I like the look of stainless stell appliances but have heard that they are hard to keep clean and looking spotless... Anyone have any advice...

My feeling is that they are easier to keep clean than other surfaces

I think that standard enameled steel is the easiest to keep looking clean (specifically white). You can see smudges and grease spatters easier on stainless steel. The beauty of stainless steel is that it can withstand daily hard abrasive scrubbings like in a commercial kitchen. Ultimately the stainless steel will last longer than the enameled because scratches are pretty much what stainless is all about. The enameled willl still last as long as most people want to keep an appliance around anyway.

If you don't mind the extra work to keep the stainless looking good then go for it. It really can be a nice look.