If you can move install a traditional hood, even an unvented one, do so rather than choose a stovetop w/downdraft.

Good suggestion but this cooktop is in my island that is in the center of a large kitchen with high ceilings. I really don't have a different place to move it. I need to make do with a downdraft.

You’re going to need to stick with the 30, and rework your island for the extra depth needed for the pop ups.

But really, unless your island is 8’, your island is probably way too small and you need to rework things completely to move the cooktop to a perimeter. Where it isn’t a safety hazard, and it can have real ventilation.

If you could look at an induction cooktop you can find 30 or 36" versions that seem to fit better on an island. They need less ventilation than gas because they do not create the waste heat. You still need ventilation for smoke and grease created from cooking. Best Cattura is a pop up that is effective for downdraft.

Another vid.-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNFjf55UoYQ&t=7s

I had a pop-up Thermador for 18 years. I loved how it worked (and the new ones are better). It controlled splashes while I was cooking and disappeared when not in use. Many guests didn’t know we had an exhaust until they saw it rise. When retracted, it blended in with the cooktop.

Thanks dan1888. That is the exact video that our. appliance person showed us and said that the Best downdraft is his favorite. Thank you remodeling1840.

That is good to hear your downdraft has served you well for that many years. Maybe I should just get the pop up one and not worry about it.

I can’t beleive in a large kitchen that is the only place for a cooktop. IMO downdrafts are soso at best compared to proper hood vented directly outside and for sure you need that with a 36” cooktop. Just curious if you could post a picture or 2 of your space.

Here is our kitchen. As you can see, there really isn't a lot of wall space and we aren't changing the cabinets.

To the right of the cabinets is the sliding door to the outside and the eating area that is just a bunch of large windows. The space opposite the island is open to the family room.

To do this with minimal changes, put in an overhead vent, transitioning from round to square, and run it outside through the bays between the second floor joists.

That is in a truly terrible and unsafe location on that island. And you can not increase the size of the cooktop. Nor can you put in a pop up without taking the extra depth needed from the seating area.

The whole poorly done island cooktop thing is a distinct turnoff to resale though.

I’d move the fridge to the wall oven spot and put in a range on that wall where the fridge is now. That would fix a lot of issues, including the top tight clearance in front of the fridge.

To make even less changes I'd delete the island seating. Kinda crowded there for 4 anyway. If the table is close that's more comfortable anyway. I'd go for a new countertop which was larger to use up some of that room used for chairs and maybe a little longer(layout dependent). Probably involve a new back portion of the base or so. Then an induction cooktop with the venting system would have some space.

Thank you Sophie Wheeler. Those are good suggestions. I am not clear, however, why you don't think I could put in a pop up downdraft when I have a downdraft already. It just doesn't pop up. I have a whole empty cabinet underneath the cooktop with nothing but the downdraft, plus an empty 12 inch cabinet behind it before you get to the seating space. So to clarify what you are saying, your first priority would be to move the cooktop to the wall where the refrigerator is, and move the fridge the wall oven space, second - put in an overhead hood, last choice - have a downdraft but a pop up one is better than a non-pop up. Is that correct? Thank you again for your suggestions.

my pop up is really nice.... its an easy to clean backsplash as well as a vent. also consider, you can have the motor in the basement. it saves a bit of room under your cooktop and you get more whooosh less roar when its running.

Sophie is saying to ditch the cooktop and get a range (stove) instead and install it on the wall where the fridge is currently. Move the fridge to where your wall ovens are and ditch the wall ovens.

There is only so much space inside a standard 24" cabinet. You've got 23 1/3" approximately. And a cooktop is 22" deep. You need 27" deep cabinets to have a pop up and cooktop in the same cabinet. Otherwise it has to go behind the cabinet holding the cooktop.

Thank you live_wire oak. I understand now. My appliance guy is coming out this week to see what will fit with what we have. We do have the empty cabinet behind our cooktop cabinet if necessary.

Thank you ninigret. What type of pop up do you have?

Thank you Cpartist. That is what I meant to say (instead of move the cooktop). I just think that is too much renovation for us at this point in time. Just looking for a little freshen up. Kids are almost ready for College and my discretionary funds are being diverted elsewhere other than my kitchen!! We will have to make do with the cooktop in the island but after these discussions I am leaning towards getting the best downdraft I can fit in my space. Although in all fairness, I rarely use the downdraft that I have now.

Thank you dan1888. I agree. We rarely use the seating area now at the island as we have a table right next to it. The island is larger than it looks in the picture in that I already have an extra cabinet behind my cabinet with the cooktop. We are going to change up the top of the island the best I can without changing the cabinets. Do you have any suggestions as to how to reshape the island top?

momtotwins, i have a 36" thermador, paired with (but not integrated with) my cooktop. the inserts go into the dishwasher.

underneath, we have about half the depth of the cooktop for storage.

ninigret, that looks very nice! Thank you for the photo.

How to configure your top would be easier with a 2D measured layout of your kitchen.

Induction units from Bosch Benchmark or Miele(both 17 levels of control) would pair with the Cattura. It would be useful to have a demo at a Miele Experience Center if one is near you. Or at a store, usually independent, near you. There are discussions on the Appliance Forum also. [Here's one.[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/did-you-switch-from-gas-to-induction-dsvw-vd~5507160?n=15)

dan1888 good suggestion. I spoke with my appliance guy this morning and they have a demo kitchen with an induction cooktop I am going to try before I finalize what I am going to do. I never really considered anything but gas but after reading all those great reviews about induction, i will at least give it a try. I also like the idea someone said about getting a single burner induction from amazon and trying it for a few weeks.

@momtotwins - What did you end up deciding on?