Mixing is fine--better to get/have appliances that fit YOUR needs, has/have features you need or want, is in your price range, etc.

Ah, I did not think of posting on the appliances forum. I automatically think of coming here, LOL. I have never spent much time over there. Do you think I should cross-post to appliances forum, or wait for responses here ?

I don't mind mixing brands at all, but I will not be able to see them together in person. Just wanna make sure that I don't have any brands with obvious clashes.

Also, what do people think of mixing stainless with black appliances ? For example, maybe the dishwashers would be black. Could possibly do the built in oven & built in microwave in black.

Here is kitchen layout ...

I have never in my life gone into someone's kitchen and even noticed whether their appliances matched, or were the same brand.

I buy appliances according to features, value/price, reputation for reliability, etc.

My stove is black/stainless, my fridge is white, and I don't know what color the dishwasher will be yet.

My 2 cents - don't worry about it. I spent a lot of time reading on the appliances forum and chose my appliances based on my research.

One more question ... Built in Oven ... NOT Self Cleaning ???
This is for a vacation rental home that rents by the week. There will also be a range with a regular oven in addition to the built in, but there is no telling which one the renters would use most often - the built in oven or the one in the range. If I go with one that is not self cleaning, we could save a couple hundred dollars. But is it crazy to not get self cleaning ??? I have no experience with ovens that are not self cleaning, mine have always been. Thoughts and comments ?? (I did post this q on appliances : )

I don't mind mixing brands at all, but I will not be able to see them together in person. I want to make sure that I don't have any brands with obvious clashes in the stainless color. We have a "short list" of appliances that will suit the needs within our price range, but they are all over the place in brands. For example, for the range we have picked a Maytag, Whirlpool, LG, Frigidaire, and a KitchenAid that will work for us. We are waiting on pricing and most importantly when it can ship.

Thanks for the responses thus far !

For a vacation home, I might consider all white or all black. Just because of the fingerprints issue on the stainless, and it might get wear and tear, so B&W would be less expensive to repair/replace. But I'm guessing you'll probably have a housekeeping company that comes through every weekend, so it may not matter as much.

Is this a saltwater area? I've always wondered if salt air has any effect on stainless appliances.

I wouldn't bother posting the SAME question on appliances at this point, as I believe they would pretty much all say the same thing as far as it's ok (and actually recommended) to mix brands to get the appliances you want. If you have questions about specific appliances though, they would be very helpful.
Regarding mixing black & stainless, that would come down to what works best for you in your situation. I predict there would be some that would say it looks like you're "half done," meaning it looks like just some were replaced. However I'm certain some on here have done that, so maybe you could continue this thread asking to see pics of kitchens that have both black & stainless, and see what you think.

Yep, saltwater. Stainless is better than chrome, for example. All of our exterior screws and stuff are stainless (rather than regular steel). Black or white would also be ok for saltwater I would think, but white for sure is not the look we are going for ... jodi_in_so_calif's Fire & Ice kitchen is our inspiration kitchen. I just noticed going back thru my saved pictures, her range and fridge is stainless, but her dishwasher is black with stainless trim only at the top. Yes, housekeeping company.

Yes please ... anyone who has pics mixing black & stainless, please post. Thanks !!

I think true stainless, the kind that is NOT the clean type, fingerprint-free type, or magnetic type is usually the easiest to match. The other kinds tend to have different finishes and colors. I have a Kitchenaid refrigerator and an Ikea oven. They are next to each other and seem to blend well.

Yes, I agree--we have a "stainless" fridge that defies fingerprints, and I love it.

My girlfriend and I both have the same amazing convection oven by Kitchenaid. She ran the self clean, and every subsequent time she used the oven, the fan in the oven ran much louder than before. I asked a repair guy about this, and he laughed and said that was pretty common. Moving parts need lubrication. Self cleaning uses very high temps for extended periods which bakes away the lubrication for the convection fan.

So I don't use the self clean. I use elbow grease!

Would the self-clean function pose any danger to the property if renters turned it on and then left town? This might be a common scenario? Just something to consider perhsps.

Stainless and stainless finishes can vary so much even within different models of the same brand that I really wouldn't worry about matching the stainless too much. It's all compatible.

I purchased appliances from different manufacturers. The only thing that bothers me (and I hadn't thought of it before I purchased them) is that the displays on fridge, microwave and dishwasher have blue lighting while the range has a green lit display. Petty I know, but that green display bugs me every time I see it now.

A lot of stainless appliances have black glass panels (ranges & microwaves, for example), so I think you could safely mix stainless & black appliances. What color are your cabinets?

You might post on the appliance forum, too, especially your question about a self-cleaning oven. I've heard horror stories about not being able to unlock it after cleaning (actually experienced this in a house we rented years ago), so that might be a reason to avoid it in a rental property. Obviously, you will want to avoid service calls as much as possible. Also, I found I got some different answers on the appliance forum -- some of the regulars there don't seem to come to this forum.

I have a GE Profile SS fridge and a Bosch SS dishwasher -- they look fine together. With my kitchen renovation (ongoing even as I type), I will keep these fairly new appliances & add a Bosch SS range, Zephyr SS range hood & GE SS microwave. So, no, I don't think they need to be the same brand.

I was so worried things were not going to match up in my kitchen, especially because I have a wall which has the fridge, microwave, and secondary oven all next to each other. Luckily they all match great. Sub-zero fridge, viking microwave, and bertazzoni oven. Only thing that bugs me now is that the clock on the micro and the oven look so different (viking is blue, bertazzoni is green).

You are all making me feel much better !! Any problem mixing the fingerprint resistant "Silver Mist", "Stainless Look", or "Satina Steel" 's with Regular stainless ?

No, self cleaning with renters leaving town should not be a problem ... cleaners come in after renters leave at 10am before new renters get there at 4pm (or earlier). Although, I highly doubt there is much of a chance the renters would even clean the oven. : )

I wish I had taken a picture of our cabinets at the house today ! They are cherry with a chestnut finish. Here is what the doors look like from the mfg's website, although they don't look *exactly* like that in real life. And a pic of our inspiration kitchen from jodi_in_so_calif ...

Good point about the lights being green or blue ... and that is 2 people that mentioned it. It would bother me too. Will try to find that out ahead of time.

I am mixing, based on advice I got here. Bosch DW and Jenn Air fridge have similar handles, as does Sharp MW drawer. Bertazzoni range is different, but the stainless is the same look.
HTH!

I agree with the other respondants....don't worry about the SS finish, check to see if the handles are compatible.

Most stainless steel appliances come in what's called the #4 brushed finish. You can mix brands with little fear that the metal finish will not match.

In our kitchen, we went with the appliances that met the function and budget needs we had. We love to cook, so we spent the money on a Wolf rangetop with griddle and Wolf hood.

Then because we live out west where there are water/drought restrictions, we went with the quietest and most water efficient dishwasher, an Asko.

I wanted the Wolf double convection ovens, but didn't want to spend that much money, so I found a terrific deal on the FP double convection ovens. Nearly the same performance for more than half the cost. And the same terrific customer service from their tech department.

We could't see spending a huge amount for the SZ fridge (althought I'll admit I secretly coveted one!), so we ended up going with the LG French door, which was highly recommended on this website when it first came out. After 4 years, it fell apart inside (cheap plastic interior) so we replaced it with the newest Samsung, also highly recommended in here. Now I can make the argument we could have just spent the $$ on the Sub Zero after having to buy 2 cabinet depth lesser makes, LOL.

The good news is that they all look great together...both cheap and expensive brands. Even the handles are slightly different, but each appliance meets our needs beautifully. So don't worry about matching everything.