Only cheap models in cheap brands do the lower grade stainless with a clear coat or the fake paint finish. Just use Pledge in the yellow and brown can and any real stainless is easy to keep clean.

Skip any oil-based cleaners/polishes and stick with alcohol-water spray (I add essential lavender oil to mine, but you can use tea tree or lemon or....). I spray it on my SS appliances, granite, etc., and wipe dry with a microfiber cloth, or even paper towel if just spot cleaning. If you avoid oil-based products, you usually can easily clean and spot clean your appliances with the alcohol-water spray.

Bosch, Gaggenau, Thermador, Miele, Liebherr all use real stainless. I think the cheaper brands have a "stainless look" finish, or some kind of coated stainless, and those tend to show all the smudges.

I clean my stainless with dish soap and water to get the food/germs off a few times per week as needed. Then about once a month I use mineral oil (same oil I use on wood cutting boards) sprinkled on a soft cloth, and buff that on the stainless panels to keep them from tarnishing. If there are ever any water drips, buffing with mineral oil gets them out. I prefer the mineral oil because it's food safe. I wouldn't want to transfer Pledge or WD-40 to my food.

Re. WD40. It's actually a pretty safe product.

Here is the Toxicology info fro their MSDs

11 – Toxicological Information
Symptoms of Overexposure:
Inhalation: High concentrations may cause nasal and respiratory irritation and central nervous system effects
such as headache, dizziness and nausea. Intentional abuse may be harmful or fatal.
Skin Contact: Prolonged and/or repeated contact may produce mild irritation and defatting with possible
dermatitis.
Eye Contact: Contact may be irritating to eyes. May cause redness and tearing.
Ingestion: This product has low oral toxicity. Swallowing may cause gastrointestinal irritation, nausea,
vomiting and diarrhea. This product is an aspiration hazard. If swallowed, can enter the lungs and may cause
chemical pneumonitis, severe lung damage and death.
Chronic Effects: None expected.
Carcinogen Status: None of the components are listed as a carcinogen or suspect carcinogen by IARC,
NTP, ACGIH or OSHA.
Reproductive Toxicity: None of the components is considered a reproductive hazard.
Numerical Measures of Toxicity:
The oral toxicity of this product is estimated to be greater than 5,000 mg/kg and the dermal toxicity greater
than 2,000 mg/kg based on an assessment of the ingredients. This product is not classified as toxic by
established criteria. It is an aspiration hazard.

Fwiw, I have a Bosch dishwasher and a Frigidaire refrigerator and induction range. The Frigidaire stainless has not only been much easier to keep looking clean, it has also held up much better. My Bosch dishwasher panel rusted! In my house, with no extreme conditions. And no verboten cleaners were used on it. The Frigidaire appliances haven't had any problems at all in exactly the same conditions. The Frigidaire appliances have been in use about six months more than the Bosch dishwasher--they were purchased about three and a half years ago.

I have the Frigidaire gallery appliances in my house, or as Sophie Wheeler would say "cheap models"

Not every house calls for high end appliances. I love mine and they are smudge proof and look great. I rarely clean them.

I second the smudge proof Fridigaire gallery models, they are very easy to keep clean.

mrsshayne--do you have the matching dishwasher? I love the way it cleans (once I figured out the best cycle to use), but I HATE the configuration on the upper rack. Those folding tines are useless and way too low to hold anything. Arghhhh....

There are many high end brands that have fingerprint proof stainless. I have a Miele dishwasher that was $1600 and all their dishwashers have it, as does their $6000 induction range and fridge (which I have seen in showroom).

Samsung also has sseveral models that are fingerprint proof.

They all use real stainless, but put a cleat coating on the top. This gives it a smoother feel, doesn't show fingerprints, and only need to be wiped down with a cloth and hot water with a mild cleaner.

People that I know with other SS appliance always look dirty because of the fingerprints happen so easily.

We have 2 Fisher Paykels that they call EZKleen and it's very easy to keep looking spotless. Stainless looks just fine and so does the color of the stainless. Of course if one puts their hands and fingers all over it I'm sure it will spot but I find wiping it with Twinkle and microfiber or even a damp microfiber takes all spots off very easy and quickly. We are a couple (no kids) that use the handles of the doors and really do not touch the rest very often but I feel as though it does not show finger prints as much as others I have seen.