The GE is built on contract by whirlpool. Jenn-air is the premium line of whirlpool.

Downdrafts range from barely inadequate to completely useless. Overhead vents at least don't try to work against the laws of nature that heat, steam, and smoke rise.

It doesn't lock you in to electric, you could also do Induction, all the benefits of gas, but no flames. Read up on it here, tons of information.

That doesn't solve your lack of ventilation problem though, sorry.

Maybe you could try finding a vintage JennAir electric cooktop and induction cartridges to go with it?

I agree that gas downdraft is terrible. Electric downdraft is at least usable. IMO electric radiant cooktops are not as bad as some make them out to be and I personally prefer them over gas for a multitude of reasons.

Can you find any coil top downdraft cooktops? I would take that if you could over a smoothtop.

When you ask about how easy it is to clean, do you mean the cooktop surface or the vent system?

I have a JA electric downdraft range, probably about the vintage you're losing. It's not as bad as I expected. The cooking aspects of the range are pretty good, for electric. It probably vents better than most because the POs didn't actually install ductwork under it; it vents into the spacious crawlspace forming the shortest duct possible. Ew.

Anyway, have you looked into the possibility of actually installing a ceiling mounted hood? It's worth it for the lights alone!

Thanks for the thoughts. After a lot of on line research I am deciding between 1) rehabbing the old gas unit which is built like a brick house and putting a variable speed fan controller on it vs 2) switching out to induction a 2-burner unit with a custom downdraft vent integrated into the countertop, NOT a pop-up.

I have not found an obvious source for old like 1992 vintage Jenn Air parts, most seem to be cheap newer Maytag parts. Does anyone have a source?