Is there any real advantage to stainless steel appliances?

[rowrrbazzle]

@usedtobe

Then there are the new ‘no fingerprint’ finishes. I wonder how durable that ‘no fingerprint’ treatment is.

Stainless steel finishes on kitchen appliances normally will show the smallest smudge or fingerprint. This may be an advantage in an environment that requires near-perfect cleanliness, but in your average home kitchen it’s a pain in the ass.

[sitchensis]

I think the biggest advantage stainless steel has is that the only other options are shiny white and shiny black.

[purplehearingaid]

@John_Mace

Purely esthetic*. It goes with a “modern” look. But many people prefer a more tradition look with wood panels on the fridge and dishwasher so they blend in with the rest of the cabinetry. (That can also be a “modern” look, but more often it’s a traditional one.)

*Although they do tend to be the more high-end type, so there might be some functional advantage. But people LIKE them for the looks.

I been checking out new houses and condos on line and I haven’t seen any
fridge and dishwasher with wood panels. I been seeing a lot kitchens in all white
everything is boring white !

[usedtobe]

The high-end cooktop I installed ca 1985 was stainless.
When I went to sell in 2008, I got the fancy NEW SS refer.

The finishes were different, but, since the refer was 12’ from the cooktop (yes, very old house with huge kitchen*), the difference was not all that noticeable.

• In years past (see userid), all parties ended up in the kitchen. Now that kitchens have been minimized, where do they end up? I’ll guess deck/patio when available. Those ‘Greatroom’ designs must be a pain.

[Dirty_Al]

The real advantage to stainless in residential appliances is that most stainless steel is non-magnetic. That means refrigerator magnets and their notes, lists, drawings, etc. won’t stick to the panels keeping the kitchen free and clear of such litter!

[tumbleddown]

The next big thing is probably going to be a play on stainless that’s got the anti-fingerprint coating and a patina to make it look sort of charcoal gray, dimming the “oh lord, turn off the lights” reflectiveness of standard stainless, without going fully back to any kind of enamel or texture on the metal. It’s pretty slick looking but also wouldn’t work with most kitchen decor that doesn’t look like it was designed by the set masters from Star Trek.

[Isilder]

There may be a scientific benefit… the bare metal surface may be anti-microbial…
(wrecked if its lacquered… not wrecked due to patina )

[gazpacho]

@rowrrbazzle

Stainless steel finishes on kitchen appliances normally will show the smallest smudge or fingerprint. This may be an advantage in an environment that requires near-perfect cleanliness, but in your average home kitchen it’s a pain in the ass.

I don’t care for stainless steel in my house for this reason. It always looks smudged.

[race_to_the_bottom]

You can forget about using refrigerator magnets. They don’t stick on stainless.

[ralph124c]

I like the look of polished copper-are copper clad appliances available?

[iceiso]

@race_to_the_bottom

You can forget about using refrigerator magnets. They don’t stick on stainless.

Some types of stainless are magnetic, others are not. My refrigerator is stainless and magnets stick to it. Same with my cookware.

[kenobi_65]

@ralph124c

I like the look of polished copper-are copper clad appliances available?

Sure, just hop in your time machine and head back about 40 or 50 years.