I don't like the hoods if I had to have a hood I think I would go with a liner so I can build something over it so it looked like it was part of the cabinetry. If thats at all posible, I haven't thoroughly researched this myself, hence the cluelessness on the dacor downdraft.

[HeidiD]

I don't think you can get it anymore, but I have a Thermador electric downdraft range that's been fabulous for 14 years. We saw it in our builder's house and decided to splurge and have never regretted it. I love the downdraft feature. My kitchen is not large and I didn't want to deal with an exhaust hood in the middle of it (my range is part of an island). I don't look forward to the day I need to replace it. Good luck with your appliance shopping ... I will be following this thread for future reference.

Heidi

[Beth]

Have you checked outhte cost of repairing the gas line? I ask because we had to run gas to move our island gas cooktop, ran water and drain to the island for a prep sink and originally ran a gas line to the island when we bought the house --planning on changing the electric cooktop to gas but not planning on relocating the cooktop becuase of the vent. None of those ran us more than $500, but we were putting in a new floor when we bought the house and we saved tiles and were able to repair this time. The flooring can get you if you can't repair what's there.

Enjoy Central Market's turkey dinner and take time to make the right decision for the long haul. Don't get forced into something you'll be unhappy with for years over a few hundred dollars, a few weeks or not taking time to ask about your options (okay -- so I did all 3 for nearly a year, but there has to be a happy medium! ;) :D).

Hang in there -- hope you get it all worked out.