I don't know about the black, but I have an LG washer/dryer set in red that was purchased about 5 years ago, and the finish has already started to deteriorate, and that is with very careful usage. LG does not warranty anything related to the finish, so I found. Some of the decal markings started wearing off within a year, and the finish is bubbling in places. I have a two-person household and am extremely careful with the finish. Another brand would have been preferable to LG in retrospect.