Ever since COVID-19 started, many people have started becoming part-time professional chefs at home. It is then no wonder that many are also looking to upgrade their kitchens – and especially their kitchen countertops. To the uninitiated the kitchen top is just a pretty table that makes the kitchen look nice. But to the experienced, they know that a cheap countertop may mean cracks from hot pans and scratches from even cutlery.
This is when most people realize that they need a kitchen countertop upgrade. So the next question is which material should they use? Again to the uninitiated there is the pretty white stone one, the shiny black one, or maybe the cheaper one that looks like plastic. But the truth of the matter is that there are so many to select from. There is marble, laminated kitchen top, soapstone, and yes, even concrete.
We have however explored all the possibilities and helped you to put together the best 5 materials for your kitchen countertop, along with the pros and cons of each type.
Granite
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The first one on the list definitely has to be granite. The granite stone is a natural stone material that is a favourite of many a homeowner for its elegant looks and durability. While this material is known to be pricey, what many do not realize is that it used to be more expensive in the past when supply was limited.
Most granite for kitchen countertops now come from either China, India, Brazil or Italy, and each has its own characteristic. The priciest one would be from Brazil, which the granite is called Van Gogh. Granite stone from Brazil is marked by its remarkably unique blue colour, which will leave no doubt in anybody’s mind about the origins of the stone.
Pros
Granite countertops are definitely a good choice for the kitchen as they are mostly impervious to heat. This means you can generally place a hot pan on the stone without worrying about it cracking. It is also highly impervious to scratches, and can in fact usually only be cut with another piece of granite or specialised tools designed to cut through granite.
Cons
There are however some cons to using granite countertops too. Aside from its cost, this stone is definitely not a DIY project. You will require professional installers to help you install this countertop, and you will need to select your granite properly or it may have imperfections. The person you engage to install it will also need to seal the surface properly to avoid stains as granite is porous. Also if you do decide to cut directly on the surface, your granite will probably not scratch – but your knives will become blunt if you cut directly on the granite.
Quartz
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The next best material for your kitchen countertop will have to be the quartz stone. The quartz stone is basically a man-made stone. It comprises of quartz dust and other minerals bound together by resin, and was designed to be a better alternative to granite and marble. The advantages of the quartz stone over granite is that it is non-porous, and buyers will not have to worry about imperfections in the stone.
Pros
There are many advantages to using the quartz stone for your kitchen countertop. You can easily install it yourself provided you have the right dimensions, the stone will be perfect as it is manmade, and best of all is that it still looks like natural stone. The material is also heat and stain-resistant, and is also impervious to acid.
Cons
As a manmade stone that was designed to be better than the granite, it comes as no surprise that the quartz mainly surpasses the granite in performance. It is however not as scratch resistant as the granite. While it is highly scratch resistant, it will still scratch if you drop sharp objects on it. The only other slack point of the quartz stone is its price point which places it on the higher end of the market.
Marble
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The marble stone is another natural stone that is popularly used in the kitchen. This stone is however favoured more for its aesthetics rather than for its practical use in the kitchen, as it is rather extravagantly priced. Also for this reason it is generally only used on a smaller portion of the kitchen such as the island table or so. It is generally a form of status symbol to have a marble kitchen countertop, as not only is it very expensive, but each slab of marble is also beautifully unique.
Pros
A major pro of having a marble kitchen countertop is that it will automatically add value to your home. Aside from that the material is also heatproof, which certainly makes for an excellent island table to place hot pots on.
Cons
Marble is however a porous stone that can stain easily if not properly sealed, and it is also very easily scratched. Even dragging a pot across the surface may scratch the marble if not careful. The scratches on marble surfaces are also not easy to repair, and will require hours of polishing from professionals to remove the scratches. And every time a marble surface is polished to make it shiny and scratch-free again, a layer of marble is removed.
Concrete
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The concrete kitchen countertop is quickly coming back into fashion again as industrial-designed houses become more popular. Contrary to the popular belief that the surface will be dull and lifeless, concrete kitchen countertops are always polished to look shiny and classy. Homeowners can even opt to treat the surface with acid to produce colours.
Pros
The plus points of having a concrete kitchen countertop is definitely its unique look and feel which provides an ambience of sophistication and novelty. Owners can colour tint the concrete if they wish to make it look more distinctive, and the surface is resistant to scratches and heat.
Cons
There are however downsides to getting a concrete kitchen countertop. If not properly and regularly treated the surface may crack over time, and the surface has to be regularly sealed to prevent it from becoming porous. It may also be a downside if the owner chooses to sell the house in the future, as unlike marble, granite or quart countertops, the concrete kitchen countertop does not add value to the house.
Laminated Kitchen Countertop
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The laminated kitchen countertop is one of the most affordable options on this list, and provides homeowners with thousands of design choices. The laminate material is generally made out of plastic-coated synthetics which provides a solid and easy-to-clean surface. Many homeowners opt for this choice as it is easy to select a design that will go with their kitchen, and it is far more affordable than many of the above options.
Pros
The pros of having a laminated kitchen countertop is definitely its affordable price point as compared to many of the above options, and buyers will have many designs to choose from. There are literally thousands of designs for this option.
Cons
A major setback for the laminated kitchen countertop is that it is neither resistant to heat nor scratches. And once damaged, it is almost impossible to repair. The seams of the edges will also always be visible, and unlike the marble, quartz or granite option, the laminated kitchen countertop does not add value to the house either.
So now you have it, the 5 best kitchen countertops that you can select for your home depending on how much you are willing to spend, alongside their pros and cons. Do drop us a note below if you would like to add more kitchen countertop materials to this list!
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(Written by Isabelle, 24th March 2021)