Hire an actual KD before you do any demo. And get the cooktop off of the island. Especially if you don’t want to asphyxiate the family when you sear chilies.

If you are doing an expensive remodel already, keeping the cooktop with a downdraft in the island would be a mistake. You should also change it to gas or induction.

You can find so many beautiful hoods to use, I would take this opportunity to kill two birds with one stone: Add a hood to the perimeter wall with an induction cooktop. It will be more aesthetically pleasing and more functional. Check and check.

Thank you all. Good advice. Will work with my designer to move things around and price it

Or you could add an island hood from the ceiling for proper ventilation if you want to keep the location of the cooktop.

i have a gas cooktop with tall telescoping downdraft in my island, and i'm satisfied with how it works... but i only cook indian food once a week. so i'd go along with a 'try to move it' view with regard to ventilation if you have high expectations.

with regard to clean up, i'd keep the cooktop in the island. the downdraft makes an easy to clean backstop... the filters easily pop out to hand wash or go in the dishwasher. you get no build up on surrounding cabinets or in grout lines of the harder-to-reach backsplash. a good scrub down of the island (which you need to do every day after dinner anyway) and i wet swiffer the floor in front of the cooktop, which you'd have to do in front of any stove after oil cooking.

so, something to be said for each way.

i like not facing the wall when i cook, thats something for you to consider.

"i like not facing the wall when i cook,"

That's the best thing about an island cook top for me too (mine is a range, not just a cook top, but the effect is the same). I love cooking on a kitchen island rather than against the wall!

I currently have my cooktop in my island and really like it. It is an electric cooktop with downdraft fan included within it. It was in the house when we purchased it in 2002. I am remodeling this year and plan to get an induction with a telescoping downdraft. I am keeping the cooktop in the island. I agree that it is nice to see my family as I cook. This has especially been the case as my children have grown up. Many breakfasts cooked while having a wonderful chat with my girls. I've never had any safety issues with it being in the island. My island is 5'x5' and we have seating on the opposite side of the cooktop. My downdraft fan works great!

You have a single storey house so just get a regular hood and vent out the ceiling.IMO downdrafts are awful for venting period and if you can have direct vent it is the perfect answer.

Did you ever make this change? curious about how well it worked for you to keep the cooktop on the island

Hi - we did not end up changing the location of the cooktop - it is still in the center island. I am now used to cooking this way and don’t mind the downdraft - it has been ok with heavy cooking for the most part. The downdraft does not work well when cooking in taller pots etc. I find that I have to plan the location of pots on the cooktop. The center island location is not so much an issue as I thought it would be. I would like a ventilation hood though - something to explore in a few years time.

@Sowmya Swaminathan: Tamil speaking-daily cooking-mother of two here. Have you done the other remodeling you discussed in the original post, tearing down wall, etc? How much have spent so far on your remodeling work?