Cabinet Pulls: Stainless Steel vs. Satin Nickel

stainless steel bar pulls

One of the best ways to upgrade your kitchen without a full remodeling is to upgrade your cabinet hardware. Stainless steel bar pulls and satin nickel bar pulls are two popular hardware choices for kitchen cabinet upgrades. New pulls are an easy and affordable option and can make a big impact on the look of your kitchen. Stainless steel and satin nickel are silver-toned metals that offer visual appeal and a degree of detail that will bring a fresh, new feel to your kitchen. Each blends in well with modern appliances and each can provide the finishing touch in the design of your kitchen.

Stainless Steel Bar Pulls

Stainless steel is a steel alloy, that’s made with a combination of steel, nickel and a minimum of 10.5% chromium. There are many types and grades of stainless steel, and 304 is the most commonly used grade used for kitchen hardware applications. Stainless steel bar pulls offer a contemporary, clean look. In busy kitchens prone to grease and oil splatter, or high humidity and oven heat, they offer a degree of functionality and durability. Stainless steel resists corrosion and tarnishing that can happen with other hardware when the busiest room in your house is the kitchen.

If your goal is to have a more modern look to your kitchen, stainless steel bar pulls are your best choice. They come in many different designs, and they are easy to coordinate with the design of your kitchen. The shine of stainless steel is easy to clean and gives the whole room a clean look all the time. In fact, perhaps one of the only drawbacks to stainless steel pulls is the potential for fingerprint smudging and grime build-up that can easily accumulate on hardware surfaces.

Satin Nickel Bar Pulls

Bar pulls with satin nickel finishes have grown in popularity over the past several decades for the warm, earthy tones they bring to a kitchen, plus they compliment any style and are easily cleaned. Satin nickel, sometimes confused with brushed nickel, is matte finished. Satin nickel pull bars are made with a metal core which has been plated with a nickel veneer, and then lacquered. When choosing a nickel pull bar, note the difference between satin and brushed nickel is in the surface appearance. Brushed nickel shows hand-made brush marks, or thin strokes, in the surface, where a satin finish does not show the brush marks or strokes. Otherwise, they are very similar in tones and colors.

Satin nickel finishes show very few scratches and wear easily while still providing silver-tones and hues that change depending on the lighting. There are many color options when it comes to selecting satin nickel hardware. Tone variations can range from a warm silver or a dark weathered grayish look to an antique looking finish. In fact, one problem noted with satin nickel finishes has been with consistency in tone variations. Trying to find one version of satin nickel that matches another one can at times be trying. A combination of different standards, methods, and procedures by different manufacturers has resulted in a lack of uniformity in the hardware’s appearance. Satin nickel bar pulls do resist corrosion and wear very well but will dull and tarnish over a period of time. Lacquering the hardware is key to the finish as it aids in slowing that process.

When it comes to your kitchen, the last place you want to slack is with the hardware. Though seemingly minor, cabinet pulls are easily the most noticeable detail, so you want to make sure you get it right. Whether you’re in the market for stainless steel bar pulls or satin finish hardware, the experts at Arthur Harris can help guide you in making the best decision. Contact us today!