Question on difference between SS finish and satin nickel

15 years ago

Is this a true depiction of SS finish vs. satin nickel?

SS:

Satin nickel:

Kinda sorta down to these two for cup pulls for a bakers table. Want to add a simple contemporary flair to a vintage piece. Would the SS finish be hard to match for other hardware? Is there as much of a choice in hardware/faucets in SS as in brushed nickel? Is one easier to clean then the other? I know it would go with SS appliances and probably doesn't matter worth a lick either way but thought I'd ask just to make sure.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

chloe_s_mom
15 years ago
Hmmmm, I always thought that the difference was in the brushed part, but it looks like there is a colour difference too? I'm noticed a difference, in look, of ss fridges = the one that I have is heavily brushed, less mirror like and matches my brushed nickel cabinet knobs (unintential), and faucet. I personally find both to be a pain in the neck to clean.... ha!
remodelfla
Original Author
15 years ago
Hmmmm... do you think that means the ss ones will show more fingerprints? I'll be using them alot. OH CRUD! I'm not enjoying hardware at all! I've spent an embarrassing amount of time contemplating this and they almost all look the same to me!
Related Discussions
Sub Zero Finish - SS or Platinum?
Q
Comments (2)
I would get the regular classic SS finish. I have a set of the long SZ handles in classic finish that will go on our overlay model and they are very pretty. The Platinum finish has a much duller, smoother, and greyer look to it... it's also much more expensive and I think it would be more prone to showing scratches.
...See More
SS sink (satin like) with pol. chrome faucet ?
Q
Comments (7)
I have satin nickel pulls and knobs, as well as satin nickel finish on my light fixtures. My appliances are stainless. But I went with a polished chrome faucet. My faucet is a classic gooseneck style, and chrome is a classic faucet finish. The people on this forum encouraged me to go with it when I was on the fence. I'm very happy with it. That set-up is in my cottage. In my home I have a stainless sink and got a stainless faucet. The two finishes are not the same, and it's always bothered me. I wish I'd gone chrome with that faucet instead of trying to match.
...See More
brushed nickel - satin nickel....difference?
Q
Comments (5)
Brushed finishes literally have fine brush marks (microscratches?) in the plated finish (or in the metal under the plating). Satin can be a finish achieved by media-blasting the metal to a matte finish with no discearnable scratches in any direction. But, sometimes a manufacturer will call brushed "satin". So it's best to see it in person and then decide. Casey
...See More
Hardware question/ re nickel finishes
Q
Comments (5)
You'll need to compare the actual items you're interested in using. My experience differs quite drastically from yayagirl's, because in my previous house's master bathroom I used a mixture of items from various manufacturers that were called "satin nickel", "satin" (American Standard), and "brushed nickel" and they were pretty much indistinguishable from each other. Other items that shared the same color name did not match and had to be returned. It was kind of a crapshoot.
...See More
remodelfla
Original Author
15 years ago
one bump cause I'm diskliking hardware decisions.
chloe_s_mom
15 years ago
Like I said, I find my fridge to be a royal pain in the neck, perhaps worse if it wasn't so brushed? But, I'm thinking that hardward, simply bec it is smaller, might be easier to keep clean looking? In my last house, I had oil rubbed bronze - it was a charm. I'm not sure what I'll do in my current kitchen. Mabye glass/crystal?

At least both ss and brushed nickel are easier to keep clean looking than chrome.....the legs on my kitchen chairs are chrome. NOt sure why they get so dirty (maybe Vivian crawling around, playing with the chairs?), but they look awful pretty quickly.
jerseydeb
15 years ago
Those finishes look about right as examples of brushed stainless steel and brushed nickel. You can combine both finishes in your kitchen. How you go about it just has to make sense. The stainless steel does look a little more contemporary, because it has a slight blue undertone. The brushed nickel is warmer.

My brushed stainless steel faucet Brizo Floriano shows no finger prints, but my brushed stainless steel appliances show everything. Go figure. My brushed nickel knobs show no prints, either. I used brushed nickel cabinet hardware, because it worked better with the warm tones of the maple cabinets yet still related to the grey of the stainless steel.

The selection is greater for cabinet hardware and faucets with brushed nickel finish than for brushed or shiny stainless steel finish.

My advice, wait until everything else is done in your kitchen, and then make your final decision on your cabinet hardware. Take home several styles and finishes. The hardware is the final touch that brings everything together. Like jewelry. Sometimes you can go with more, sometimes less; but in the end it has to look right!
erikanh
15 years ago
Elyse, I have all brushed nickel cabinet hardware in the kitchen. The SS steel pull you posted looks shinier than my hardware, but I don't think it will show fingerprints badly. I'm really glad I went into the store to see the hardware before ordering, because I had planned on polished nickel. I took one look at the display board and the messy, smudged polished nickel hardware and switched to satin.

The satin nickel pull you posted has a whiter sheen than my hardware, might just be the photo. Here are my bin pulls. They look great next to the stainless steel countertop.:

Have fun!

E
lisalisa2009
15 years ago
Looks like there's a yellow tone on the first one