sombrueil_mongrel, that is another explanation but the KitchenAid Dishwasher has a reflection to it and is more chrome-like so is brighter with less grain. The LG Dishwasher has more nickel in it which can be seen by the more grayish color and the fact that it is not magnetic. It has a grain to it. I was thinking the KitchenAid was richer but now I see that the LG's stainless is most likely sturdier and definitely easier to clean. I now feel disappointed since the Bosch dishwasher with the cutlery tray I loved and it matched better but I chose the KitchenAid for the drying feature and the little bag in the front to hold plastic lids. If I known that the Bosch had a better stainless steel, then I would have had one more factor to consider. But in all fairness, so far I have been happy with my KitchenAid Dishwasher as well as my LG Refrigerator. I do wish they matched better and I know the Bosch was a better match with the handle but I had no idea it was a better match with the SS also since the store did not have the dishwashers near each other and their lighting is different. I am going to have to test the GE Cafe Range I am going to buy but I have a feeling it will not be magnetic since to my eyes it matches my LG refrigerator better now that I know that a more gray look could be more nickel content. But I would love to believe that they are both the better Stainless Steel with the grain different and one having a little more Chromium and a little less nickel. But I don't see any nickel in the finish of the KA DW. Does anyone know what type of SS each of these appliances is made out of? Our world is so amazing that we can never know everything and everyday is a new learning opportunity.

@jwillhouse - Your plumber has a vested interest in convincing you to buy things with a markup. I can assure you that the same part numbers are the same no matter where the faucet is ordered from. As for your contract with your plumber, is it a time and materials contract or cost plus contract? Your post notes that your plumber lists retail, wholesale, and a 15% markup. If it is a time and materials contract and the 15% is the mark up from wholesale to retail, then it is on the low end of markups. If it is a cost plus contract then the markup is on his actual cost less any rebates, so the 15% should get added to what he actually paid not the listed wholesale price. In a cost plus contract, the 15% is likely unavoidable as it is still a cost even if you buy it somewhere else. Many contractors in a time and materials contract don't allow you to supply your own items. --- While it is absolutely true that you can benefit from sourcing products cheaper from sources other than you plumber, we should recognize that to some extent it is a zero sum game. Most plumbers are not getting rich off a single family home, they are just finding alternative ways to present the profit they need to make. So while adding profit to a faucet may seem like a ripoff, if all the faucets were bid at cost the plumber would likely just charge more for the installation and you would be in the same position. It can still be an advantage to you to get your faucet at a cheaper price if your plumber allows, but don't fall into the trap of thinking you are getting ripped off just because the plumber adds profit there instead of somewhere else.

Ive read all of the answers above and am new to the plumbing scene but have been studying a lot of blog sites of late to help form my on opinion for future use for my home. I have a good friend in the internet supply business that has helped me understand the quality issue and has helped me answer and carry on some conversations here. Bottom line is 1. PP is a great brand for the price 2. The urban myth about supply house mdse IS TRUE, many times the box store versions of the same model will have plastic fittings and parts or will be missing installation parts that you need to make a complete installation. My buddy as an example provides EVERYTHING with a faucet needed to install that faucet and back up phone assistance free of charge to help you install it. Additionally a supply house will provide quicker warranty and supply of replacement parts than any discounter 3. The very best product for faucets is GROHE. Man they showed me an example of a Grohe spayer head as an example compared to any other and it was the difference between driving a Mercedes (which I do) and a Ford. If you shop some of the online discounters you can get the Grohe quality at a reasonable price. hope this helps.... Im saving for Grohe myself...LOL Here is a link that might be useful: National Builder Supply

On the sink front, I agree it's worthwhile to pay what it takes to get a sink that's the size / shape you want. But at least for stainless, sinks at the high end of the price range can cost 3x or 4x apparently similar sinks at the bottom end of the price range. I haven't seen any evidence that a $1000 18 gauge stainless sink is substantially better than a $400 18 gauge stainless sink...so I got the cheap one for our kitchen. It's been in about 4 months so far and working great. I do agree with other people though that faucets can be worth more. Having bought cheap faucets for our shower ($150ish), I have no doubt that paying more for a faucet with more robust internal parts is worth the money. (Though it's true a kitchen faucet is much easier to replace if necessary than a shower faucet.) If you have a plumber that you trust, you might ask them to weigh in on the specific items that you're looking at -- or just post the specific items here and let the GW brain trust work its magic :)