If your appliances work just fine but are simply outdated, paint-on stainless steel finishes can give you a beautiful and sophisticated look for a fraction of the cost of buying new. But there are some things you should consider before diving in:

Your stove is the key player

Kitchen ranges require special high-temperature stainless steel paint, so if your stove is part of your plan, it’s best to paint all your appliances with Liquid Stainless Steel, which is designed for this kind of application. (Keep in mind that glass-top stoves can’t be painted on the cooking surface.)

Rust-Oleum and Krylon stainless steel finishes won’t work for stoves, and neither will most products marketed as “stove paint” (Thurmalox, for example). These are intended for cast-iron stoves, not kitchen appliances.

For a whole-kitchen overhaul with large appliances, it’s best to paint with a brush

Spray-on products (such as Rust-Oleum and Krylon) are best for small stuff: cabinet hardware, decorative items and small appliances that don’t generate heat. (Don’t use them on toasters.) They produce a fairly flat, matte finish.

Liquid Stainless Steel, on the other hand, is a brush-on paint with larger flakes of stainless steel mixed in for a shinier finish — flakes that would tend to clog an aerosol can. It also comes in a kit with a clear finishing topcoat. The process will take more time, but you’ll likely be happier with the finish.

You may have trouble matching finishes

Each appliance manufacturer uses different grades of stainless steel and applies different finishing techniques. If you have one oddball appliance that you’re trying to bring into the stainless steel fold, you may get a dead-on match or it may look like a distant cousin to your originals. It’s best if there’s some distance — at least five feet — between the appliances in question.

For reference, Liquid Stainless Steel produces a brushed-satin finish rather than a shiny, high-polish finish, because a brushed finish matches more commercially manufactured appliances.

If you’ve decided to take the plunge and do a whole-kitchen stainless steel makeover, here’s how to get the best effect from Liquid Stainless Steel:

Make sure your appliances are metal

Liquid Stainless Steel doesn’t adhere well to plastic panels unless you prime them first. Check panels by seeing if a magnet sticks to them.

Clean appliances completely before beginning, especially greasy stoves

This is extremely important to get a good final result.