Forum
« stairs Replacing an Extension »
February 21, 2008
Stainless vs New Appliances
I have a question for Landlords/Tenants. Is it more important to have new applainces are do you absolutely have to have stainless appliances in your rental?
I have stainless in one apartment and my tenants said it was nice to see when they were looking but actually hate trying to keep them clean.
Does anyone have an opinion on appliances for a rental?
Comments
You should have whatever YOU want. You're the one buying it for your house. The tenants may not stay longer than a year. Probably because they can't deal with cleaning that damn stainless! ;) My tenants were bitching about the matt octagon tiles I used. They are hard to keep clean. Not to mention the flat poly on the floors and the stainless appliances I put in. Not practical, but it looks good.
Posted by: rh at February 21, 2008 4:42 PM
My policy was to always make everything look good and clean and finished and to never, ever rent to anyone who said anything negative about the apartment. Seemed to work pretty well. I had white appliances.
Posted by: guest at February 21, 2008 5:20 PM
Unless, you're talking about a luxury rental, than white appliances are fine. As long as they're clean and up to date (No stove from the 1970's)
Posted by: guest at February 21, 2008 5:32 PM
Stainless is already over in highend kitchens and will be in everyone else's in a few years at most. It will look dated very quickly so why put it into a rental that you won't want to redo? Also avoid travertine tiles and black granite.
Posted by: guest at February 21, 2008 5:48 PM
Unless the stainless steel is of a high quality, it looks cheap, in my opinion. And if the rental kitchen is small and you can only fit 24" fridge and range in it, the stainless makes the appliances look like toys. Go for white.
Posted by: luvtocook at February 21, 2008 6:16 PM
Lazy-ass renters...
Posted by: denton at February 21, 2008 6:24 PM
What do people think of the almond/biscuit beige color for appliances? I never like it in the store, but I think it looks good with pale wood cabinets like clear-coated maple or birch. Cabinets and appliances seem to blend together. Never thought I'd advocate beige anything, but I do like it. Opinions?
Posted by: guest at February 21, 2008 7:31 PM
if stainless is out, what is in?
Posted by: guest at February 21, 2008 8:38 PM
As a renter, I don't care about the color - (OK, avocado green is yuck) - I want it clean and working, and the newer the better.
As a former owner, I'm not sure I would even buy stainless if I were renovating - I prefer white & black, and I find the stainless, though it seems to be de rigeur, is kind of too modern for victorian era apartments anyway. Get what you like.
Posted by: guest at February 21, 2008 9:56 PM
As another renter, I have to agree that I couldn't care less what the appliances look like as long as the are clean and work well.
Posted by: nosleeptil at February 22, 2008 12:03 AM
I realize this is sort of off topic but why does everyone say stainless is hard to keep clean? Its really not. Just a spray of windex and a paper towel and its good as new.
Posted by: Mrs. Limestone at February 22, 2008 8:17 AM
Or buy one of those special stainless micro clothes and it polishes up a treat. Not to dis the ever-wonderful Mrs. Limestone, but there are great non-toxic, biodegradable options for all cleaning. Micro cloth or eucalyptus oil are both excellent and smear-free stainless. Both windex and paper towel are bad for the environment.
Posted by: guest at February 22, 2008 9:46 AM
I agree to buy what you like...as a renter I'm perfectly happy with my new white appliances. My cabinets are white too and everything looks neat and clean. The low-end stainless definitely looks cheap and I think it will look outdated before long.
If stainless is going to go out of style, what's next? I saw some all-glass Jenn-Air appliances that were cool-looking, but perhaps hard to keep clean. Maybe white will come back in style?
Posted by: guest at February 22, 2008 10:33 AM
The only color I hate are those almond color appliances, to answer someone's question above. Oh and I hate all-black appliances. The all-black appliances look like Darth Vadar's kitchen.
Otherwise I like white appliances. I love colorful appliances, like green and blue. We bought the steel ones because our cabinets are dark.
It depends on the type of apartment and the neighborhood. If it were a family-sized apartment at a higher price and you're aiming for well-paid professionals who will be cooking at home and want a nice kitchen, definitely spring for nice appliances. That way you attract the best tenants. If you have smaller apartments and you're aiming for young professionals who are clean and nice but don't make a ton of money, just get the white appliances. They'll eat out or order Chinese all the time anyway.
Posted by: guest at February 22, 2008 12:14 PM
I saw some bronze colored ones in a magazine - maybe that's the new stainless steel. (I'll stick with black and white, or, if I ever have a lot of money to spend renovating, those cool retro ones that come in mucho colors.)
Posted by: guest at February 22, 2008 12:43 PM
Oh yeah, 12:43 is right, I did hear bronze was the new steel. But I also am crazy in love with the cool retro appliances, or even better, a fully refurbished vintage O'Keefe. Yum.
Posted by: guest at February 22, 2008 3:18 PM
Perhaps for their trouble, you could reduce their rent?
Posted by: moreteasir at February 22, 2008 4:09 PM
Stainless is the avocado green of the 21st century.
Posted by: guest at February 22, 2008 11:16 PM
I'd love to have avocado green appliances. What's old is new again, like they say.
Posted by: guest at February 23, 2008 1:23 PM
Yeah, now.
In 2030, stainless appliances will be reborn. Until then, I think white is classic.
Posted by: guest at February 23, 2008 5:48 PM
11:16 - as the poster who first mentioned avocado green as yucky, I totally loved your:
"Stainless is the avocado green of the 21st century" !
I've always hated staineless - it seems cold and institutional to me - from the first time I saw it, much as I hated the avacado green - and harvest gold, remember that? - of my childhood. Yes, dating myself here...
White is good. Black/white combo is good (black door stove with white tops especially nice); retro in bright colors and pastels are cool. I will never like stainless or the colors from the 60s/70s.
Posted by: guest at February 24, 2008 2:12 PM
Post a comment
Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.