Floor Vent Covers: Brushed Chrome or Anodized Clear

Brushed Chrome or Anodized Clear floor vent covers? We receive this question frequently through our info@kulgrilles.com account. Design conscious customers asking us whether they should choose anodized clear or brushed chrome for their modern floor and sidewall air vents. We thought we would post our answer for everyone to see.

Brushed Chrome

Has the look of brushed metal (as the name implies). The finishing process consists of raw aluminum being carefully brushed and slightly buffed to create a linear metallic finish across the face of the grille. Brushed chrome has a darker, more industrial look.

Anodized Clear

Anodized products have a metallic, almost iridescent or satin look. Clear anodized is no exception. Clear anodized has a soft, satin finish that leaves the vent covers looking very clean and fresh. Below is a photo of two grilles side by side (note they are slightly different sizes), showing the difference between brushed chrome (on the left) and anodized clear (on the right).

You can see how they both have a nice, reflective surface but the brushed chrome offers a more textured appearance while the clear anodized has a more consistent, satin look.

Brushed Chrome and Anodized Clear

Which one should I choose?

If you are looking for advice on which finish to choose, we would have to say it comes down to personal preference. I personally have both clear anodized and brushed chrome in my house, depending on the type of flooring surrounding the vent. The brushed chrome is slightly more durable, and can withstand a little more traffic, where the anodized clear is a little more susceptible to scratching because of the finish process. From a purely looks perspective, they both look fantastic. We think that you will be very happy with either choice!