down draft stoves

[fishnugget]

So, the wife and I are in the middle of purchasing our first home!

We been doing some research on the type of stove that we will have in the new house. It's one with a down draft vent. Apparently, these are seen in pretty negative light online. They are really expensive and "don't work well." One alternative would be to buy a stove without a vent, but I there seem to be mixed feelings on those as well. It's much more expensive to install one with a vent above, since a lot more work has to go into it (for the vent) than just buying one and getting it hooked up.

I'm a little concerned about it (we cook a lot), and am also wondering if is any sort of big negative selling point on the house. Way down the line, when we are selling, are we going to regret having this kind of stove? Is this kind of thing something buyers really look out for or pay attention to? It slipped by us because we didn't know it was a big deal.

So - is this kind of stove really bad, and if so, would you expect it to reduce the value of the house?

 

[NickDanger]

We had a Jenn Aire down draft and it was an unmitigated piece of ****.

 

[accuratehorn]

I didn't know what a downdraft vent was, so I googled it. Said they are the alternative to the normal updraft vent hood where space prohibits a normal range hood, like over some kitchen islands. Sounds kind of goofy to me, since heat rises.
Can you have a normal vent hood added? Some are not real expensive, but you would have the additional expense of adding the duct through the attic either to the roof or out the side.
We added one that ducts the stove gases to the soffit through a round register that we painted and doesn't look too obtrusive. But maybe your house doesn't have room for the normal set-up for some reason.
The article I read mentioned the downdraft type wouldn't get as much of the cooking exhaust, especially from tall pots on the stovetop.

 

[BigWill]

A metric ****-ton of new homes come with microwaves over the range. Those 90% of the time, those microwaves simply recirculate the exhast...pick it up at the bottom and blow it out the front.

 

[WooHorn]

BigWill is correct.

I went through the same kind of hassles getting a range set up to exhaust through the roof (a down draft that went outside wouldn't have worked for me b/c we couldn't send it down or sideways.

The cabinet guys, sheetrockers, etc. couldn't figure out why they had to deal with it b/c "nobody exhausts stoves anymore." Go look at high end microwaves and they all have optional attachment vents that go beneath them and just recirculate with no filter I believe.

I have a relative who had a downdraft b/c stove is in the island and I thought it was pretty cool but I see how it would miss stuff.

I would only worry about it if I cooked a lot and the range was gas. If I was doing it again, I wouldn't vent because I would rather have the cabinet space back and I NEVER turn mine on. Unless your kitchen is small and closed off, the smell/smoke won't matter.

Also, if they are problematic, I don't even know if having down draft would be better than no exhaust. Would an inspector who would disregard a complete lack of venting note that they suck (if they do) (no pun intended)? I don't know.

This thread reminds me that my vent hood has some filter or screen in it that I have never cleaned. I wonder if it is all nasty even though I don't turn it on? I will have to go check . . .