Stainless Steel
Is anything but without major care, second only to copper for requiring constant cleaning and polishing. Problem is worse in homes with children and or anyone else with sticky fingers.
Besides the industrial or morgue look for kitchens is starting to wane, while one or two SS appliances do make a nice "professional" statement, there is still the question of cleaning and polishing.
Local laundromat was totally redone with SS Speed Queen front loaders, and for the first few months the things looked ok, but only because the attendant spent hours a day cleaning and polishing the machines, even went out and purchases various SS cleaners and polishes for the job. In the end someone must have realised it was an uphill battle as now the machines are dull, scratched and only get wiped down at closing.
IMHO the only surface for laundry appliances is porcelain!
L.