Is it Over for Stainless Steel in the Kitchen?

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

Whether it's for worktops, fixtures, sinks or splashbacks, stainless steel has been a go-to material in the kitchen for years. Yet with warmer metal finishes such as gold or copper making an appearance more and more often, we're wondering if our Houzzers still have a feel for steel!

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Tell us your thoughts in the Comments and vote for your favourite kitchen metal in our poll.

Can't decide? This collection of metallic kitchen buys in every tone might help you choose!

Stainless steel forever!

Gold

Brass

Copper

I'd mix and match several

Featured Answer

Daisy England

4 years ago

Personally I don't have a favourite out of those listed but hate stainless steel. A pain in the posterior to keep clean.

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Comments (23)

PRO
Tim Wood Limited
4 years ago
I cannot vote. As it is totally up to the individual client and what is best for the given project/home/environment and the client's individual taste. We always start with a brief which comes from asking questions and listening to our clients to give them their dream - not ours.

Depending on the grade and finish of stainless steel it can be very easy to keep clean. Where you have integrated sinks into a stainless steel top with no joints or seems it can be fabulous. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as the client you should have whatever you are passionate about in your home.
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A lot of people ask how easy it is to clean stainless steel [worktops]. The simple answer is 'very easy' and GEC Anderson recommend the microfibre cloths that have been mentioned by a number of contributors, in combination with cold water. Simply wipe down the worktop after use to prevent build up of streaks or marks - especially, in hard water areas. And that's it! Some words of caution probably should be taken into account before making a final decision as to whether stainless steel suits your lifestyle. Stainless steel is prone to attracting finger prints and marks and so the key here is to regularly wipe down the surface so as not to let dirt and extraneous material to build up in the first place. Another thing to consider is that stainless steel will scratch and mark over time. This is perfectly normal! Scratches and marks will build up over time, creating a unique patina appearance. Simply ignore them. Your stainless steel worktop will outlast pretty much every other alternative worktop material and should provide you with several decades of useful service.
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AEG have just released their new range of appliances labelled the Blackline Range. We do hold a direct account with AEG/Electrolux so we can get you a great price if you are interested. Apologies for the poor quality of the image, they are just rolling it out now in the UK.
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Hindsight is a wonderful thing, we decided to get all woodwork glossed and decided that ss or brushed steel etc would look to dull and therfore chose polished chrome to fit in with the whole shiny/ glossy scheme but I don't think it's worth the effort of cleaning. SS also leaves marks but I've found that finishing it off with baby oil and more recently dishwasher rinse aid detergent (finish) once all the water is dried gets rid of finger marks and leaves it smelling nice and fresh (better than oil)
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Hi Gj Dee! Quartz is the more practical of the two options in the long run. Manufacturers such as Caesarstone or Silestone produce great options in a variety of colours and finishes. The material is highly durable and resistant to stains and scratching therefore it should look like it did on day one in a few years after installation. If your husband is looking for something that looks industrial you could maybe look at their concrete-like options. However with all this in mind we have used stainless steel worktops for clients in the past and have included it in our showroom displays. It does have unparalleled heat resistance etc but the issue with it is that it isn't impervious to small nicks and scratches in everyday wear and tear. If you are happy and embrace that it will not look scratch free then go for it - it does add character to the top! Overtime these scratches will build up and blend in with one another creating a unique patina. It might be an idea to use both depending on the style of your kitchen. We decided to do this with one of our recent displays. Good luck with your choice!
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minipie
4 years ago
None of the above for me - brushed nickel ❤️
Gary
4 years ago
stainless steel was a pain in the proverbial until we discovered microfibre cloths. once over with a damp one, then finish with a dry one... perfect finish. as a work surface, stainless steel it will scratch though... but I don't mind that.
PRO
Tim Wood Limited
4 years ago
All worktops have pros and cons when choosing stainless the type of stainless steel and its finish are vital. Otherwise yes, with the wrong finish or cheap stainless steel top it will be a waste of money and look terrible. Our suppliers are superb and when cleaning, it will not scratch easily at all and it looks superb.

It is a great worktop if you use the very best stainless steel and the right fabricator, otherwise, it can look terrible.

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Danielle H
4 years ago
None of the above, I have gone for all matte black!
PRO
Danmar Kitchens & Interiors
4 years ago

one kitchen 4 different worktops , stainless steel should stay always as just as functional
PRO
PWJ Architects Ltd
4 years ago
Stainless steel sinks are practical and affordable, whilst providing aesthetic qualities when designed in with the entirety of the kitchen!
PRO
Arlington Interiors
4 years ago
We think, Gun Metal could potentially be the new Stainless steel.
PRO
Yasmin Chopin Interior Design
4 years ago
It's hard to avoid stainless steel when designing a kitchen. It has a stylish hygienic appearance and, yes, it can be a pain to keep it shining but it is worth a bit of effort. The microfibre cloths make the job easier.

