White or Stainless appliances?
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We recently purchased a home that we're doing extensive remodeling on - especially the kitchen! I am going with white for cabinets and had planned to use white appliances (love them), but found an amazing deal on a Kitchen Aid, double convection, self cleaning oven....in Stainless! Eeeek! I can't decide whether to pass on the oven and stick with white, or move into the Stainless camp. I'm also thinking it would be nice to have a black cooktop instead of a white one that might always be less than perfectly clean. Thoughts? Also, does anyone have experience with Kitchen Aid appliances?
26 answers
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I have a number of client who have kitchen aids and love them...personally I not a big fan of all white kitchens....mine is a work in progress and I have a mix of mahogany cabinets / oak cabinets Stainless dishwasher white range and fridge. I'm sure you will get a mix of votes for both stainless and the white
KMS Woodworks
on Oct 12, 2012
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I also will be replacing the appliances in my kitchen. It's a personal preference. I will be going with white. (I also have white cabinets) I have spent time at friends houses that have all stainless, I like the look but, they always look smudged and smeared. I don't want that. With small kids in the house it shows everything on stainless steel.
Carroll A
on Oct 12, 2012
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It's most definitely a personal preference and it sounds to me like you already know what you like so I'd advise sticking with it. I can give you some ideas of how stainless and black appliances are in the care department. They suck! Pardon my french, but they are impossible to keep clean. Stainless shows every little touch and it's difficult to keep black applicances from streaking. I had a cleaner (Fantastic Orange) that worked on our black appliances, but I haven't been able to find it for a few years now. I've tried other orange cleaners but they just don't cut it. Fantastic has another cleaner that works great, but I can't use it because of allergies. I found that out the hard way that it's strong chemical scent is like a bulldozer ramming my face. I'm hyper allergic to many chemical smells and whatever they use is one of them. If not a dozen of them they way it hit me.
Z
on Oct 12, 2012
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LOL at @Z for telling it like it is. That is really how I feel about them too! You cannot keep them looking nice if you have kids! I only had a long weekend with a huge stainless steel frig to come to that conclusion.
Carroll A
on Oct 12, 2012
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Hey everyone - I really appreciate the input! You're right Becky, I like white! I had wondered if I should do stainless for the resale value since it seems to be in such demand, but it just wasn't making my heart sing to think of going that route. Thanks for reminding me that it's about what I like and not just resale!
Lynette Taylor
on Oct 12, 2012
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Well in my opinion that's the only way one can tell it in this situation @Carroll A. LOL Even when there was just hubby and I there was always fingerprints on the fridge door so I can't blame it on children. Though I personally don't care for the starkness of all white appliances I know others happen to like them. And I do love the look of my stainless fridge, black cook-top, wall oven and dishwasher, but they are a pain (literally) to keep spot free. It was a rude awakening for me after having almond appliances all my married life to find how difficult it was to keep these looking spotless. Truth be told, they rarely do. If almond came back I'd replace them all in a heart beat. Even if I had to sell my fabric to pay for them. And that's saying allot. Why they ever replaced almond but Biscuit I'll never know. Oops, we were typing at the time @Lynette Taylor. I'm glad I could help. And as for resale, if your appliances are in good shape I'm sure you don't have to worry about it.
Z
on Oct 12, 2012
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Thanks for keeping it real, Becky. Love it!
Lynette Taylor
on Oct 12, 2012
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IMO, This is your home, choose what you love,(and post) you will have to live with it. I would not think about resale unless you know you will be putting the house on the market in a short amount of time or are planing something that is very bold and expensive to redo/remove if you do choose to sale.
Carroll A
on Oct 12, 2012
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You're so right, Carroll. Thanks!
Lynette Taylor
on Oct 12, 2012
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try this link......I was just reading the other day that this will be the next new trend. White Ice......http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/will-whirlpools-ice-white-kill-the-stainless-steel-trend-174907 ; (you will have to "copy & paste" the link, it didn't come over as clickable?)
Becky P
on Oct 12, 2012
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Thanks Becky. I haven't seen any of the White Ice appliances, but I bet they're gorgeous!
Lynette Taylor
on Oct 13, 2012
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If you buy stainless you can buy brushed. It shows less prints and smears. A good stainless steel cleaner is a must.
