IMO it depends on the design of the kitchen. If you're building new don't just toss in a kitchen design that has been done for the last 50 years. Acquaint yourself with what the best kitchen designers are creating now and adapt it to your budget and design style

I prefer kitchens that don't look much like kitchens

This is a personal choice. I hate cleaning large expanses of stainless, so I love having paneled appliances. I just built and paneled my fridge, DW and beverage fridge. Others will chime in saying they dislike them!

What do you like?

Without any context there is no way to answer. I do not like panelled appliances but I also think Sub zero is a huge waste of money , cleaning stainless is such a simple job a micro fiber cloth hot water with a touch of vinegar and wipe only in the direction of the grain of the stainless . I ahve a ton of stainless in my kitchen even some stainless drawer cabinets I run a catering biz from my kitchen and at the end of the day takes 5 minutes to do all the stainless. I like a kitchen to look as if it is actully used and to hide the appliances makes no sense to me. So give us some info as to the style and plan.

A tip I heard on a design podcast is that appliances are usually the first thing to date a kitchen. They recommended paneling what you can. In our current remodel, we're paneling everything except for the range.

It's really an aesthetic decision. Which kitchens speak to you more?

I have a paneled refrigerator and dishwasher because otherwise I would have two large metal elements instead of the beautiful quarter sawn white oak wood that I have selected with the custom doors I had designed in collaboration with my designer.

If you can afford the additional cost and you like the way the refrigerator and dishwasher blend into the rest of the cabinetry, why not?

Since you're planning on high-end appliances, it may also mean you'll be able to have a little bit bigger than average kitchen. I say that to preface my recommendation for paneled appliances.

A larger kitchen is likely to have more windows, more cabinets of more variety (i.e. wood and glass), an island, perhaps two sinks and two diswashers. With all that, the room could start to look a bit visually "busy," and paneled appliances can be a significant design smoother. Since the appliances do much of the 24/7 hard work in the kitchen, I think you're wise to invest in high-end high-quality models. I paneled everything except the wall ovens and the steam oven 😂, and have been glad that I did so.

We paneled ours (white shaker cabs) because our kitchen is open to a small family room and I wanted the space to feel less "kitcheny" - we did our kitchen 12 years ago and I do like that you cannot really track the age of anything (the range is an uber simple gas model that is still sold today) - I don't have any tile in the space which also really helps

I made a paneled dishwasher look like a drawer with a cabinet below and I love it. You might have to customize some things to make it look integrated but I think it is worth it. The kitchen is much more timeless. I wish I did this with the fridge.

@la_la Girl That was one of the reasons I opted for paneled appiances as well. My kitchen is open to the living dining area and in fact I deliberately ran the same cabinets along one wall which is the back wall of the dining area. This is designed more to look like a classic "buffet" type with a counter in the middle of two tall cabinets but functionally it operates like my kitchen as I store stuff there and one tall cabinet functions as my utility closet - but it is all disguised so it looks like "furniture".

Also when you enter my home the kitchen is to immediate left and so if I didn't have a paneled refrigerator you would see a honking big metal appliance instead of beautiful wood.

I also have a large copper farmhouse sink and so having it placed between two large stainless appliances would really kill the look.

I am not sure why anyone woudn't have paneled appliances as long as they could afford them. There isn't a functional reason not to have them - the issue is the expense because you need the doors made; you need them to be installed properly and appliance pulls are surprisingly costly.

Really depends on preference

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As others have said, it depends on the kitchen. When there is a lot of cabinetry, it can be a relief to the eye to have stainless steel break it up. Also, we have seen posts here from people who paneled their appliances, then an appliance had to be replaced, whether due to being a lemon or age, and then the panel did not fit the new appliance.

There was a new kitchen posted on here recently that did white appliances - not the white appliances you remember from 20 years ago. The high-end white appliances are sleek and current with gleaming handles. For my "next" kitchen, I am getting those.

If youre considering panel ready high end appliances( which I have) for example, thermador, Be aware that we waited 14 months as our pieces trickled in. It may be better now but our sapphire dishwasher showed up last week [14 mos). Friends of ours are still waiting on their sub zero columns. Whatever the sales people tell you, which for us was 6-8 months may not be accurate. And yes, those appliances will cost $$$$. good luck, order early

@julieste if you buy a panel ready dishwasher they should extra strong springs to balance out the weight . Mine does and it feels completely “ normal “

I'm on my second kitchen with paneled appliances and the paneled door on a DW should not feel any heavier/different than a standard stainless door IF the hinges/springs are adjusted properly. There is no "extra weight" when the hinges are set properly.

julieste - that is one reason I do not want paneled appliances (my experience is that they are heavy as well) - I guess it's another way to incorporate muscle building into my day :) but i already use cast iron frying pans to take care of that.

Other reasons- I find cleaning cabinet doors much more difficult and touchy than cleaning the appliance itself; I love Fisher Paykel DishDrawers and think they are aesthtically pleasing as-is; I find a long wall of paneled appliances really bulky and somewhat overwhelming, especially a panelized frig; I generally look at a kitchen as a utilitarian space that should look as nice as practicablly possible, but ultimately is about function;

Most important-- I would rather spend the extra money on landscaping and gardening, any day of the week :)

I think it truly is all up to personal preference and budget. If you love panelized and have the budget and it's important to you, go for it!

Our thermador paneled columns are a bit tough to open. The reason is that the seals work and it creates a vacuum, its not necessarily the weight of panels. If you push on my doors first, they pop open which breaks the vacuum and makes the door easier to open. They also close themselves if they are left open.

Personally we decided it wasn't worth the expense for the fridge. I did want to do a paneled dishwasher, but the KitchenAid DW I knew I wanted the wait for paneled version was wayyyyy too long. Didn't even consider it for range or microwave. Hood insert is built into a plaster hood.

@M Ritz, how do you like the Thermadore appliances?

We chose the masterpiece series and asthetically, they are beautiful. I havent had them long enough to really have issues so take the following for what its worth. We have the steam oven/double oven. I use that steam oven, probably more than the regular oven (its very large for a SO). We just had the fridge freezer installed. There was an issue w the freezer maintaining temp. Service was right out and it was determined that it was tipped during shipment or installation and should correct itself, it did. We have a 36” induction, after years of commercial stoves that were a nightmare to clean. I would never go back. Its a pleasure to clean, just wipe down, its clean. No burnt on mess, just fantastic. nearly instant heat adjustment. Game changer. We have the coffee machine and we love it. It was a splurge that my husband wanted. You know what they say about a happy husband. Lastly, the dishwasher just arrived last week and we are waiting for the builder to install. They are made by bosch, im sure ill love it. The back order times and communication from thermador to their reps and then to our salesman was sorely lacking, to be kind.

I am purchasing the masterpiece series as well and the coffee maker. (Splurge, but so excited). I’m debating on getting the 30” stand alone fridge and 30” freezer or the other masterpiece option. I really don’t need a 48” stove, but really like it more than the 36”.
Thanks for your feedback.

I would suggest getting the coffee machine plumbed, and an extra coffee bean hopper for decaf. If youre getting counterdepth F&F, go for the larger option, they are pretty shallow. Easy to clean tho.

Ok thank you. Good advice!