I used Silestone "Lagoon" love it!! So easy to care for

Quartz is pretty much maintenance free. Granite needs a sealer about once a year. Marble is the natural material that is the most porous and requires the most maintenance.

Really boils down to what you like the best. We liked granite the most as each and every slab is different, so no one will ever have a counter that looks just like ours.

I think it's a personal choice. I love granite and plan to use it again in my new home. However, quartz has its own stellar properties. For instance, if you want less movement and pattern, you need to go with quartz. A person who wants a truly white counter top will need to go with quartz. In my area, the two materials are similar in price. I don't think you can go wrong with either!

We bought our house two years ago. The kitchen has Silestone that was installed in 2003. It still looks beautiful. I can't believe how well it's held up.

One of the reasons I like quartz counters is that their patterns tend to be much less busy than granite, and I think (as Judy notes) that makes you less likely to grow tired of them. We used soapstone, so I can't speak about living with either from personal experience, but if I were choosing between granite and quartz, I would choose quartz for its simplicity.

Hello, I'm in the process of selecting countertops here in
France, and have been looking at quartz and granite. From what I understand, Quartz is recomposed stone, and therefore more of a man made product. It is also apparently less robust than granite. Granite is the slab of stone found in 'nature' and then cut and polished.

I'm going with Granite. Either 'granit impala' (dark grey) or 'granit noir absolu' (black). I'm going to visit the stone mason to choose the exact slabs.

Here's a link to some French websites that might be of interest:

http://www.graniteonline.fr/catalogue-et-tarifs-du-materiel-quartz-compac.html
http://www.qgmeco.com/index.html
http://www.planspluriel.fr/catalogue/

As an Architect, I typically specify natural materials but in the last few years the quartz companies are making countertops that looks fantastic. It really boils down to what you like and the style of your home. Quartz tends to look better in contemporary homes while granite often fits better in more traditional spaces. They are both easy to care for but quartz requires no annual sealing like natural stone.

@Grahamarchitecture - does all granite need to be sealed regularly? I wasn't aware of that.

Everyone makes a big deal of sealing granite and it's much ado about nothing. Counters are horizontal surfaces. All you do is use acetone to remove the previous seal. Then wipe on a penetrating sealer and the wipe down the haze. Done. It's not like resealing a shower stall with walls and nooks. Get what you think will look the best in your home.

Here is our comparison

If you opt for granite, here is a simple video for sealing the countertop: