The 6 Best Alternatives To Stainless Steel Appliances That Still Look Sleek

In the quest to make our homes increasingly more modern and sleek, many homeowners are trading colorful silicone and plastic items for neutral-looking stainless steel alternatives. And, while there are plenty of major benefits to installing a top-to-bottom stainless steel kitchen, not everyone is in love with the aesthetics of an overly metallic area. If you're looking to get a modern and unique look for your home but are not willing to fill your space with only reflective, silvery gray items, there are great alternatives to stainless steel that will still give you a sleek look and top-notch function. Consider cream appliances for a retro look, copper finishes for an industrial vibe, or black metal for a modern neutral decor.

Beyond making every surface a little too reflective and reducing some of the charm of a space, stainless steel is potentially an overrated kitchen appliance trend due to its tendency to highlight smudges and watermarks. If you have kids or pets, then you'll notice that their wet hands, paws, and noses can do a number on a stainless steel appliance, leaving an otherwise clean refrigerator looking like it needs to be put through a car wash. Plus, other kitchen cleaning chemicals like bleach can damage your steel appliances, and it's quite difficult to avoid and get rid of scratches and dents in the material. Some great alternatives to stainless steel are still trendy without posing the same aesthetic and cleaning problems. 

Nothing beats the modern fads like returning to the most vintage home material of all: wood. These days, wood appliances allow kitchens to have a natural look, which can be paired with retro or modern vibes across a household. You can get wood-fronted dishwashers like the ZLINE Compact Dishwasher (available at Home Depot), as well as refrigerators and freezers that can be installed with wooden cabinet doors. Plus, some of these are unfinished wood, leaving you with the opportunity to finish or paint the wood to match the rest of your kitchen so the appliances blend in with ease. 

There are plenty of great creative ways to add a pop of color to your kitchen, and opting for bright red appliances is one way to introduce excitement to your home. Options like the highly rated Galanz Retro Red Refrigerator from Home Depot (which has over 600 five-star customer reviews) or the Nostalgia Retro Red Microwave will bring a fiery look into your home while still maintaining function and durability in your trusted appliances. This color pairs well with other stainless steel appliances you might be holding onto and looks great with black and white countertops alike. 

Copper is a popular trend in the kitchen design space, and for good reason. The metal is naturally antimicrobial (even more so than stainless steel) and is natural while still having a unique coloring that adds a pop of fun to a kitchen. This stainless steel alternative is especially popular when it comes to kitchen sinks, but it's also becoming more of a staple in appliances like dishwashers and refrigerators. If you're not ready to commit fully to copper, you can introduce it in a smaller way with something like the Cotomier Copper Toaster. 

If you love the quality and durability of stainless steel but dislike the way that silver looks in your kitchen, black stainless steel is a perfect alternative for you. This darker material looks chic and modern, and pairs with just about any color of countertop, kitchen flooring, or backsplash. Because black stainless steel is a trendy and reliable material choice, you can get just about any appliance you want with it, from refrigerators to ovens and ranges to deep kitchen sinks from reputable retailers like Glacier Bay and LG. 

Slate has a more matte look, is darker, and is often more fingerprint-resistant compared to classic stainless steel. You can opt for this chic gray option in a refrigerator like the GE French Door Refrigerator from Home Depot or other appliances like your dishwasher or microwave. Because slate has a warmer look to it, this option would pair best with darker kitchens like ones with dark wood or black cabinetry, and the material also complements warm hues like reds and oranges nicely.

Instead of leaning into a simple white look as an alternative to metallics in your kitchen, retro brands like SMEG and Kitchenaid offer cream finishes that pair nicely with just about any kitchen aesthetic. You can go all out by buying a cream refrigerator, like GE's Classic Top Freezer in Bisque, available at Home Depot, and you can also load up on the SMEG line of cream-finished products like the SMEG Retro Toaster and SMEG Retro Drip Coffee Machine. Even if some of your larger appliances are stainless steel, these products will lessen the overly gray look.