I personally would stick to one brand. Some times the different stainless steel can look a bit odd if they are all not from the same brand

It's okay to mix and match, but I'll echo the stainless differences, from the finish to the color. I have all Kitchenaid, and even still there is a slight variation in the finish color on my stainless fridge to that of my range.

I'll add one more thought--handles. One of the reasons I matched appliances was for matching handles.. A little OCD, yes, but it's a consideration!

I did a pretty good job with mine, you'd never know unless you were specifically looking to see if they are the same brand. And I'm pretty OCD too... yet I was more concerned with the quality and performance of the individual appliances than making sure they were exactly the same. Like I said, it's easier when they are not right next to each other.

I feel like I've researched thousands of options then I threw Consumer Reports into the mix, because like you want lasting quality. Surprisingly, the high end brands aren't always top performers (according to CR.)

Yeah, I about drove myself nuts with research. It's so hard to know what will perform and what won't. So far, so good though. If I had to do it again, I might rethink the DW but only because I find it a bit smaller inside than I thought it would be.

ok to mix! Less matchy-matchy can be interesting, coordinating the design features of each. Practicality enters the picture, when it's time to replace one appliance, down the road.

@kimdee24 and @webgirl researching appliances can be a daunting task, as the models change so fast, that CR can't keep up. With the thousands of appliances, they just can't possibly test them all, so what it boils down to is the manufacturer's reputation, and track record...and that can even change over the years. Not to mention, that it matters where you purchase the appliance, for example, big box stores, might not have the exact same "model" due to the parts used and who supplied them, since they purchase in large quantities.

One piece of very sound advice I'll give you is look at parts websites too for the models you are interested in. My mother in law recommended we purchase non-foreign appliances due to the lack of parts availability from some companies like Samsung and LG. So I researched parts needed and found "out of stock" for the Samsung fridge we were looking at on most of their items, then "in stock" on most of the Kitchenaid parts. This matters! I also realized when shopping that LG makes some Kenmore Elite products (discovered when I realized their models looked identical inside) and not all products by a brand are made by the same company (head-scratch daunting!!) My husband broke the latch already on the inside of the ice bin and we were able to order it right away and replace it. If a motor goes bad (who ever knew water pressure affected the filter and icemaking??), or you need to replace a shelf, etc. you don't want to be stuck purchasing an entirely new appliance! I didn't think of those things, so I'm glad she mentioned it to me, so I'm mentioning it to you!