Pros and Cons of Stainless Steel Appliances

Pros and Cons of Stainless Steel Appliances

The kitchen is often one of the most-used and highly-trafficked rooms in your home. The appliances in your kitchen can help make your life easier, or, if they’re the wrong ones for you, they can make things unnecessarily difficult. Stainless steel is a classic choice for appliances. Here are some pros and cons of stainless steel appliances to help you decide if they are right for you:

5 Pros of Stainless Steel Appliances

Stainless steel appliances continue to be one of the hot housing trends and offer several benefits. Here are a few pros of stainless steel appliances:

1. Stainless Steel Appliances Are Durable

Stainless steel is a durable material that also has a long lifespan. Because it doesn’t tend to become rusty or worn-looking when it is maintained properly, it’s a great choice for kitchen appliances.

2. They are Easy to Maintain

Stainless steel appliances are relatively easy to clean and maintain. Because it does not absorb dirt easily and can be kept clean by wiping with a damp cloth, stainless steel is also a popular choice for restaurant and commercial kitchen.

Knowing how to clean stainless steel appliances and using the right products makes it easy to keep the surface looking like new. There are special cleaners you can use, but there are also simple products you can use, like a mild dish detergent, as long as they are approved for use by the manufacturer.

3. Stainless Steel Appliances Tend to be Hygienic

In addition to resisting dirt, stainless steel also tends to resist germs and bacteria better than other materials. This makes it simple to keep clean and sanitized and also makes it a safe material for food preparation. This is one of the reasons stainless steel appliances are a popular choice for families with children and/or pets.

4. They Are Versatile and Customizable

Another one of the pros of stainless steel appliances is that they are versatile and customizable. This material can be used on dishwashers, stoves, refrigerators, cooktops, freezers, and more, so you have plenty of options for using it in your kitchen.

On top of that, they match almost any kitchen design or color. Stainless steel appliances tend to pair well with wood cabinets, tile backsplashes, and even other metal fixtures. So, they tend to fit in well no matter what interior design style you’re using in the kitchen, whether you’re going for a luxury kitchen design or another style.

5. Stainless Steel Appliances Can Increase Home Value

One of the reasons stainless steel appliances are a popular choice and one of the benefits of them is that they can increase your home’s value. Their intrinsic value and how they enhance the appearance of the kitchen often results in a boost in home value. They are even sometimes a status symbol for homeowners, which makes them an attractive option for a kitchen.

4 Cons of Stainless Steel Appliances

As with anything, there are some drawbacks to stainless steel appliances as well. Here are a few cons of stainless steel appliances:

1. Stainless Steel Appliances Tend to be More Expensive

One of the potential cons of stainless steel appliances is that they end to be more expensive than those made of other standard materials. The extra cost usually isn’t a problem with homeowners building a custom home and it’s often worth the investment because of all the benefits they provide. Still, if you’re adding a lot of extras in other areas and need to be more budget-conscious, stainless steel appliances might not make your priority list.

2. They May Require Frequent Cleaning

Although stainless steel appliances are easy to clean and maintain, they also tend to show fingerprints and smudges more noticeably. Because of this, you may need to wipe them down more often to keep them looking great, especially if you have children, a big family, or pets.

3. Stainless Steel Appliances Could Clash With Some Styles

Stainless steel appliances tend to fit in well with a lot of different styles, but they can still clash in some instances. They could work well in a country kitchen, but they could also look stark in a softer country kitchen style depending on the look you’re going for.

In other settings, stainless steel could make things look and feel too industrial. It all depends on the style, decor, and more. But, your custom home builder will be able to walk you through the options and make sure everything works together.

4. They Are Sometimes Non-Magnetic

Some stainless steel appliances are non-magnetic. If you don’t normally put anything on the fridge or other appliances, then you probably don’t need to think about it. But, if you like to hang art, post lists, or keep fun magnets or pictures on the fridge, you need to make sure you can find magnetic stainless steel for that.

These are just a few pros and cons of stainless steel appliances to help you determine if they’re right for the kitchen in your custom home. There are a lot of details to consider when designing a custom home.

Partnering with a custom home builder, especially one with an in-house design/build process, can make it a lot easier. If you’re ready to start bringing your dream home to life, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090!

So you purchase it, it gets delivered one week later, and your kitchen dream life unfolds.

THEN…two weeks later, the sunlight shines through your kitchen window and you notice all of the smudges. It cannot be...my sparkling stainless life has come to halt. You ask - “is it me?! Why can’t I keep this surface clean?”

It’s not you. It’s the stainless steel. Here’s a few things you might not know about stainless steel: