Have you talked to the condo board about ventilation? Where are the outside walls? Where are the windows?

Thank you for the reply - The outside walls are toward the bottom left corner of the photo as with the windows. The door in the photo goes to a common hall and there are units on either side, as well as below. There are skylights above the kitchen, per the board we are unable to make any changes that would alter the outside/brick or common area (which they consider roof or outer walls).

Thanks for info. I think your best bet is to choose the one that has the easiest grease cleaning and/or the highest airflow that still works with a gas cooktop, but you should talk to an experienced pro about your options.

If you do a lot of cooking, eventually you may want to petition the condo board for an exemption to the rules. There may be some unobtrusive spot on the walls that could have an exhaust vent.

s,

Are you getting a new stove? Looking at your picture, there is no where to fit a downdraft. In your situation, you have very few options unfortunately. Are you getting new equipment and can you make the counter deeper in the peninsula? This may lead to a kitchen remodel to make the most of the current space.

You picked two of the worst technologies. Recirculating ductless hoods are usually not much more than noise makers that evenly distribute cooking smells throughout your kitchen. Clearly not what you want.

Judging from the comments in this forum, the only ductless system that is better than a placebo is the Vent-A-Hood ARS system. Some people seem to actually really like it and feel it is highly effective; others are not quite so convinced, but they usually admit that the problems only really happen with lots of high-heat frying.

You'll find a similar pattern with downdrafts. They are better than not having a hood at all. And if you don't fry a lot of smelly foods, you might even like it. But it is overall not particularly efficient. Don't expect it to eliminate anywhere close to all cooking smells. And if you do manage to get a high-powered downdraft system, it'll wreak havoc with your gas burners.

I'd strongly encourage you to stay away from a downdraft. It's OK for occasional cooking in a rarely used kitchen, but you'll hate it, if this is your main kitchen in your primary residence.

I'd also recommend working with the HOA to see if there is any way to get a properly venting hood. You'll like it much better. But if that is not doable, then get the Vent-A-Hood. You'll probably be OK with it.

Thank you all - We agree that the downdraft is not the best option for efficiency and the reality is we would prefer an overhead vent to the outside to expel kitchen odors. We've sent in a request for an exception but have not heard back.

I have read about the downdraft causing some issues with gas and that does make me hesitate as well.

I wonder if even a stand alone filter of some sort might work for the time being. I don't do a lot, if any, frying. It is mostly searing/sauteeing and a lot of strong flavors and seasonings. Being so open I just need to catch the smells to prevent them from infiltrating the entire apartment. We had even thought about building out behind the stove and along the wall to have it vent to the front but waiting on HOA to see about other options.

I will look into the suggested other options. Thanks!

S,

Do you have a budget for this update and how far are you willing to go? the issue with air purifiers or something of that nature it that they don't deal well with oil particles which is mostly what is being discharged especially from spices.

Very much have a budget - Thinking about getting a new stove was pushing the limits on top of a fan cost.

That's the thing - is that each of these options has issues but they're the options we seem to have without a renovation.

All suggestions appreciated

I have that exact Thermador downdraft model paired with a Thermador induction cooktop. It works surprisingly well but, of course, not as good as an old fashioned overhead hood. However, it works much better than the downdraft that was built into the Jenn-Air cooktop that it replaced. I'm sure you are aware of this but the blower is purchased separately so you need to account for it when calculating your total cost. I do not use the recirculation module as my house was built for a downdraft and was piped to vent down into the floor and then out the side of the house.

When it was first installed it vibrated very badly except at the highest speed. After having Thermador out a couple of times we determined it was a faulty blower, it appeared as though it must've been dropped or suffered an impact of some sort prior to installation. They replaced it and all has been well since. I was very happy with the support I got from Thermador.

I don't know anything about the Cattura but I do like that it has a built-in light. The Thermador does not have a light and there are times that I wish it did. Also, I like the look of the electronic controls on the Cattura. The Thermador has a simple analog knob with low, medium and high settings that you push to raise and lower the unit. It also looks like the Cattura is taller. The filters on the Thermador are designed to be just tossed into the dishwasher and reused, which is nice, whereas it looks like the filters on the Cattura need to be replaced every 3 to 6 months. I've never seen or heard of the Cattura so I couldn't tell you if the build quality and performance is on par with the Thermador.

Can you switch to electric induction? Since you are in a Condo, this may not be possible since it needs a 40amp circuit minimum for a range. Is there space on the other side of the range that you have today?

Has anyone found a solution recently?

Since the laws of physics haven't really changed since the last comment about two years ago, Sophie's response still holds true. If you want your vent to do anything other than make noise, don't look for a recirculating down draft. On the other hand, if you do want the noise, then the cheapest option is a Google Home for about $30. It has a "fan noise" ambient sound mode that works just as well as the downdraft.

Ideally, all vent hoods should be overhead and should vent to the outside. In shared apartment spaces, that's not always possible. In that case, the Vent-A-Hood recirculating hood is the only design that has ever gotten positive reviews. It has much bigger filters than any of the competing designs, and those do seem to be effective. It does cost a pretty penny though, and it cannot be configured as a downdraft -- not that downdrafts are ever a good idea.

If you absolutely want a downdraft, at the very least get a pop-up vent and find the tallest one available (i.e. at least 18"). And then, do vent to the outside. It will not eliminate all cooking smells, but in a lightly used kitchen, it might be acceptable.