There are pros and cons to all the surfaces you mentioned. If you're looking 20 years down the road towards remodeling, then laminate is the least expensive way to go and you'll only have to rip out laminate that costs half as much as granite. Laminate has been around for a long long time. The laminate in my mother-in-law's kitchen is the original 50's boomerang laminate. It's still going strong.

Granite will probably still be in vogue in 20 years, but your cabinetry may be outdated and in need of replacing, which then means you'll be taking the granite off to replace it with something else. The same with quartz.

My opinion would be to do what you want to live with now and not worry about 20 years down the road. A lot can happen in that amount of time. If you were selling in a year or two the advice might be different.

Granite is a natural stone that has been used for years and I don't think it'll ever be dated. I prefer natural materials and laminate and corian make me say "ick, plastic," but that's JMHO and I don't live at your house. You also haven't put out butcherblock, or metals like zinc, copper, or stainless steel as options.

I think if you're planning on being in your house for 20 years, you should get a surface you love and not worry about resale. Why get a counter(or cabinets, or anything) for resale if you're going to look at it everyday for 20 years and think 'eh'. Chances are the entire kitchen will need a facelift in 20 years anyway.

I don't think stone will go out of style. There are a few new solid surface products that are starting to bring prices down. Check Nalcar's thread he used Trend Stone which in his market was comparable to pre-fab granite. Lexton is actually a DIY product that I hear is quite reasonable (though it comes in only one edge style and a limited colour pallette). Meganite can be 10-15% cheaper than other solid surfaces but that isn't a dramatic saving.

Lots of fabricators are putting undermount sinks in laminate either with their own process or the Counter-Seal system. A fabricator who does here matches the HD lams to a corresponding solid surface in his displays. Or you can undermount Karran Acrylic sinks in laminate tops.

Laminate is still holds a significant portion of the countertop market. It is still a common countertop material in suburban new builds. Granite is common enough now that certain types are so ubiquitous that they are becoming as synonymous with low end as laminate is in some consumers minds.

A well executed kitchen is not going to be undone by laminate countertops and uninspired generic kitchen won't be saved by its' granite. If you want a move in ready house then the overall execution is far more likely to sway you than the presence or absence of a certain material. If you are planning on making changes when you are buying laminate is a lot easier to rip out than granite.

Pick the best surface for your needs and the one that best serves the aesthetic of the room. Getting a generic granite so you can say you have granite is advice I would disregard. It might impress prospective buyers reading your real estate ad but it won't do you much good once they are in your home.

If you're planning to be there a couple of decades, definitely get what you want and like and don't worry about resale. Twenty years from now people will be gnashing their teeth over their horribly outdated maple glazed cabinets, brushed nickel hardware, and tumbled travertine backsplashes.

I mixed corian and granite in my kitchen because I like them both for different reasons and it's my forever house. (In my case the corian was a lot cheaper than the granite, which was a plus, and it wasn't until I came to this website that I learned that isn't the case everywhere.)

Integrated sinks are okay but my undermount stainless is easier to keep clean than my old integrated sink was.

As for the durability of laminate, people get tired of the color long before that stuff wears out! The upside is you can change it out more often. :)

Go with granite (and other stones). There are no signs that is it is out or dated. With the infinite patterns, colors and uniqueness of granite, it will never go out of style. sure some colors will becomes more common but there are always new interesting slabs to choose from.

everything else (manmade) looks dated within 10 years.

If granite doesn't bowl you over, consider metals. A well-crafted stainless countertop is a beautiful, functional addition that will never get dated. I don't like granite for aesthetic reasons and went for copper counters, couldn't be happier. :)

I don't think granite will look dated-- I think the overall look of a kitchen can be dated, but I don't think granite is the culprit in that. there are lots of kind of granite and many different finishes (honed, antiqued, leathered, etc). So, i think if you like the idea of granite, there are ways of making it more unique and less trite looking.

you could also consider mixing materials-- stainless steel, wood, concrete.. each has drawbacks, but also advantages.

good luck with your decision.