HGTV's Nate Berkus Warns To Avoid Skimping On This Kitchen Essential

It's crucial to separate the must-haves from the nice-to-haves during a house upgrade. When you prioritize the necessary projects, you ensure the home is as functional as possible and put your money where it actually counts. In a House Digest exclusive, we spoke to expert contractors who told us to never cheap out on home improvements like structural projects, electrical wiring, and insulation. Appliances were another category, and HGTV's Nate Berkus has cosigned this. "Appliances are not a place to cut costs," he said to MyDomaine.

Kitchen appliances play a very active role in daily home life. They can be used multiple times a day and are the most impactful when they aren't working properly, so it's unwise to skimp on them. Instead of going after a cute color or a flashy design, Nate Berkus advises homeowners to prioritize functionality. Some of the most important appliances to invest in are stoves and refrigerators, but you can't go wrong with a quality blender, microwave, and coffee machine.

"The bottom line is that no matter how much care, thought, and blood, sweat, and tears go into planning all of the decorative finishes, if your appliances aren't reliable and well-made, it doesn't matter—you can't entertain, you can't cook, you can't make yourself coffee in the morning—so that's a situation to avoid," explains Nate Berkus (via MyDomaine). In a kitchen upgrade, there are so many possibilities. Choosing the color palette and accessories, for example, tends to take up a lot of attention, but Nate Berkus is advising people to invest more in their appliances and other designers agree that these kitchen features are worth splurging on.

When you get quality products that will hold up for a long time, you're investing in your convenience and reducing the chance of having to replace your appliances in the near future. Investing in high-quality appliances is also an investment in the home's resale value. Potential buyers love to see kitchens that have been upgraded with top-notch appliances.

Nate Berkus also thinks it's more important for a kitchen appliance to be functional than stylish. "I think appliances should be designed to quietly, seamlessly integrate into any kitchen design... Technology and innovation should just serve us; it shouldn't be loud from a design perspective," he says (via MyDomaine). While style is important, the way it works should always be the priority and then users can pick products based on how they fit into their kitchen design plan.

Our key takeaway from this is that you should avoid focusing on the looks, colors, and shine when it comes to kitchen appliances. Focus instead on what it does and how it can make your life easier and better because that's the main purpose of any appliance. According to consumer trends, homebuyers have already been shifting their priorities in this direction and agents predict that stainless steel appliances and smart, energy-efficient appliances will become must-haves for homebuyers because of their durability and low energy use. They might have higher price tags, but people understand that are worth the investment in the long run.