You can use magnets on some stainless--my frigidaire will hold magnets. How much the finish shows fingerprints and smudges and how it is to clean varies. My frigidaire refrigerator and range don't show fingerprints badly and are super easy to clean--quick wipe down with a damp rag gets the looking pristine again. My Bosch dishwasher is a whole different story. So if keeping the appliances looking clean is your concern, it is possible to get stainless that is easy--easier than the old textured white appliances I have had in the past. If you just want a vote, I'd go stainless. I don't love stainless (we have it because I do love induction cooking and at our price point, stainless is the only option). But my mom has black appliances and I really dislike how they seem to loom and suck the light out of what is a fairly big space.

Does anyone own a Samsung french door with food door showcase? sorry i don't know model number and all that but its basically a french door with a fridge drawer underneath and a freezer door underneath that. Was wondering if its worth the price and if its good quality?

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!

Most appliances manufacturers seem to use some sort of brushed finish. And in practice, the differences between manufacturers tend to be not overly glaring. Sinks are a bit more of a wildcard. There are a couple of different finishes that you can get. But then, a sink is in a very different place, and accumulates scratches with use anyway. I personally don't feel it has to 100% match the look of the stainless appliances. If you are really anal, you could always have your contractor redo all the grain with a sander and some 3M pads. It's labor intensive though and does take some amount of practice to get a uniform finish. Most people wouldn't really go down this route -- and if you do, make sure you get samples of their workmanship first; it's easy to make things worse instead of better.