Thinking of updating your kitchen or bath countertops? Not sure which material to use? Here’s a quick overview of popular countertop choices with some of their most common pros and cons.
Quartz
I’m starting off with quartz since it’s “the” countertop today. It’s taken over granite’s position as the countertop of choice, and at least one study shows it as the fastest growing countertop material through 2024.
Although it sounds and looks like a natural stone, quartz is actually an engineered stone product created in a factory. It’s a composite of natural quartz, other minerals and resins.
- Durable
- Doesn’t need sealing
- Can look like marble or granite
- Easy maintenance
- Expensive
- Can discolor from high heat
- If damaged, needs to be fixed by a professional
Granite
While no longer the cutting-edge countertop, granite is still popular. A natural stone, granite can be fairly uniform, or it can have a lot of variation and movement.
- Durable
- Resistant to heat and scratches
- Fairly easy maintenance
- Expensive
- Needs to be sealed to keep from staining
Marble
Marble is beautiful and looks luxurious. It usually comes in white to grey tones, but there are also some marbles that have blue, brown or even green tones. Marble is softer than many other natural stones and damages more easily.
- Waterproof
- Heat resistant
- Classic
- Expensive
- Porous and needs sealing
- Can be scratched
- Acids, like lemon or wine, can etch or stain it
Concrete
Thanks to Joanna Gaines, concrete countertops have become more popular. And they allow for more options than you might think. Concrete countertops can be poured to fit unusual spaces. They can be colored or textured. You can even add glass, stones or tile to them.
- Durable
- Repairable
- Possible DIY
- Slow to cure
- Can crack (but cracks can be repaired)
- Porous and needs sealing
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel countertops are not just for commercial uses. They can also work in a residential space. But, due to their industrial look, they might not always be a plus for resale value unless they are a good match for the style of the home.
- Durable
- Easy to clean
- Heat resistant
- Can be scratched
- Can be dented
- Shows fingerprints and spots
Butcher Block
If you are going for a natural look or a more sustainable material, butcher block or wood countertops might be a good option. Plus, your whole countertop can now be a cutting board (only on unsealed wood).
- Affordable
- Repairable
- Renewable resource
- High maintenance
- Can stain or scratch
- Porous and needs resealing
Laminate
Today’s laminate countertops are not the Formica we remember from the 80s and 90s. Now designs have many options and do a good job of looking like wood or stone. But they are usually not a buyer’s first choice and may hurt the resale value of a home.
- Affordable
- Nonporous
- Can scratch or chip
- Not heat resistant
- Less durable than other products
- Not the best for resale
Tile
Although I have read that tile is making a comeback, I have yet to find a buyer who wants tile on a countertop, especially in the kitchen. Keeping grout clean and in good shape is the biggest complaint.
- Affordable
- Many colors and styles
- Grout
- Cleaning is more difficult
- Durability
- Not the best for resale
Sources
- Realtor.com—
https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/countertop-types-glossary/ - The Spruce—
https://www.thespruce.com/top-kitchen-countertops-1977143 - REAL SIMPLE—
https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/decorating/decorating-kitchen/types-of-countertops - MAGNOLIA—
https://magnolia.com/a-guide-to-countertops/