Best Gas Downdraft Range/Stove/Oven - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

sunedog · #1 01-25-2013, 09:58 PM

I'm probably in the market for a new gas downdraft slide in range. Has to be downdraft. I'm having difficulty finding much information on customer satisfaction and pricing for these. (Websites don't often show pricing. They all want you to contact them for a price.)

Anyone have one they really like. I'm prepared to spend $2000+, but the high end "professional" models are out of the question.

Brian Carlton · #2 01-25-2013, 11:28 PM

I know a guy that has a 24 year old Jenn Air model S120 down draft electric slide in range that only needs a small repair.

Probably last another 24 years.

You don't want those new-fangled computer controlled gadgets that will cost you more than the purchase price over the next 10 years when you finally have to toss it out................

sunedog · #3 01-25-2013, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

I know a guy that has a 24 year old Jenn Air model S120 down draft electric slide in range that only needs a small repair.

Probably last another 24 years.

Ha ha ha. You funny man.

(I'm just happy tonight. Not gonna spend $2000+ and deal with a lot of associated headaches.)

t walgamuth · #4 01-25-2013, 11:55 PM

Those downdraft stoves have really huge fans to draw air down into them. They will suck your conditioned air out of your house and if you cook a lot will impact your energy usage to cool and heat your house.

lorainfurniture · #5 01-26-2013, 12:04 AM

You are the first satisfied downdraft owner I have ever heard. The only reason I like down drafts is that I can sell the cartridges o fleabay for decent money.

sunedog · #6 01-26-2013, 12:04 PM

Long story on why I went downdraft, but I've got a few minutes.

I built this house and did all the cabinets. I was young and learning all the way. I had done some woodworking projects, but had never done site-built cabinets (which are typical in the Southeast in all but the least expensive homes). So I studied how to design and build site-built cabinets.

One of the normal design guidelines for cabinets is the stiles (vertical face frame members) of base cabinets line up with the stiles on the wall cabinets.

We picked out a medium priced Kenmore slide in range and I obtained the cabinet rough-in dimensions in advance so I could make sure to build the cabinet to the correct dimensions. That particular range required a minimum width of 28 5/8". So I built a cabinet with a 28 7/8" opening, allowing for 1/8" wiggle room on each side. Then I drew plumb lines up the wall and built the wall cabinets to match. This left a 28 7/8" opening in the wall cabinets for the range hood. While ranges from different manufacturers vary in width by a few fractions of an inch, I learned too late that all ranges hoods are 30 frigging inches wide! I was screwed.

The alternatives were:
1) Tear out about 8 linear feet of wall cabinet and rebuild them leaving a 30" opening for the range hood.
2) Buy a 30" range hood and somehow try to refabricate the sheet metal to make it fit in a 28 7/8" opening.
3) Buy a down draft range. (It was still possible at this point in construction to route the duct work for a down draft range.)

Luckily, Jenn Air made a down draft range that fit my opening. So that's why we bought it.

I can honestly say we've enjoyed it more than we expected to and it has worked flawlessly for 24 years. We use the indoor grill about once a month use the griddle which goes over the grill element at least three times a week.

When we do finally have to replace it, I will be faced with the same challenges as above. And my wife craves a gas range, so that means running a new gas line from one side of my house to the other. I am so happy the problem with my current range is in the wiring connection and not the unit itself.