to be truthful, it wouldn't bother me at all.

Wouldn't bother me at all

Personally? The visual mix of materials wouldn't bother me--I presume you have some other stainless (sink?) in your kitchen. But the stainless appliance would--have you had a stainless appliance in the past? They're very difficult to keep clean, and scratch easily. I've got one stainless appliance--never again. And many people I know who go with stainless have regretted it soon after getting them. If I were fortunate to get a Jennair, I'd go with black.

Just one person's opnion, but you did ask.

I wouldn't go with black if my other appliances were white. I'd choose the stainless.

I think stainless will look fine if you have other stainless or chrome (or nickel) in your kitchen. I have a stainless cooktop that is 20+ years old. It shines up like a champ and I don't find it any more difficult to keep clean than any other cooktop I've had. Mine is gas, so pots and pans are always sitting on the raised grate. That might make the difference versus the other poster's experience.

I have stainless fridge, dishwasher and OTR microwave and a black stove. The mix looks fine. Stainless is kind of neutral. I think black would look strange but SS would be fine.

When I designed my kitchen I had the same wood covers/doors made for all my appliances (refrigerator, oven and dishwasher) to match the cabinets. They are all white. My microwave is black and my jenn-aire is black. It's very pretty. I too, think you would like the black much better than the stainless steel.

I don't think it really matters as long as you like it.
I have mixed items in my kitchen. It doesn't bother me.

Go for it Katlan! I had a Jenn-Aire downdraft in our last house. It was a whole stove but the top was stainless, the DW and frig were white and the sink was a gorgeous gray speckled deep large thing. You will love that Jenn-Aire. Nobody ever noticed our mismatched kitchen--in fact, when most people came in our house, the reaction was "Oh, wow".

We actually bought ours used. It was a year old and rarely used and we got it for $900. It came with the extra two burners, griddle and a "stew/chili" pot. (I just called it that because I don't know what it's actually called. :-) I don't think you'll be sorry--especially if you get the two extra burners.

Oh--and they are so easy to clean!

My range is white. the control panel and trim is stainless. Looks fine.

I am not fond of stainless, I like white but white appliances have always come with metal trim.

I plan to put put a small stainless wall oven in my kitchen. Just don't care for the one I have to use in white.

I would not put black into the mix. You wear metal jewelry with all colors. Not so with mixing actual colors.

Regarding upkeep of stainless, I have all stainless with some black trim and have had very little trouble with scratches, etc. They show grease spatters but that wipes up easily and there is a stainless cleaner that works well every so often.

I think the stainless stove would be fine as long as the rest of the appliances are all white (or all black). I would not mix black and white together as it looks mis-matched, but stainless is so neutral, if works.

think a cook top isn't a huge hunk of stainless in a sea of white, like a drop-in stove...

It just depends on you would it bother you? You are the one that has to live with it. It would be fine I think to have the stainless.

I have had pretty much every type of Jenn air stove and cooktop they make. I have a love hate relationship with them. I have darn near burnt down 2 houses using the grill and having it catch on fire so bad it totally melted the metal grates to liquid. I kept 2 small hand held fire extinguishers with in hands reach. I had the various modules that I could switch out. My all time fave were the cast iron solid burners they heated really well and were solid so nothing could get into them like with the coils. I personally do not like the smooth top burners which is what I have now on my current stove which is not a jenn air.
I still have 2 complete Jenn air stove top units in storage in my garage, we have plans to build an outdoor kitchen and I will use them there. One of them is white they used to make them in white. I just did a google search for white Jenn air cooktop and am finding them so I am pretty sure they do actually make them in white still.
Here is the actual Jenn air website and it shows each type in the colors offered and they all show white.

Here is a link that might be useful: Jenn air white

When I redid my kitchen I chose an off-white fridge and dishwasher and a stainless range (with black cast-iron grates) and microwave. The designer gave me a hard time about it . . . but then she gave me a hard time about lots of things. She wanted me to have dark countertops (I chose light), a stainless sink (I chose off-white), a chrome faucet (I chose stainless), etc. The Kitchen Forum was very helpful, encouraging me to stick with my own personal preferences. I think my kitchen turned out great, and I'm sure the stainless cooktop will look equally good in yours.

I just remembered that when we bought our first house in the early 70's we had a choice of appliance color (gold or green LOL) but the cooktop was stainless. So mixing stainless with other appliances goes way back.

I have the Jennair stainless cooktop you describe. With the downdraft.
Those modules have to be replaceable because, unless you want to devote a of time cleaning them throughly immediately after you take something off the stove (especially if whatever you are cooking has the slightest amount of fat in it), then you find yourself spending a lot of time and elbow grease keeping them clean - and replacing them every every few years.

I've got a new cooktop on my to-do list - like a solid ceramic top, but they're hard to find with downdraft.

But as far as mixing white white stainless, a few black items can give you a high-end look.

Go with whatever you like. Are you doing this kitchen for you or to impress others?

Also I often see people getting hung up on names. (sigh) First of all, no appliance is the same as the ones built 20-30 years ago. Secondly Jenn-Air is now owned by Whirlpool after the Maytag purchase, and Maytag bought Jenn-Air long before that.

I think it would depend on the rest of your kitchen. What color(s) is it? Are there black accents anywhere? Personally, I would tend to stay away from stainless. I really don't like mine and think they don't clean well/easily. If black doesn't go, I would consider a different model that comes in white.

I would go for the stainless cooktop. To me, the black & white combination would seem mismatched. Stainless and white does not seem mismatched.

I'd go for the stainless, too. It's clear that you are very excited about the cooktop's features!

I think white + stainless is a fine mix.

A few other little stainless accents would pull it all together -- like when, say, your electric can opener dies, look for a stainless-looking one. Or if you typically use a container for holding cooking utensils by the stove, find one in stainless.

There are different "grades" of stainless appliances -- some clean up much better than, say, the ones that first hit the market.

It's your kitchen - populate it to suit you.

Others don't have to live with it - unless you offer to give it to them ... which I doubt that you're considering.

ole joyful