Cost varies with location, market price, and whether or not there's a cheap shop around...upkeep is super easy and carefree unless you're crazy enough to try a mirror finish.

I loved the one I put in my last remodel.

I'm assuming by your sign on that you live in NJ? I too live in NJ and am considering stainless counters. I have searched around for local pricing and found a company called Bayonne Stainless that was reasonably priced. I think $1400 for 2 6' long sections of counter space. I also contacted Brooks Custom Counters in upstate NY, but they were over $6000 for the same space. Try doing a google search for stainless counters in NJ(if that is where you live). It takes a lot to weed through, but you might find something.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bayonne Stainless

We were just saying last week that out of all the decisions we made in the kitchen, the stainless run of counter top was one of the best. Our main sink, DW, and stove are on that L shaped counter, and really, it's the work horse of the kitchen. We absolutely LOVE that counter top. Don't get me wrong...the granite is pretty, but the Stainless is amazing in a working kitchen.

We did a marine edge on ours, so spills and leaks from cutting stuff don't drip over the edge. We encorporated a drain board on one end that goes into the sink. Ours was made of 14 guage stainless and we had it "roughed" up which means they put about a million scratches into it so you don't have to wait for patina to develop :o) I highly recommend that.

Cost...ours was more (significantly) than our granite. Stainless went up with the cost of oil, but I'd imagine it's down a bit again. We also had planned on 16 guage, but given all of the twists and turns in ours (we notch out at the stove, in at the sink, incorporated a sink, drainboard, and the marine edge (LOVE THAT!) so it was a complicated countertop. They actually said it was the most complicated one that they'd done. It was almost twice the cost of the balance of our granite counters.

Would we do it again, no matter the cost? Yes, but I'd always do a marine edge (ours is modified to be a bit lower than standard, just a 1/8" raise). I'd go without wine for a few weeks to afford a stainless counter :oP They're beyond fabulous if you do any real cooking in your kitchen...and if you don't...they look pretty LOL

They're also very easy to clean. You can't hurt them. This is why they're so popular in professional kitchens.

I don't have a marine edge, and don't have anything like an integrated sink, but we love ours. We have simple, straight runs to each side of our rangetop with little filler pieces behind our rangetop (because of counter being deeper than rangetop) and at the back of our vent hood (so we could pull it out even with back of rangetop). We had a local sheet metal shop make ours. They were $17/sq ft. Ours are 18 guage, which isn't bad, but I'd insist on 16 if I did it again.

Expect them to scratch...Otherwise upkeep is a breeze.

Brushed stainless is going to show scratches. Consider a textured stainless. It helps to hide scratches and is easier to maintain. The material is called Millennia.

I was asked for pics of ours so I wanted to get them out before I forget (We're just back from a hospital trip with the little guy...the last for a very long time yippie).

Anyhoo, Here are a few...I'll try for a few close ups if they're in my photobucket....

This is the inset sink...it shows some of the complexity of the counters we did, but also how much a good stainless fabricator can handle:

and because you mentioned you can't find my kitchen in the finished kitchen pics...I thought I'd share it so far. And so far...it's not finished LOL I'm trying to set a record for the most expensive and highest cost kitchen in the history of GW...I'm close :oP And we're probably still 30 to 60 days away from finishing this beast.

While you can't see it here, I have since cleaned the counters LOL (that was a few mins after install before they were polished up because I had to leave to get the baby and DH wanted me to email him some). We also (ok I also...DH does nothing) :oP Have replaced those horrible white outlets with stainless plates and then painted the outlets themselfs with silver model car paint :o) They sort of disapear now.

I have had them now for 4 years. They are great to use and easy to clean. When I bought them they were no more expensive than granite but prices vary a lot -- if you can find a restaurant counter fabricator that can help.

Mine are 14 gauge, brushed -- thing is, scratches must be accepted but I don't see them any longer.

My edges are smooth and everything comes right off the edge easily. I have clipped edges on the corner of the peninsula which we like a lot.

I would highly recommend as they are heatproof, absorb nothing, and clean easily. I went all in with them but they mix well with other surface materials.

Here is a link that might be useful: ss counters

I don't think I've ever seen your kitchen rococogirl...all I can say is WOW WOW WOW! I love it.

Yours is a great example of how well stainless flows for any style kitchen. You normally see it in ultra modern kitchens because it's so sleek, but it's fab in your somewhat unfitted and antique style kitchen :) What a great example....I'm saving your link for ideas in our next project...a big old victorian crying out for a kitchen. I didn't think I could make stainless work in there...wrong again :)

We just put in stainless on our perimeter counters and I just love them. So easy to clean, and I knew looking ahead they would scratch but its something that I don't mind.