Why Ree Drummond Recommends A Stainless Steel Island For Kitchens

As a Food Network staple for years, Ree Drummond has made a name for herself by sharing her life on a ranch. She shares stories and recipes that people connect with. And when she talks about her favorite things in the kitchen, viewers often pay attention. At one point, Drummond specifically talked about different kitchen countertops and what she has in her own home. For her kitchen island, she decided on a stainless steel countertop instead of the granite that she chose for the rest of the counters.

Back in 2010, following a home renovation project, Drummond shared a post on The Pioneer Woman where she explained why she liked stainless steel for her kitchen island by saying, "I've absolutely loved the stainless top. It can't be hurt. It does scratch, yes, but once you get over the initial gouge, you realize that the scratches are what contribute to the overall look. It's a very sterile surface: nonporous and easy to clean." While Drummond points out that the stainless steel countertop does get scratched, there are ways to clean those scratches up — you can even remove scratches from stainless steel countertops using a common kitchen ingredient. 

And this material is still considered to be very durable, especially since it is a heat-resistant surface that is hard to chip or crack. If you don't mind the way the scratches look, then this countertop's ability to handle different temperatures and resist staining could make it a solid choice for an industrial or modern style of kitchen. And if you have a smaller kitchen island, the stainless steel counter isn't a large part of the room, but it still adds a solid work space that can handle a lot of wear and tear.

While Ree Drummond is a fan of the stainless steel countertop on her kitchen island, there are a few downsides of stainless steel countertops that you should consider. Even with a number of positive reasons to choose stainless steel for your kitchen, it's important to pay attention to things like cost and how easily it shows off smudges and mess. First, you'll want to make sure that the stainless steel works within the rest of your design aesthetic. While it fits with most kitchen styles, stainless still has a distinct look that you may or may not appreciate.

Depending on the size of the job and the finish on the stainless steel, this material for countertops can range in price between $70 and $225 per square foot, and that doesn't account for the actual installation. Although an island is a smaller space than the full kitchen, it still requires special considerations for the base to hold the stainless steel sheeting and any other additions to the area, including a sink or cooktops.

On top of the actual cost, another thing to consider with these countertops is noise. If you drop things on stainless steel, it can get loud. And even putting plates, pots, and pans down can get noisy if it's not done carefully. Although it is more durable than many other materials, the other thing to pay attention to is the fact that stainless steel can also get dented if heavy things fall on it, depending on the thickness of the metal, which means you'll need to learn how to fix dents in stainless steel. So while this is a durable countertop alternative, it does have a few drawbacks.