Is the stainless reign coming to an end?

There has been the avocado green, the mustard yellow, the classic white, and finally the stainless steel. Appliances’ finishes have evolved a lot over the last decades. However, stainless steel has dominated the market in the past years. After this quasi-monopoly during many years, are consumers ready for a new finish change in the appliance world? It seems to be what the company Jenn-Air thinks who has launched in May 2007 a new collection of kitchen appliances with an oiled bronze finish.

The collection-which has refrigerators, electric and gas cooking hobs, built-in ovens, dishwashers, hoods, and stoves- is perfect to match any kitchen style, whether it is classic, country-like, or modern. The finish which has a hand-brushed aspect has been inspired by many decoration accessories that we can already find in homes such as lighting, doorknobs, cupboard handles, or even taps and sinks. Thanks to a patented application, the finish has, according to Jenn-Air, the same durability as stainless steel. Moreover, its maintenance is very similar to the one required for stainless steel. Indeed, a wet cloth with a bit of dishwasher liquid suffices to make stains and fingerprints disappear.

The company Jenn-Air has taken a risk by launching this new finish while stainless steel is still the most popular. This risk was however calculated because all the “trend specialists” agree to say that warmer metallic finishes will be very fashionable in the next few years. The Color Marketing Group, an independent organism that regroups more than 1100 specialised designers and whose objective is to foresee what will be trendy in the colour world, has actually already announced that the copper and bronze tints will be very popular in the coming seasons.

And so, by following the future trends colour-wise and by bringing a new choice to consumers, could the bronze finish become the next stainless steel? If the amount of consumers who opt to purchase these appliances is still low compared to the amount purchasing stainless steel, it is evident that this finish can be very interesting for people trying to stand out from the mass. The same thing applies for people who want to have a warmer finish, and this, with all the same advantages of stainless steel. Actually, Jenn-Air presents its product as being an alternative to stainless steel appliances. It wouldn’t be surprising to see bronze-coloured appliances gain popularity because this finish is an emerging trend that you should certainly keep an eye on. Let’s see if other important manufacturers will have the same idea as Jenn-Air.

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