Stainless-steel appliances can cost from $50 to more than $7,500.
Tune into a home-hunting show on cable television and you'll hear buyers yearning for stainless-steel appliances. For many shoppers, stainless-steel finishes are a "must-have" feature that lends an upscale feeling to a kitchen. This highly desirable finish doesn't come without a premium, though. Stainless-steel appliances usually cost more than standard finishes, such as white, black and bisque.
Refrigerators
The price you pay for a refrigerator usually depends on its size, brand and style, and this holds true for stainless-steel refrigerators. Top-freezer models offer the most affordable entry point into stainless-steel refrigerators, with prices starting as low as $490 for an 18.2-cubic-foot model in 2011. Expect to spend at least $1,000 to get a side-by-side refrigerator with 26.5 cubic feet of space. A bottom-freezer model with 19.7 cubic feet starts around $1,200. French-door models, usually the most expensive refrigerator design, can be had for $1,260 if 22.7 cubic feet provides enough space. A high-end model with 29.5 cubic feet can cost more than $7,500.
Dishwashers
Built-in models in a 24-inch width represent the most common dishwasher style in American homes. Those with fewer cleaning cycles and features cost less than other models. Stainless-steel dishwashers start around $380 for built-in models, with higher-end brands starting around $650 and climbing past $1,600. Another option in this category is the drawer dishwasher, which has a door that pulls open horizontally. These appliances come in single- and double-drawer designs; double-drawer models allow you to run two loads with different settings. Single-drawer, stainless models start around $510 and can exceed $1,000. Double drawers can cost $950 to $1,500.
Ranges
The amount you pay in this category depends in part on whether you choose gas or electric technology, with the latter offering the most-affordable options. Ranges measuring 30 inches wide (the most common type) start around $360. Higher-end electric models with convection technology and a warming drawer can climb to $2,800. Professional-style, 36-inch ranges fueled by gas can cost $1,500 or more.
Microwave Ovens
Style and capacity fall among the factors affecting microwave oven prices. Stainless-steel models you install over a range start around $200 for 1.5 cubic feet of capacity. Models with 1.8 cubic feet cost around $475. If you want a stainless-steel microwave designed to be placed into your cabinetry, spending $350 will get you a 2.0-cubic-foot model. Higher-end microwaves with convection cooking can run $1,750. Countertop microwaves with a stainless-steel finish start as low as $70 for 0.7 cubic feet of space. High-end models with 1.5 cubic feet of capacity cost more than $550.
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