The Best Countertop Options for Your Kitchen

Countertop material is a huge decision when considering for your remodel or new kitchen. It’s one of the largest expenses, so you really want to get it right. It’s likely that you’ll live with this decison for several years to come or you are putting in a choice that will appeal to a prospective buyer in the future. So, what are your options and how do you choose? I’ve narrowed it down to some of the best options for you and highlighted some major differences to help with your decision.

Granite Countertop

1. Granite

   Granite is a natural stone that contains some amount of quartz. It gained popularity and became a builder choice about 15 years ago and is still a standard builder choice. It has lost some popularity within the past 5 years or so with the rise of quartz, but it remains a solid choice.

   Pros: Very durable, Natural stone, You can put hot things on it, variety of colors, semi affordable

   Cons: Porous, slight maintenance required, limited in marble effect vs. speckled

   One of the things about the appearance of granite is it can be very busy. One of the reasons the above photo looks so busy is because of the backsplash. This is a dated, undesirable choice. The tiles are too small and the pattern is too much with the granite.

Quartz Countertop

2. Quartz

Quartz is a very popular choice recently. Why? It is a material that mimics marble, however less costly and more durable. With the popularity of white kitchens came white countertops and the only real option for that was marble which can be expensive in some areas. So man decided to create a material that looks like marble, but isn’t. Yes, quartz is manmade. Yes, it is attractive and yes sometimes it looks man made. I have quartz in my kitchen. I wanted it. I chose it. I don’t regret it, but…I won’t choose it again.

Pros: Very durable, semi affordable, looks like marble, desirable for resale, no maintenance

Cons: Not stain resistant, it cannot tolerate hot objects, man made

Quartzite

3. Quartzite

This is one of my favorite options. Quartzite is a natural material that is super durable. It has recently gained popularity as some people are beginning to shy away from the ever popular quartz, but still want the marble look.

Pros: while more expensive than granite, still affordable, natural stone, beautiful colors, very durable

Cons: not as durable as granite, more expensive than granite, limited colors

Marble countertops

4. Marble

Marble is one of the most beautiful countertop choices. It’s a classic choice primarily because it has been used historically, never really gone out of style, is natural and has a very limited color palette. I love marble, but it does get a bad rep and here’s why. It is very porous, meaning it can stain easily. Marble needs to be sealed and resealed for protection. It also scratches quite easily because it is a softer stone. Since it is white, many people don’t like seeing stains and scratches so this is a turn off. However, on the flip side I personally love a “lived in” approach. Nothing in my home is too precious. I would not hesitate in choosing a marble countertop in my own kitchen. I’m okay with a stain or scratch here and there, even better if there’s a good story behind it!

Pros: appearance is lovely, natural stone, classic, character

Cons: very porous, stains and scratches easily, maintenance, can be a more expensive option depending on where you live

5. Soapstone

Soapstone is another natural stone that serves as an excellent choice in a kitchen. That is, if you like the look of a black countertop. I think of soapstone as a reverse marble, being that it’s black with white veining. Like marble, soapstone does require some maintenance. It needs to be oiled every couple of weeks which for some is just too much work.

Pros: natural, black, character

Cons: high maintenance, black limited color palette

What countertop do you have in your kitchen? Would you choose it again? If you were to replace, what would you choose?