Why It May Benefit You To Mix And Match Kitchen Appliance Brands

Modern homes can be pretty matchy-matchy as a matter of course, unlike the vintage freestanding kitchen designs of yore. Today's builder grade projects probably aren't going to include studiously selected appliances assessed for performance quality across brands, and even more hands-on buyers tend to think of things like ranges and refrigerators in groups. But it can be a boon to untether these items and assess every element's individual value, according to YouTube's Scott The Fix-It Guy.

"The only disadvantage of buying all the same brand for your kitchen appliances is that certain brands are better for a type of appliance," Scott tells Chowhound exclusively. "For example Bosch and Miele are excellent for dishwashers, and Whirlpool is excellent for refrigerators," he says. "When you do buy different brands for your kitchen appliances, it is possible to still make them look uniform. You can buy different brands but buy them all with the same finish, for example: Brushed nickel." Now, for those über-coordinated blueprints where said handsome Miele will stand out in a collection of lovely Smegs, you'll want to keep it uniform. You'll likely come out just fine at these high-end prices, in any case. And that coordination can also, of course, have its own advantages.

Scott The Fix-It Guy points to the obvious appeal that buying in a kind of large-scale bulk can deliver: It just makes it easier to stick to a cohesive, tailored style without having to think much about it at all. Rather than deal with all the comparison shopping, you can simply click to purchase in one fell swoop (or speak with an IRL sales associate, if that's your thing). It might even be a little more financially enticing. "Many big box stores will also give you a nice price break when you buy a whole kitchen set of the same brand," Scott says.

Still, one should consider the cost of future repairs and even premature death when committing to buying matching big ticket items such as these, as opposed to shopping based on individual brand quality. That micro percentage off now might seem a lot more expensive later on when your oven has to be replaced or you need a new dishwasher sooner than expected. Future you might just thank you for saving the extra time and cash down the road.