Don't buy to match brands. Buy the best of what you can afford for each task. So, get the best bang for your buck for that microwave. Back when we used an OTR microwave, GE Spacemaker was always "the one", in fact I have one in my townhouse we are renting, it works great. (Could be vented to the outside) But it has a lot of nice features. (the fan even came on automatically once when I was boiling water, too bad it only exhausts back into the kitchen--I fear the sprinkler over the stove)

No one will look to see if your appliances match, just get what works best for you!

My last kitchen had Capital range, Viking hood, Thermador fridge, Fisher Paykel dishdrawers, and Kenmore microwave/pizza oven. Sold that house and not one comment on the mismatched appliances.

Current house, same thing, all different.

Bee

I been putting a new kitchen package piece by piece getting the best deal I can find to get nice things on a budget. So far I have a KA french door fridge that was a floor model close out, a Frigidaire Gallery gas convection range and Maytag Hood I got on sale at AJMadison.com all in stainless steel. it all looks good together. I think you can even mix black and stainless items and have it look ok. I did just that in a rental and no prospective tenant ever said anything bad about it.

Soon I will be looking for a dishwasher and I'm not sure what brand I'll be getting. Not KA unless I find a clearance or close out deal. it will likely be Whirlpool Bosch Kenmore or Frigidaire Gallery.

I don't know where the idea that a whole kitchen needs to be one brand comes from..... Builders that get it all like that because the get special deals maybe.

Thank you Bee and Mike what you say makes alot of sense. I won't worry about mixing now. Today the template was taken foe the White Kashmir granite! Feels like progress.

oakesames: "We have all new Kitchen Aid stainless appliance installed in our new kitchen. Have not installed the KA over range micro yet. I may return it due to poor July 2012 Consumer reports reviews..."

There are two red flags there. First, a poor review in Consumer Reports should have no influence whatsoever upon whether you purchase or keep a product that you actually have used. Apparently, your microwave already has been purchased, and therefore it is "used," whether you actually have installed or "used" it or not. So why don't you evaluate what Consumer Reports does not like about the appliance and then actually use it for yourself and see whether whatever caused Consumer Reports to denigrate it makes any difference to you?.

But -- more fundamentally -- your topic line implies that appliances can be "mixed." How would you mix a KitchenAid microwave with a SubZero refrigerator? Would you throw the two into a blender? Would you end up with a microwave refrigerator?

Seriously, apart from décor issues, is there any way that the phrase "mixing appliances" can be taken as a negative description? And, as to those décor issues, (personal bias here) who cares, and what is THEIR agenda? Would I put up with an underperforming appliance only because I worry about some undercover kitchen spy reporting me to the Style Police for my various appliances not having the exact same shade of stainless steel finish? (no)

I apologize if my sarcasm offends, but -- personal opinion -- function always should trump very minor matters of style.

Something I notice over and over when I attend our region's "street of dreams" tours is that the kitchens seem to be designed by someone who has never actually worked in a kitchen. Everything matches and is oh-sooooo pretty. Except the placement is often stupid and some things, like range-hoods, especially, are fitted and placed so they can't possibly even work. Cabinets are placed eight feet in the air where they can't be reached, etc., etc., Appearance consistantly receives precedence over functionality or even safety.

If you actually work in your kitchen, like I do, I suggest selecting machines that will help you do that work. Whether or not they match and/or are really pretty should be secondary, IMHO. However, if you value "pretty" over function as, apparently, many designers do, that's your choice, also. Just decide what's important to you.

Marketing-wise, "pretty" does sell well. But so does functionality. Nobody can tell in advance where the buyer's priorities are going to be. If you're going to be living with it between now and then, do what YOU want, now, and don't pretend you can predict what the next fellow is going to want.