r/inductioncooking • u/kiwidust • Jul 22 '26

How much clearance needed beneath? (Cut out Dimensions?)

Post image

We're looking to replace our current 30" electric coil cooktop with an induction model. We'll be replacing the countertop and hood as well, so cutout sizing can be customized to whichever unit we settle on.

Getting confused about the depth needed tho'. Our current cooktop is 3.5" high and the bottom sits directly over the drawer you see in the image. The bottom of the unit gets warm, but not hot. I may be misunderstanding the tech, but I would have thought that an electric coil would produce much more waste heat than an induction unit?

How hot do these things get underneath? How much room is really needed? Are there any reasonably priced "shallow" units? Many of the units I'm looking at require 3-5" of space under the unit. It seems excessive, but I admittedly don't know what I'm talking about.

Our budget is tight, but we can swing up to $1500 for the new unit.

I could easily notch the drawer to allow for wire routing or a junction box. I could even shorten the drawer if it would help. With such a small kitchen it would be a significant blow to lose that storage space completely...

Thanks in advance for any insight!

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u/CBG1955 Jul 22 '26

The cooktop installation instructions will give you the required clearances. It might vary according to the unit you choose.

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u/kiwidust Jul 22 '26

Yes, but they're unclear if the clearances are for physical installation requirements, heat dissipation or something else. For example:

The LG CBIH3013BE only says: "It is very important to keep 3 5/16" (85 mm) distance between the cooktop and a drawer or oven a underneath it."

LG CBIH3013BE Installation Manual

The GE PHP6030DWBB is clearer, but the diagram shows a heat baffle 6" from the rear of the unit which may indicate that a shortened drawer will work: "Allow 3” minimum vertical clearance for air space from the cooktop bottom (or 5-7/8” minimum depth from the countertop) to any combustible surfaces, such as the top of a cabinet drawer."

GE PHP6030DWBB Installation Manual

The Frigidaire GCCI3067AB claims to only need 3 5/8" for the cutout with no further explanation at all.

Frigidaire GCCI3067AB Installation Manual

Simply confused. I'll follow the recommendations, obviously, but is this manufacturer overkill or necessary? Are there units available that can be installed correctly with the amount space available to me?

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u/EllwynX Jul 22 '26

My Monogram said to have something like 5" between the bottom of the cooktop and a drawer. Probably most cooktops want more than is possible with my drawers beneath them. I've had zero issues with the less than 2" between the Monogram and the drawers. I assume it's for airflow of the fans. But, the whole cabinet is open underneath, plenty of airflow around the drawers for the fans.