Stainless steel or Black Appliances?

[automaton 3]

Originally Posted by Bean

I don't suppose you can tell me where I can get this 3M stuff??

Not sure where to find the 3M stuff, but Home Depot sells a product IIRC called "Gleemit" which has worked wonders.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by BlackEleven

I'm not disputing you, but how do you know this? It seems the opposite to what everyone else in the thread is saying.

Look at the new, so called stainless appliances. There's more black on the them stainless erm... aluminum. They are so coated and dull to keep fingerprints from sticking they look black in darker lighting anyways. I didn't want to pay $1000 for stainless accents. I like the commercial quaility of stainless appliances, but nowadays they're just black ones with a couple of panels.

I am speaking of course, in terms of appliances the average Joe can afford.

Just found out they excavated our lot in the past 2 days!!! Woot!

[photon]

Here's our kitchen:

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Oiled bronze is the new color in town but as others have said, it not a look that can work in any kitchen, whereas stainless can. I would definately not say stainless is on the way out however. White appliances are dead as Elvis though.

http://www.jennair.com/catalog/oiled_bronze_suite.jsp

There are also some models of appliances that have fingerprint coatings in addition to the many sprays out there. I use some Zep cleaner I found at Home Depot. Brings em back with a simple wipe.

Bottom line, if you're going for a higher end look and concerned about resale, stainless is a given and a requirement of the market. Go to any higher end cabinet showroom (ie Legacy or Empire), and you'll see what I mean.

[greyshep]

Wow. Now I know what will become todays harvest gold. That Oiled bronze is unique but in that one photo I can see that going out of style quickly.

Nice kitchen photon.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

One weird factor - "stainless" is actually brushed aluminum. Fridge magnets won't stick, so no kids artwork unless it's taped on. Not that that's entirely a bad thing.

Not really true. I've got a good collection of kid's artwork and alphabet letters magnetized to our fridge. Perhaps aluminum is only used in the more budget minded models.

And it only takes me about 5 minutes once a week to go around with the special stainless spray and do the Fridge, Microwave and Dishwasher... no different than regular kitchen cleaning.

If anything is trendy, I would say it is black more so than stainless.

[bluejays]

I was going to say stainless steel, but I don't think it would be the best choice for your kitchen after seeing the pics. Stick with the black appliances. The contrasts in the floor black will make it look really elegant. I do think stainless steel looks good in most circumstances, but in this case, I think everything black would look sharp.

[BlackArcher101]

How about anodized blue?

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Not really true. I've got a good collection of kid's artwork and alphabet letters magnetized to our fridge. Perhaps aluminum is only used in the more budget minded models.

I've got a 22cf Architecht II from KitchenAid - I'd call it upper mid market and it's a non magnet surface.

After a bit of research - here's the reason for some stainless working with magnets. Just a different grade of stainless steel. Ironically the less "better" grade is magnetic - but it's really a moot point unless you're worried about rust and microbial resistance in a serious way....

http://www.finishing.com/71/36.shtml

(nerd warning applies)

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Flames09

Ours are texturized, so I say BLACK TEXTURIZED.

Textured might not show fingerprints, but grit gets in there that is extremely hard to remove. Might not see the dirt, but it is there. My last fridge had textured handles, only thing on the fridge hard to clean.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by greyshep

Yep, its granite.

Not sure why they did that in the showhome. But granite is included so maybe they wanted to keep the appliance package close to the credit amount. (which is really low)

We are going with an over the stove microwave/fan as well which is not shown in the picture. We are also considering a slide in style stove with the controls near the front so we could still see our tile backsplash.

U got little kiddies? If so, find an appliance with controls that have kids locks, or with controls that are not put out front where they will be tempted to play with them, especially important if you go with gas.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by firebug

Stainless steel is on the way out. Now I am sure that if you are putting in Viking or Wolff equipment that you will be fine, but the GE or Kenmore stainless look is going away.

The movement now is away from the commercial look and into more traditional appearances.

The next trend is heading towards that dark bronze colour.

We are building and have put in black appliances, including a slide-in range.

Best regards,

Bug

Dont worry what GE or Kenmore does. They are not the high end appliances and are not the trend setters anyhow. On the other hand, Wolff and Viking have been making top end appliances, heritage look appliances, not new wave look, for years and they have withstood the test of time.

Dont buy an appliance for its "now" look, buy it for how it will perform. Kitchen appliances these days are mega bucks, buy quality and performance.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Look at the new, so called stainless appliances. There's more black on the them stainless erm... aluminum. They are so coated and dull to keep fingerprints from sticking they look black in darker lighting anyways. I didn't want to pay $1000 for stainless accents. I like the commercial quaility of stainless appliances, but nowadays they're just black ones with a couple of panels.

