The main aesthetic issue is how well the surface of the appliance will hide or show fingerprints and smudges.  Little kids put their little fingers and hands on everything.  Their marks will show up more on stainless steel and black appliances.  There are some appliance surfaces that hide fingerprints better than others.  Some brands now use a special stainless steel material that hide marks – on the traditional stainless steel marks will show up right away.  You can usually tell when you walk into the appliance department which ones will be a problem.  They’ll be all marked up with prints.  But you can test them out yourself by putting your hands on them (better that you know in advance).  Unless you’re the type of person who doesn’t mind wiping down your appliances every day, keep this in mind when you’re buying.

The other appliance issue with kids is safety.  Some appliances now come with locks built in so that young kids can’t open the doors. If you’re buying a new stove, I’d recommend buying one with the knobs at the back of the stove where young kids can’t reach them.  Also, make sure to anchor your stove into the wall.

Finally, ensure that your kitchen has all GFCI outlets.