Black Fridge?

[LexyLou]

What are your opinions on black fridges?

We're moving in a couple of weeks (back to the SF Bay after being away 7+ years!) but the house we're moving into has all black kitchen appliances (stove top, ovens, dishwasher). It doesn't have a built in microwave so we need to get that too, but we also need to get a fridge.

Should we get a stainless steel fridge or do black to match the rest of the appliances? My concern with stainless is #1-the smudging and fingerprints and #2-not being able to hang up pictures and stuff on it.

Plus a black fridge is so much cheaper, but is it cheesy looking?

FWIW, we're actually renting the house-but it belongs to my mother-it was the house she built when I was in highschool. So it's not our forever home, but we can make changes to it.

[Melaine]

I like black appliances, and would have no problem with a black fridge. The stainless steel ones are nice but you are right about fingerprints. I am pretty sure you can hang stuff on it though.

[BabyMine]

There are new types of stainless steal looking appliances that don't leave fingerprints and you can hang stuff on it.

http://www.geappliances.com/products/cleansteel.htm

IMO the color of the appliances depend on the color of cabinets and the rest of the kitchen.

[happymom]

I have all black appliances- including a black frig. I think it looks very nice. One thing I will say, is not to get one with the smooth finish that shows fingerprints. I can't remember what the finish on my frig is called, but it is more matte, and with a slight design so fingerprints do not show. HTH!

[shawnandangel]

I have black appliances and love them!

[kijip]

When we bought our house, the included appliances were black and stainless (range/microhood and dishwasher) so we could go either way. I picked black because I don't really like stainless. The black has been great. I like it a lot. Never looks messy. Don't get the smooth, shiny ones...they are too easy to smudge.

[smiles33]

Our house, too, came with black appliances so when we upgraded our fridge, we got a black one. Not only did we save money over the stainless stuff, but frankly, I think the stainless stuff looks a bit too "commercial kitchen" to me.

[wellyes]

Black's awesome. Better than white (looks cheap) or stainless (trying too hard). I agree with the PP, get one that's slightly textured, not shiny, to avoid fingerprint issues.

[ChunkyNicksChunkyMom]

Black's awesome. Better than white (looks cheap) or stainless (trying too hard). I agree with the PP, get one that's slightly textured, not shiny, to avoid fingerprint issues.


Stainless=trying too hard? Ouch.

[Octobermommy]

We have a black fridge, no real complaints.

[TwinFoxes]

Our refrigerator at our old house was black, and we liked it. It had a texture, in fact I don't remember even seeing smooth shiny ones.

Our fridge now is one of the stainless ones that doesn't show fingerprints and we use magnets. (we're renting now, it's our landlord who's trying too hard!). :tongue5:

[infomama]

I like black appliances but given the choice I would go for stainless.

[alien_host]

I personally like the look of stainless. The fingerprint thing isn't too bad, I just wipe it down periodically with windex and it cleans it up.

We cannot use magnets on ours. DH prefers this since with our old white fridge, I hung a ton of junk on the front. It looks neater without all the stuff on the front. The sides on ours does accomodate magnets so I put a few things there.

[wellyes]

Stainless=trying too hard? Ouch.Oh, sorry, that came off waaaaaaaaaaaaaay harsher than I meant! I just remember house hunting and looking at all these 1000 sq ft, cheaply renovated houses that all badly needed updating, but all had a new, big stainless fridge. It was just silly, like everyone took the exact same tip from the "flipping houses" advice books. But in the proper context (within a nicely updated kitchen) I don't think anything negative about them, they fit right in! My prejudice is entirely related to the impossible Boston housing market. Sorry !

[Nooknookmom]

What are your opinions on black fridges?

We're moving in a couple of weeks (back to the SF Bay after being away 7+ years!) but the house we're moving into has all black kitchen appliances (stove top, ovens, dishwasher). It doesn't have a built in microwave so we need to get that too, but we also need to get a fridge.

Should we get a stainless steel fridge or do black to match the rest of the appliances? My concern with stainless is #1-the smudging and fingerprints and #2-not being able to hang up pictures and stuff on it.

Plus a black fridge is so much cheaper, but is it cheesy looking?

FWIW, we're actually renting the house-but it belongs to my mother-it was the house she built when I was in highschool. So it's not our forever home, but we can make changes to it.

Hope its not cheesy, I have one ;).

I was going stainless (fridge was same $) but the fingerprints & not being able to hang magnets on it steered me 2 the black.