I am speaking of course, in terms of appliances the average Joe can afford.

Just found out they excavated our lot in the past 2 days!!! Woot!

Not mine. I have top end appliances, Miele dishwasher, not one speck of black, Thermador oven, only black is some on control panel, Panasonic microwave, only a bit of black on control panel, LG refrigerator, no black, Thermador downdraft, no black, Viking induction cooktop does have the black cooking surface. But to say more black than stainless steel is being deceptive for what I have.

By the way, I have had my cooktop in my island since we built our house in 1989, would not go back to any other placement in a gazillion years. Just sooooooooo easy to keep clean. Mind you, my island is big, 5 feet by 5 feet, so I have plenty of room to put pots and pans while I am using my cooktop. I now have a 6 burner induction cooktop by Viking, previously I had a 4 burner and griddle electric combination by Thermador, both are 36" units. And I have a downdraft vent, the kind that goes up and down like a movie screen, so when not in use, surface of island is completely flat.

[redforever]

I just checked on what I use to clean my stainless steel appliances. It is called ZEP, the commercial kind, I think I got it at Home Depot, but cant remember for sure.

[photon]

Originally Posted by redforever

Not mine. I have top end appliances, Miele dishwasher, not one speck of black, Thermador oven, only black is some on control panel, Panasonic microwave, only a bit of black on control panel, LG refrigerator, no black, Viking induction cooktop does have the black cooking surface. But to say more black than stainless steel is being deceptive for what I have.

Nice stuff!

[greyshep]

Originally Posted by redforever

U got little kiddies? If so, find an appliance with controls that have kids locks, or with controls that are not put out front where they will be tempted to play with them, especially important if you go with gas.

Yes we have young kids.

We have considered the controls issue and have found a couple of options that have complete lockout ability. We are not buying gas appliances.

I also agree with your comment about the amount of black in stainless appliances. The only black on the ones we have looked at are in the same areas as you mentioned. (control panel and ceramic top on range, microwave buttons, etc.)

[ken0042]

The other complaint we used to get with front control stoves- when your wife is lifting a heavy pot over the front controls, sometimes the bottom of the pot can bump the controls, and possibly the pot can go flying. Usually not as big an issue if the sink is beside the stove. Just something to be careful of.

And I say "wife" above there not to try to be sexist, but it was the ladies who would complain about this the most.

[Flames09]

Originally Posted by redforever

Textured might not show fingerprints, but grit gets in there that is extremely hard to remove. Might not see the dirt, but it is there. My last fridge had textured handles, only thing on the fridge hard to clean.

Actually all you do is a quick wipe down everyday which isn't hard because it takes a second to do, IMO stainless steal appliances don't make a kitchen look high end it's hardwood floors.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Not really true. I've got a good collection of kid's artwork and alphabet letters magnetized to our fridge. Perhaps aluminum is only used in the more budget minded models.

And it only takes me about 5 minutes once a week to go around with the special stainless spray and do the Fridge, Microwave and Dishwasher... no different than regular kitchen cleaning.

If anything is trendy, I would say it is black more so than stainless.

Well one thing is for certain, whatever your magnets are sticking to, it ain't stainless steel. Magnets wont stick to stainless steel since there is no iron in the product, tis a simple fact of science. If yours sticks, then it is sticking to whatever is behind that stainless steel cover of yours.

Just like stainless steel pots and pans will not work on an induction stove, which I have. The bottoms of the pots have to be magnetic. In other words, if a magnet sticks to them, they will work on an induction cooktop. Now what they do to make stainless steel induction compatible is have an inner core that is of a magnetic base. This might be how your fridge is constructed cause on its own, stainless steel will not hold magnets.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by redforever

Well one thing is for certain, whatever your magnets are sticking to, it ain't stainless steel. Magnets wont stick to stainless steel since there is no iron in the product, tis a simple fact of science. If yours sticks, then it is sticking to whatever is behind that stainless steel cover of yours.

Just like stainless steel pots and pans will not work on an induction stove, which I have. The bottoms of the pots have to be magnetic. In other words, if a magnet sticks to them, they will work on an induction cooktop. Now what they do to make stainless steel induction compatible is have an inner core that is of a magnetic base. This might be how your fridge is constructed cause on its own, stainless steel will not hold magnets.

That is only true for certain types of stainless steel - specifically when nickel is one of the elements included.

I've seem lots of stainless steel that is magnetic.