Once you have cleaned off the water marks, or the entire fridge with your favorite method, (i use BonAmi) you could rub in a bit of mineral oil or baby oil to protect a specific area. I use mineral oil on my cutting boards, pour a few tblsp rubbing it lightly all over to soak in... At the same time i put a bit on the fridge edge where the handle is and along the top of the bottom freezer door. Not a permanent sealer, but it is a barrier against trouble areas. Just re-apply after a cleaning. It should prevent the daily annoyance. -My husband for some reason ALWAYS places his hands on the edges. He uses the handle to open the fridge, then immediately grabs the edge and fronts when removing something. Some stainless cleaners use silicones that will protect a bit but they also attract dust and air particles...and most of them are very toxic. AND the next time you clean it is that much harder because you have the added step of removing that oil slick. Olive oil would do the same but my dogs would lick it and make a bigger mess. Even veg oil, so i use mineral oil. It is neutral and much cleaner so it will never develop a rancid odor. IF you try a thin oil layer, it will appear a different sheen at first, (just rub on a little bit)...then come back in a few minutes and buff it out. I know some just rub down the entire appliance. The BKF just might show a rub-down spot over time. More a concern is, in that moment of frustration, giving it that quick clean, you may pick up the wrong cloth. One that is not perfectly clean, and cause scratches. I use 80%vinegar/20%rub alcohol and BonAmi...for everything. Have BKF for stubborn stuff. Maybe just vinegar as your 'quick clean' . You'll have to experiment a better system but do try an oil. Never tried the rain-x type of thing.

Thanks so much sail-away for taking the time to check the Wolf recommendation for staining & cleaning. I proceeded cautiously with the Penny Brite to make sure I wasn't headed down the wrong path & then kept my fingers crossed as I continued. LOL I'm also interested if other stainless gas ranges or cooktops have similar issues over time. The cooking store where I purchased the Penny Brite seemed to think the 3 years of usage was a short period of time to experience the discoloration on a cooktop. Of course, it seems for this model there is a known issue. My memory from the applicance manual the cleaning recommendations are fairly innocuous & mostly useless -- vinegar to clean water spots, wipe with a soapy cloth. I mostly use the soapy cloth/sponge & a Windex or Pledge multi-surface wipe, then at times finish with a SS wipe. You shouldn't have a problem for a while. I'm so relieved to find the Penney Brite. I hope all will be well with using it. It looked so bad I was willing to take the risk. It has been about a month since I cleaned the cooktop & the stains haven't returned. Hopefully I'll only need to use it once or twice a year . . .

We just purchased all new appliances for our new kitchen and I was considering the black stainless. However, the sales guy advised me against it for all the reasons listed above. He explained how the "finish" is really just a film over stainless steel and showed an example of how it scratches on a floor model. It was enough to steer me away and go for the more traditional stainless. I have had the fridge for about 6 months and it cleans up really well with little to no fingerprint marks. The microwave, dishwasher and stove are being delivered on Saturday. All of my appliances for the past 9 years have been Whirlpool and I have been pretty happy with them.

I don’t know if this will help or not. We at one time had a stainless steel laundry sink that had seen better days. Hubby had washed out paint brushes and everything else in it. No amount of scrubbing would get the marks off. I found out about MAAS Metal Polish, ordered it from Amazon. Boy did it do a number on that old sink. Just follow instructions to the letter and beware it’s very labor intensive. Don’t know if it will help or not. Best of luck to you.