[Toba]

I agree with another poster that it depends on the cabinets and flooring, but I love black appliances. I'm not sure how I feel about stainless steel. Friends of ours have black appliances and it looks really sharp ... they also have this weird extended version that also includes a black washer and dryer. Still looks neat. I actually saw black CABINETS the other day at a home store and fell in love.

[cono0507]

We love our black fridge. Stainless didn't really work colorwise with the rest of our kitchen. Our fridge is the smooth black finish that does show finger prints, but I like how it looks and just need to wipe down the front of it once a day to keep the finger prints at bay.

[caleymama]

We had to replace our fridge this past spring and went with black. Our appliances were/are white, but we decided to make the switch to black. Due to the location of our fridge with one side visible, we opted not to go with SS since the sides of the ones were looking at were grey rather than SS. We preferred the continuous look of one color front & side. I was totally over white, though, b/c it was such a pain to keep clean. Our fridge space is pretty narrow so we were really limited in terms of choices. This (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8828003&st=lg+fridge&lp=6&type=product&cp=1&id=1207956903417) LG French Door model is what we went with. We replaced our on-its-last-legs dishwasher at the same time with a black Frigidaire model. Next up, a black range at some point.

[almostamom]

We have black appliances in our kitchen (except for the sink). I don't have any complaints. I had white in my previous kitchen and I like the black so much better for the gas stovetop. It hides the carbon on the grates much better.

Linda

[kransden]

I have black appliances and love them!

:yeahthat:

[LexyLou]

Thanks everyone! In looking at fridges it looked like most of the stainless actually had regular black sides, so I guess I could hang some stuff up on the sides.

The kitchen has been semi updated but not totally. The cabinets are in great condition but they are from 1994, so they are oak. The counter tops are granite, and actually I think the main sink is black.

Also the island, the cabinets are black, same granite as the the rest of the kitchen and the sink in the island is stainless.

I'm glad to hear good things about a black fridge. I think that's the route we'll go...so now the question is french door or side by side? Hmmm...

[maylips]

I haven't read through all of the responses, but wanted to say that we've had two black fridges at two different houses - one in particular had a textured, almost raised-type of pattern on it, rather than the smooth, almost mirror-like exterior (if that makes sense). I HIGHLY recommend the textured one, as it didn't show fingerprints at all. Fingerprints are what I hate about stainless too, so I really liked that first black fridge we had.

[jacksmomtobe]

We got a new fridge in the spring and it's french door. I LOVE IT!!! We used to have side by side and with this one we have so much more useable space. I find it much more functional and updated.

[justlearning]

Thanks everyone! In looking at fridges it looked like most of the stainless actually had regular black sides, so I guess I could hang some stuff up on the sides.

The kitchen has been semi updated but not totally. The cabinets are in great condition but they are from 1994, so they are oak. The counter tops are granite, and actually I think the main sink is black.

Also the island, the cabinets are black, same granite as the the rest of the kitchen and the sink in the island is stainless.

I'm glad to hear good things about a black fridge. I think that's the route we'll go...so now the question is french door or side by side? Hmmm...

I'm a fan of stainless and do what you say here--I hang stuff up on the side where it's black. I like it that way--I have minimal clutter there and that area isn't very noticeable and then the front is clutter-free.

[LexyLou]

We got a new fridge in the spring and it's french door. I LOVE IT!!! We used to have side by side and with this one we have so much more useable space. I find it much more functional and updated.

That's why I like the french door. I find the side by side can be a tight fit, especially around the holidays...but I worry that the kids will have their hands in the freezer (dessert) easily.

[Happy 2B mommy]

MIL got a French Door model when they first came out and LOVES it. the only drawback is the freezer drawer is really small. If you keep a lot in your freezer, make sure you look at the amount of space - or get a small chest freezer.

[alien_host]

That's why I like the french door. I find the side by side can be a tight fit, especially around the holidays...but I worry that the kids will have their hands in the freezer (dessert) easily.

I LOVE my French Door fridge. I had a Side by Side before and HATED it. That being said, my 4 YO does often try to help herself to popsicles and hoodsie cups as she can open the drawer. She does ask, but asks while she has the drawer open ;) I still love it though.

[LexyLou]

I was at a friend's house today who has a french door (viking). But she's smart. She keeps the popsicles and ice cream in the outside freezer. That's a good idea.

[alien_host]

I was at a friend's house today who has a french door (viking). But she's smart. She keeps the popsicles and ice cream in the outside freezer. That's a good idea.

I do keep the bulk of the "treats" in the chest freezer which DD can't really get into.