Slate is a painted finish vs. being just the integral metal of the stainless. I also find it flat in appearance. Due to GE's past history of discontinuing a close to slate color finish that they did for one retailer, I would be leery of ever finding longevity with the choice. Appliance lifespans are much shorter these days. When you have to replace that 7 year old refrigerator, I will bet that stainless, white, and black, are still available. Some form of bisque/ivory is likely to be as well, but that's been much more sporadic and never really matches well. I would not take bets on slate being available beyond a year or two. The rainy day all things gray look is close to saturation.

I am considering Black Stainless instead of regular Stainless Steel as a finish for new kitchen appliances that I am buying very soon and want advice from those who own such appliances and others who are considering this new finish. Black stainless looks sharp, but is it truly more fingerprint and smudge resistant and easier to clean? What do you clean it with? Also some have said online that it scratches and dents more easily than stainless steel and that you then see silver underneath..... is this true? In particular, I am considering refrigerator models by Samsung and LG (please see my earlier post and comment if you know anything about the particular models that I am considering.) However, what I am most worried about is when I must replace my built-in microwave and wall ovens, I will be limited in choice and locked into buying from certain companies if I choose black stainless over stainless steel for a refrigerator. The black stainless of Samsung is a little darker than the black stainless of LG, and I am not sure if these companies make good wall ovens or microwaves. It is possible that Kitchen Aid and GE also make some sort of black stainless according to Yale Appliance, but I am not sure about mixing appliance companies. But I do value function over aesthetics, so I want the best mid-range company for each appliance in my kitchen. Need advice quickly, since I need to buy soon!

316 SS is the choice in coastal areas subject to salt corrosion. It may not be necessary for your location, but it will outlast anything powder coated. You may not be around to see that though.

Thank you for all your opinions. @Patricia. As it turns out, we are doing a Bosch dishwasher and a samsung microwave, but the refrigerator, range and hood are GE Profile. After much scouring of the internet I actually found the exact application I was looking to do with the GE range I'm looking at with a hood from a different brand. What do those of you with the trained design eye think?