steel or white kitchen appliances?

[luvmy3]

I personally do not like stainless steel appliances. The upkeep is enough to keep me away and, as someone else mentioned, they have a very sterile look to them. However, I may not be the best person to ask about current trends - apparently, white cabinets in kitchens are outdated and old-fashioned, yet I put white cabinets in my kitchen a couple of years back (with butcher block counters instead of granite, gasp)! I say, buy what you like. White is always cheaper than stainless (unless there is some crazy sale) and so I chose to get better appliances in white, rather than mediocre appliances in another colour. Also, and maybe this is just me, but I wouldn't let the colour of appliances be the make-or-break factor in purchasing a home.

I would love to do that in my kitchen, I think that is a beautiful look.

Unless I was planning on selling in the immediate future, I would do exactly what I want to do in my home. I'm not going to live in a home that is decorated for the possible future residents. OP, I hate stainless, I couldn't even handle the fingerprints on my stainless toaster, I couldn't imagine having all my large appliance look like that. I would pick whatever other color I loved that matched my decor/style, but thats just me

 

[pearlieq]

We have white on white appliances. I bought them because they help keep the kitchen light and bright. They are also easy to clean and a much more timeless look.

I don't think white is really subject to fads the way other colors are. Today's stainless is tomorrow's Harvest Gold. White has never really been "in" or "out". It just is.

I would buy stainless if you like them and are planning to stick around for a while. I certainly wouldn't by them for resale value. Not only do people not really decide about a whole house based on the appliance color, but there seems to be a backlash forming, possibly leaving you with only a small set of buyers who would find them attractive and even fewer who would be willing to pay a premium for them.

 

[Disneefun]

It's a matter of taste. I like white. Stainless steel gives off a "morgue" vibe to me.

You know, I've never been able to put into words what it is about stainless that rubs me wrong (besides the constant cleaning), but your morgue comment is exactly it. Thank you!

Now, when I go into a showroom and the salesman is pressuring me into paying the stainless premium and he says, "Why not stainless?" I can say, "Because I don't want to cook in a morgue! The chicken may be dead, but I'm not going to embalm it, thank you."

Thanks!

 

[mamaLori05]

Black is dated IMO. Very 1980s.

I like the look of stainless but the easy care of white.

I have to agree that Black is outdated. My husband and I are both 30, and we just built our 2nd home. We toured MANY MANY model homes, and black was never shown. Lots of stainless and white shown. We almost went with stainless, but when we went to visit a friend and saw how dirty theirs looked after just a month of having them (and they don't have kids) we quickly decided against it. We bought White and I am very happy with it. We have dark cherry cabinets, slate backsplash and floor, and lighter colored stonecast counter tops. The white acutally looks really nice against the darker cabinets. Gives it a clean look with little/no maintenance, and my kids can touch them all they want...no fingerprints.

As for stainless adding to resale value. I'm not buying it. I watch HGTV and I know they say it does on there, but we just sold our 1st home (that we also built 5 years ago) and we had white appliances in that as well. We sold our home within 3 months for asking price (with 4 offers in the end), and no we didn't drop the price crazy low. It was priced what the house was worth. In this market, that is unheard of. We did get a list of comments people said while touring our home, and appliances were never on the list. People cared more about the size of the yard, the lack of mature trees (which we didn't have because again, it was only 5 years old.), location, and size of the house. I have to say also that if I walked into a house I loved, the appliances would be my least worry. They definately wouldn't be a selling point for me, because they are replaceable.

I say don't worry about resale, and get the appliances you like most. You are the one that is going to have to work with them, look at them, and clean them everyday.

 

[TamaraQT]

I don't think white is really subject to fads the way other colors are. Today's stainless is tomorrow's Harvest Gold. White has never really been "in" or "out".

Wow!! Harvest Gold and Avocado Green!!! I have to agree that I find Stainless to be a one of those FAD colors/options. I still think White is the better way to go.

Now, when I go into a showroom and the salesman is pressuring me into paying the stainless premium and he says, "Why not stainless?" I can say, "Because I don't want to cook in a morgue! The chicken may be dead, but I'm not going to embalm it, thank you."

Now thats a good comeback!!!

 

[Melrosgirl]

This thread is all about opinions. The fact is that stainless is the hot thing right now. You may not like it, but that's the hot thing and it has been for awhile. It was around in the 50s and it's been back now.

If you have white or black, will it prevent your house from selling? Of course not unless all other things are equal and your neighbors have the same house as you with "better" appliances, it won't make much of a difference.

You have to get what you like.

I sold a house 3 years ago with white appliances. It sold within a week. They changed out the appliances from what I understand (to stainless).

 

[Gigi22]

We are in the process of replacing kitchen appliances, as a side-effect of a partial kitchen updating. We are going from black to white appliances. I asked my cleaning lady for her input, and she told me not to get stainless, "it is too much upkeep"! I figure she has seen pretty well all the kitchen decor variants there are and know first hand which combinations are to be avoided. Decision made!

 

[windycitymom]

I had white appliances for 20 years, so I switched to Stainless just to have a different look. HOWEVER, my new refrigerator is a Fridgedaire with a stainless look satin-finish so you don't have the fingerprints. The other appliances are Whirlpool so not everything matches, but no one notices it unless they are intentionally looking. The satin finish is awesome and leaves no marks! My stove has a black top but stainles steel front.

