The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where people gather together to talk, cook, eat, or just have a cuppa. That’s why so many people are happy to invest more in their kitchen worktops than they would in many other parts of their home.
This leaves people with a conundrum: if you’re spending a sizeable amount of money on your kitchen worktops, whats the best kitchen countertop material to choose?
The options are numerous, and all offer their own benefits and drawbacks. In fact, we’ve written about the differences before in this very blog page. We’ve covered stone vs wood, we’ve touched on granite vs corian and we’ve delved into quartz vs granite.
What we haven’t done is to look at all the various materials in one place, so that’s what we’re going to do here. And we want to go even further than we have before and look at materials we’ve never discussed in this blog – outlining the pros and cons for each in a clear and succinct fashion.
The aim is to make it as easy as possible for you to choose the right material for you. So, without further ado, let’s get stuck in…
GRANITE
Granite worktops are a firm favourite, and there are many reasons why
Pros
- Easy to maintain
- Durable
- Heat resistant
- Variety of colours and textures
Cons
- Heavy
- Porous
- Not the cheapest
- Can be cracked
MARBLE
Marble worktops are a real showstopper, beautiful and unique, it is a treat to have in any room.
Pros
- Beautiful
- Heat resistant
- Easy To Maintain
Cons
- Porous
- Softer than other stone
- Requires regular maintenance
LAMINATE
Pros
- Cost-effective
- Can imitate more expensive materials
- Easy to install
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Requires a lot of care to maintain looks
- Shorter life-span
- Susceptible to water damage
- Prone to peeling
- Burns easily and can even melt
- Easy to scratch
CORIAN
Pros
- Easy to maintain
- Stain-resistant
- Easy to cut, shape and install
Cons
- Expensive
- Doesn’t age well
- Not very heat resistant
WOOD
Pros
- Cost-effective
- Huge variety
- Antibacterial if maintained
- Looks great with age
Cons
- Requires bi-annual maintenance (at least)
- Easy to stain
- Easy to scratch
- Easy to burn
CERAMIC
Pros
- Durable
- Heat and moisture resistant
Cons
- Prone to scratches
- Can be cracked
- If damaged, needs to be replaced rather than repaired
PORCELAIN
Pros
- Versatile
- UV resistant, so no colour fade
Cons
- Can be chipped and cracked
- Expensive
QUARTZ
Quartz countertops are long lasting and eyecatching, the ultimate investment for your home or business.
Pros
- Durable
- Minimal maintenance
- Non-porous
- Antibacterial
Cons
- Very heavy
- Not as heat resistant as some natural stone
- Colour can fade if exposed to too much natural light
SUMMARY
As you can tell, there’s a lot to think about when it comes to kitchen worktop materials! Hopefully, this information can help you make a decision though. As experts in kitchen and bathroom worktops, we’re well-positioned to give you more advice regarding these materials. We’re a bit biased, obviously, but we truly believe that stone worktops offer the best value over a lifetime — and nothing looks quite as breathtaking as a beautiful, natural, unique stone worktop.
GET IN TOUCH
To find out more about what stone offers as a material for your kitchen — and to get a glimpse of some of our stunning stock of stone worktops — come down and see us at our Bristol showroom. From quartz worktops to granite splashbacks – Call today to organise a meeting, or just pop in for a chat.