The difference is usually very visible, between hand made and machine made. Maybe not if you look at tile X vs tile Y. (Even though I am usually good with seeing it) But when you have a wall tiled-it will be quite easy to see the difference. Together with that, I'd base my decision (after budget considerations, of course) on the style, yours and the house. Couple pics, here in the thread, show exactly how beautiful simple tile can be. There are homes where machine made tiles will look classic and right for the space. I think-more modern kitchens/bathrooms, East Coast, urban homes, Cape Cods, Victorians maybe..? And there will be houses that will beg you for the handmade tile. It doesn't mean you have to cave:) But styles that heavily used handmade tile for years and years-they'll benefit from handmade tile. I think: Craftsman, Spanish.. As for difficulty of installation-I have no idea. In our case, heavily depended on an installer)) Some places are picture-worthy, some ..you're, like "well okay"..some were redone(very nicely I must say)/some will need to be redone. Not everybody can do the same job. Also, some places are trickier than the others, and require more skill. Luckily the trickier tile was done by better installers. But I'm paying for everything to look good..)) The amount of money that goes to compensate for spoiled material, and to purchase a new one, is much more than I ever imagined, and frankly-it's quite maddening. Also, with handmade tile-you have to wait. Sometimes for weeks. Take it into consideration too. Daltile will always be there I suppose, if you encounter a problem..3 days, and you're getting it. Handmade-consider yourself lucky if it's 3 weeks. Lastly, I wouldn't worry what people will say in 10 years. People say so many things about so many things..their opinions about somebody else's tile should be our last concern.))) Just make sure you consider your choice, and love it enough.

We are in the midst of remodeling two of our bathrooms. I like doing a ton of research and price comparisons before committing to a store. I first saw the white 3x6 subway tile at Lowe's and Home Depot, and then stepped into our local Tile Shop to compare quality. After seeing and feeling the different products side by side, I thought they were comparable, though the quality of the Tile Shop tiles were slightly better (e.g., not porous and no variation in the white from tile to tile). I told the reps at the Tile Shop that I had seen the exact same tile at Lowe's for $1.79 and showed them a sample. They actually priced matched the tile!!! We ended up buying all our tiles at their store - and they gave us significant discounts on everything. They were really great to work with and make you feel like they really value your business. I have found that everything is negotiable - it's just a matter of asking! =)

I used white Daltile 3x6 subways in my bathroom walls. The floor is matte hex in the only white offered at that time, which truly is an off-whitish color. WIth a white toilet and sink and a white cabinet sitting directly on it, it looks fine. I again used the Daltile white subways on my kitchen walls near my built in fridge, which is paneled to look like my cabs. That white matches the white 4x8 beveled subways I am using on my kitchen backsplash. I am sure if you look up close there will be a difference, albeit very slight. I have off white cabinets (BM's Man on the Moon) which are almost to the yellow tones. My appliances are white, and the combination of the subways and appliances look nice together (even tho there are quite a few 'white appliance nay-sayers' out there!). I think the combination is very crisp yet softens the typical all white look. I don't like harsh kitchens, and find too much white and stainless appliances tend to look sterile and harsh. Perhaps working in a hospital for too many years has me swayed that way.......

First off, do not be pressured to decide on the tile. You have learned the same as all of us here who went through this step. Your lighting makes all the diference when picking tile. You need to get a sample board or lots of samples lined up and view them at all times of the day. White or off white, is not easy to get right, but you will if you take the time to do it. Grout is a whole other animal. Depending on the look you want. Either you do what jillandmatt did and have it contasting to see the grout lines, or you match it closely to the tiles so it all blends in. The third option is what you said about using white grout, but I haven't seen too many examples, if any on here like that. Know this, the backsplash is the least functional and some here (raising my hand and waving) have taken months and even years to get a backsplash. Talk to the contracter and get more time!