 

[Colleen27]

I think you have to take the style of the home/kitchen into account too. We have a 19th century Victorian and are remodeling the kitchen to give it a period/historical look. Modern looking stainless appliances would look out of place next to the farmhouse sink and antique-look fixtures.

Unless you're planning on selling in the near future, I wouldn't worry over appliance color and resale value. Even a few years is long enough for trends to change drastically, so buy what you like because you're the one who is going to be living with it!

 

[JandJ]

Today's stainless is tomorrow's Harvest Gold. White has never really been "in" or "out". It just is.

We were looking at dishwashers last weekend (in white because I personally do not care for the look of stainless) and the salesman told us how he still has the Harvest Gold kitchen! It reminded me of my childhood. Mom had Harvest Gold and my Godmother had Avocado Green!

 

[DisneyDizzy]

We have stainless and I hate them! I miss my white appliances. We've bought and sold many houses and the appliances were the least of my worries. I think they are also a Fad and something a lot of people convince themselves they like because it's the "in" thing. I'd get whatever you like!

 

[MarieLuvsWDW]

I'm really surprised at all the comments about the upkeep on SS appliances.

It's very easy to find both upscale and inexpensive brushed SS appliances. They show no fingerprints, and only require the same types of cleaning that any other color would.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I just redid my kitchen last summer. I also went with white. I have natural maple cabinets and a light ceramic tile floor. It is so pretty and light. Before we did the remodel we looked at houses. I think 4/5 kitchens looked exactly the same! Stainless appliances - Cherry or dark cabinets and one of the same 2 or 3 garnet counter tops. They were pretty but I purposely decided not to choose any of those. All that money to look just like all the other kitchens didn't appeal to me. I could not be happier with my choices. In the end that is all that matters - I like it. What anyone else thinks is really not important!

 

[finz2left]

Stainless steel is a fad and probably won't give you any extra help if you're trying to sell in the next couple of years.

White is actually coming back in to style!

I agree... The industrial look has begun to run its course.

 

[dfchelbay]

I'm sad to hear that black appliances seems to be "out". I prefer the look of the black, with wood cabinets and granite. I think it looks really warm.

I like this look:

http://www.granitetransformations.com/gallery/photo/cabinet-refacing/

I must admit that I really like this kitchen too:

http://www.granitetransformations.com/gallery/photo/trend-stone/

All white and it looks timeless. The back splash tiles really give it warmth too. This design/look has the appearance of a new kitchen, but could be a kitchen that has been in someone's home for the last twenty years...timeless design. Good choice too OP.

 

[Purseval]

We don't like either choice, we have all black appliances, but if white and SS were the only options I'd go for white. People who like SS appliances are watching too much HGTV.

I'm sad to hear that black appliances seems to be "out". I prefer the look of the black, with wood cabinets and granite. I think it looks really warm.

We have black with wood cabinets and granite. It will be fashionable long after SS goes the way of the 50's look.

 

[monkey30]

We bought the brushed SS appliances, for the most part due to the options the range had on it. I wanted the double oven, and at the time that was the only one I could get it in. I have to say I loved it more then my white or black appliances (I have had both in the last 2 yrs as we moved from a house with black appliances and replaced the white ones here). White always looked dirty to me and the black showed more prints and such then the brushed SS.

Good luck with your decision, and don`t get to hung up on the color but what that appliance will do for u, is it all u want? Because if picking a range with all the options I want is only in white I will get it that way. No matter what the fad is.

 

[Colleen27]

Good luck with your decision, and don`t get to hung up on the color but what that appliance will do for u, is it all u want? Because if picking a range with all the options I want is only in white I will get it that way. No matter what the fad is.

That's a really important tip too, and could actually swing the decision in favor of stainless. There's a HUGE range of stainless appliances available right now, but far less in white if you're looking for higher-end features. I thought my DH was going to have a heart attack when we were looking at ranges - a 36", 5 burner, dual fuel range in stainless starts around $1500, but the white ones I've found run more than twice that. The stainless trend is so ingrained in the appliance/remodeling market right now that there's a gap in availability. You can find basic appliances in white and you can find really high end professional/specialty appliances in white, but the higher end models from the everyday manufacturers like GE, Kenmore, etc. are all stainless.

 

[Purseval]

I just redid my kitchen last summer. I also went with white. I have natural maple cabinets and a light ceramic tile floor. It is so pretty and light. Before we did the remodel we looked at houses. I think 4/5 kitchens looked exactly the same! Stainless appliances - Cherry or dark cabinets and one of the same 2 or 3 garnet counter tops. They were pretty but I purposely decided not to choose any of those. All that money to look just like all the other kitchens didn't appeal to me.

We had a kitchen setup similar to other kitchens in our neighborhood but we went with black appliances, a black sink and I made one custom improvement that cost around $800 and made the kitchen unique. Here are pics with black appliances, click on them to enlarge if you want to see more detail.









And here is a picture of how it looked when we bought it. Quite a difference.



All it took was some thin sheets of pine, a few fluted pieces, some trim, corbels I bought online and stain to make it match the cabinets.

 

[luvmy3]

My friend did her kitchen over last year and she put in black appliances and it looks beautiful. She has light maple cabinets and black granite with flecks of blue. If she put any other color appliances with it, it would look strange. The black with the black granite makes it flow and look larger. I also think that any other color other than black in the above picture wouldn't look right.