More metals are available for the kitchen than ever before and my personal choice is to mix it up a bit. Kitchens shouldn't be boring. When designing open plan spaces I design a kitchen so it fits in with the living space.
Chris Goodchild
4 years ago
For durability and value for money stainless is hard to beat, particularly for sinks and drainers. Also a lot of sinks sold as copper are only finished in a copper (or bronze colour so eventually will wear through to the stainless underneath.

Solid copper and bronze sinks are quite expensive but much better than the cheaper copper 'effect' items.

I do however like the look of zinc, copper and bronze in a kitchen.

Copper is excellent because of it's antibacterial properties as much as the great warm look it gives, the same is true of bronze, an advantage of bronze depending on the alloy is that it can be much harder than copper though probably more expensive.

I have used zinc on a few jobs as a splashback for it's looks and colour but think it is too soft to work well as a work surface. The times I have used it, it was matched with a dark hardwood top on one of them and granites on two of them.
ejfkaiser
4 years ago
Depends on the quality. Cheap stainless steel is little better than tinplate and will rust round edges and in corners. I just wish we had the all-in-one worktop, sink and back-splash sections popular in New Zealand.
Lena
4 years ago
I like steel, gold could be too much and copper - not everyone’s cup of tea.
PRO
GROHE UK
4 years ago
Have a look on our various options for bathroom and kitchen. Of course, we are offering stainless steel as well. Get inspired: https://www.grohe.co.uk/en_gb/
PRO
Leticia Bagans
4 years ago
i like the novice offing the money for me
Norren Bird
4 years ago
Small point - stainless steel will NOT rust although it will scratch. Many stylish options now for steel sinks however I would steer clear of coloured steel as another comment suggested. Stainless steel splash backs have been available in the UK for a long time and are very affordable. Most industrial kitchens use steel worktops and these will become more mainstream for domestic kitchens this year. Gorgeous!
Chris Goodchild
4 years ago
It may be worth noting that strong bleach can cause corrosion in stainless steels and in general is not recommended. Also continuous exposure to salt water will begin to corrode stainless. 316 is a stainless that has molybdenum added to help protect it from the chlorine that is in salt and bleach, chlorine can break down the layer of chrome oxide that is normally present on the surface of stainless and makes stainless, stainless. A simple environmentally friendly cleaner for sinks is bicarb and a mild (2.5%) peroxide.
PRO
Fisher & Paykel Appliances UK & Ireland
4 years ago
We do love stainless steel! :) ..we totally agree with the other comments in regards to microfibre cloths, they work a treat on stainless steel.
PRO
Inna Hart Interiors
4 years ago
It’s a definite yes from me! Besides, I saw a lot of brushed stainless steel fixtures and faucets that look quite quirky and antique. I would only say that bulky looking faucets in stainless steel wouldn’t be “the look”, I think everyone produces/chooses more delicate thinner forms.
Resistance
4 years ago
absolutely hate stainless steel. for appliances i prefer black or white. for handles etc I'd choose brass or copper. when i do my kitchen i think I'll probably have to go with a lot of zinc in draining board and taps to since there's not a lot of variety available in SA.
heatherbroadbent
4 years ago
Gold, copper - just a fad that will date. Happy to use other colours in rooms which are cheap to makeover but not in kitchen or bathrooms which you only change ever 10 years or so.
PRO
company test
3 years ago
After Working in multiple Michelin star restaurants I can tell you that it's not over for stainless steel in the kitchen. Yes it's true that from a design point-of-view you can have more appealing materials such as copper, but it also comes at a different cost.
Ribena Drinker
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Copper and brass are so faddy. In four years time or so, they'll be out of fashion, whereas stainless steel - which may not be cutting edge in terms of the latest trend - has longevity and a practicality that's hard to beat and is relatively timeless.

That said, the overuse of it or too much stainless steel is not ideal either.

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Is it Over for Stainless Steel in the Kitchen?

Daisy England

Comments (23)

Tim Wood Limited

Related Discussions

minipie

Gary

Tim Wood Limited

Danielle H

Danmar Kitchens & Interiors

PWJ Architects Ltd

Arlington Interiors

Yasmin Chopin Interior Design

Chris Goodchild

ejfkaiser

Lena

GROHE UK

Leticia Bagans

Norren Bird

Chris Goodchild

Fisher & Paykel Appliances UK & Ireland

Inna Hart Interiors

Resistance

heatherbroadbent

company test

Ribena Drinker

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