Sherrie
on Oct 13, 2012
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I am buying black with stainless...but I have no children at home anymore. : )
Sherrie
on Oct 13, 2012
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the more agressive the "brushed" look of the stainless the easier it is to keep looking clean...shinnier versions are a pain as many have stated above
KMS Woodworks
on Oct 13, 2012
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Personally, I do not like stainless. I had it years ago and it was always nasty looking and feeling! Perhaps it has changed over the years, but then I do not like the golor gray! And be careful! A great deal on the oven can wind up costing you a fortune for the other pieces!
Jeanette S
on Oct 14, 2012
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@Jeanette S, I am the same way with silver. When we moved into this house everything was brushed nickel, which I am slowing converting to oil rubbed bronze. (and I would never own a silver car!)
Becky P
on Oct 14, 2012
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@Lynette Taylor - it really depends on your tastes and how long you plan to be in the home. If selling in the next 5 years, maybe BRUSHED stainless should be considered - much easier to keep clean and is what people are looking for as well as how modern they determine a kitchen to be, if not planning on selling - get what you want. As for white of black ceramic top - I have white, my friend has black - he complains how it shows every water mark, I have not had a problem. @Mom4Real has a great trick in cleaning ceramic tops and it really does work! Good luck and let us all know what you decide and of course post some pics :)
Gail Salminen
on Oct 14, 2012
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We have the chrome in one bathroom because it has the old fashioned faucets with "hot" and "cold" porcelin handles...we love it...it goes with the way we dressed out that bathroom. I have been in my house 42 years and I have run the course on changing out...have done it the last time...won't do it ever again! Heee, heee! It is just going to have to stay the way it is now...a mix! We are retired folks and are about through redoing! Gonna let the kids worry about that.
Jeanette S
on Oct 14, 2012
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Wow - thanks for all the responses! This was my first question EVER and I'm so appreciative of all the help! I don't know how long we'll be in this house. We would LOVE to sell our business soon and get out of West Texas, but have no idea when that realistically might happen:) One last thing....if I go with white appliances, would it look bad to have a black cooktop? I've had white ceramic in the past, then had gas in the last house, and black ceramic currently. And now will try induction. I can't find a 5 burner true induction in white (they all have 2 induction and 3 regular burners). I would like to have all induction burners, but that means black.
Lynette Taylor
on Oct 14, 2012
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Sherrie..they have a new steel that doesn't show finger prints. But cleaning stainless steel requires a little know how. I use micro fiber clothes to clean and regular soap unless there is a heavy build up of dirt. Then I use a heavier cleaner. I was and dry with a glass cloth. It is lint free. Soft. After it is dry I use a stainless steel cleaner and spray it onto the cloth then wipe it on in the direction of the grain. I don't use a oily cleaner. Never use bleach, coressives,or anything abrasive on stainless. For me the key is the glass cloths. They leave it shiny and streak free.
Sherrie
on Oct 14, 2012
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@Lynette Taylor - lovely counter tops - looks like a huge project. If you are going to keep the black countertops would recommend the black top stove top. I have no idea about induction burners, so will leave that to others. Thanks for the pics - love your taste :)
Gail Salminen
on Oct 14, 2012
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Everything is going. A friend has offered to take the granite off of our hands, but it wasn't a very good install - lots of seams! We've only had the house for a month, but hope to be moved in by the end of November. Are we crazy??? New countertops will probably be Kashmir White. I think it will go with any color appliances:)
Lynette Taylor
on Oct 14, 2012
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Kashmir white is one of the more porous stones out there and it tends to get stains more readily than others. I'm doing my kitchen with White wave Granite http://www.stonebtb.com/kingdustones/product/Granite-White-Wave-Seawave-80677.shtml the mixed pattern is better for perceived soiling
KMS Woodworks
on Oct 15, 2012
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Hey KMS - thanks for the heads up! I find it a little frustrating that the granite guy didn't mention this:(
Lynette Taylor
on Oct 15, 2012
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@Lynette Taylor Most granite out there is not "true" granite but some other igneous or rock like Gabbro anorthosite, gneiss, granodiorite, monzonite, syenite etc. True dense granites are normally not sealed as they are too dense to absorb the sealer . It is best to test some samples before you buy using the lemon juice and oil test. http://www.countertopspecialty.com/sealing-granite-countertops.html
KMS Woodworks
on Oct 15, 2012
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I guess that just has to be you decision. I'm not a fan of stainless appliances and more so after I saw the ones at my granddaughters. They seem so hard to keep clean. I've heard they have changed the finish some but as long as I can replace my stove and fridge with almond (?) I will. Call me old and old fashioned.
Gail
on May 30, 2015
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