Would you recommend using this?

*hoods

I have had one...never again. Noisy, tricky to install and maintenance difficult. Special needs require careful planning to ensure the exhaust piping is done properly, and devices have sufficient room. If building on slab, it has to be planned before slab is designed. Hood so much better.

A KD can come up with a more functional and much cheaper design than an island cooking zone with inadequate ventilation. Cooking is only 10% if the time you spend in a kitchen, prep is 70%.

I've read about them quite a bit since my MIL had to decide if to keep the current configuration, which had the down draft or install a regular hood. We couldn't find enough reasons to install the retractable ones. Even the people at several appliances stores did not recommend them. Apparently they are difficult to maintain and you run into problems.

Do anything you can to rework the layout to not have the cooktop on the island.

Sorry at best the downdrafts are minimal in the function dept. I never design interior cooki tops or stoves unless there is no other option, always have the cooking area on an outside wall if at all possible

Downdraft extractors do not work well. Had one once, never again. Please, no cooking on an island or peninsula...sink and DW is OK if you must.

I have had 2 downdraft vents...one Dacor that was in the centre between 4 burners also one behind the cooktop as in your photo. Didn't like either! If cooking with gas the downdraft pulls the flame toward the vent so uneven flame. And neither really worked well enough in eliminating smoke or steam. Go with the vent over the cooktop for sure.

I have had a cooktop on a island in my last three houses stretching over 30 years. the present is a kitchen aide that rises 16 inches, it does a much better job than the previous two which were not very efficient. I am pleased with the kitchen aid, and love cooking on the island as opposed to staring at the wall.

Okay, then would it be expensive to move? Also, any thoughts on induction vs electric (we don't have an existing gas line in the house) ?

I have a Wolf downdraft. Super quiet, easy to use, looks neat and clean and streamlined. Leaves lots of room overhead and I prefer that clean look. And usually use low setting as that is all that is needed. But if you ever burnt something and you turn this baby up--holy cow sucks the smoke and smell right out in seconds. I love this thing and highly recommend it.

Isabel, how far along are you with your kitchen reno? It won't cost anything to move something if you're still in the planning stages. Can you post your plans here? Then people can help you sort out where the cooktop should be located.

Induction is fabulous! My house came w/ a gas cooktop in the island and a downdraft. I had the cooktop ripped out & replaced w/ induction. Absolutely love it (only had experience w/ electric before). Don't have the need to use the downdraft that often, but when we do, it's fine & no problems w/ it sucking any of the heat away. Ours is original to the house and quite old, I'm assuming, so maybe the older models worked better than the newer models? I know there's another user on here w/ a downdraft that's pleased-- hopefully she'll chime in since hers is somewhat newer I think.

My first downdraft was 20 years old--never had an and issue. We just recently updated appliances after 20 years and also did the stainless Wolf cooktop as well and decided to update that downdraft.

We have one and it's great! Get a professional to install it correctly. We love ours!!!

Rollh01 and Dawn,
Which one do you have?