The Kitchen Appliance Trend That's Challenging Stainless Steel

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If you are planning a renovation, you might want to think twice before adding stainless steel to your kitchen. Although it has long been considered a versatile and practical option, the material has been taking a back seat among home owners in favor of a more fashionable alternative: panel-ready appliances. Panel-ready appliances have unfinished front panels that are designed to be outfitted to match your kitchen's surrounding cabinetry. Whether solid wood, acrylic, or metal, or flat-front, Shaker-style, or recessed, the panels will be made out of the same material as your cabinets to create a cohesive design aesthetic.

There are two types of panels used for panel-ready cabinets: overlay, or integrated. An overlay panel is one that is adhered to the front of the appliance, and will extend slightly out so that the appliance isn't quite flushed with the surrounding counters or cabinets. An integrated panel, which is often more expensive, is installed on a slightly smaller version of a traditional appliance to achieve true counter-depth. The result is a sleek design that makes your kitchen look larger. But, like any other kitchen design choice, you should always consider the pros and cons – especially if you're buying panel-ready kitchen appliances and you plan to do this.

Panel-ready appliances integrate seamlessly with your kitchen design without any jarring transitions. However, this clever hidden design feature comes tends to be significantly more expensive than other types of kitchen appliances. In fact, some panel-ready refrigerators and dishwashers can cost twice or triple as much as standard models. For example, at Home Depot, a Bosch 800 Series 22 Inch Bottom Freezer Refrigerator in a custom panel-ready design is $3,299 — but it does not come with door panels or handles. The customer purchases and installs ones that match their cabinets, which can cost and additional $500 to $7,000. That doesn't even include the cost of installation.

Of course, it's possible to find deals on panel-ready appliances. For instance, the Samsung Bespoke French Door Refrigerator is a custom, panel-ready refrigerator that is $1,999.99 at Best Buy. But, panel-ready appliances are often smaller than traditional models, since they need to accommodate the outer finishing materials. You can also expect to pay more should your appliance ever require a repair, since the removing and re-installing the panels will require extra labor for the technician. If you plan to move, it's also worth considering the likelihood that you won't be taking your panel-ready appliance with you when you do, since it likely won't match the finishes in your new home.