We put Silestone (black) in our previous kitchen, and we absolutely loved it. Looks great, really easy to take care of, and it seemed to me to be just a little "softer" that natural stone...I dropped a plate on it once with no damage. Probably just lucky...
Here's a photo:
{{!gwi}}

we have stellar snow and love it. i got it since it is durable and very low maintenance. i also like that it is cool so it makes it easier to prepare pastry dough.

no chips, scorch marks, stains.

I have White Zeus and like it very much, but have had a terrible experience with the regional fabricator of Silestone. It's a long story, but the short version is that my countertop cracked a month after I got it. It cracked due to thermal shock - I had an electric griddle set on 250 degrees. My countertops consist of three separate pieces of Silestone. Two of the pieces are right next to each other. When I had the cracked piece replaced, the edge on the replacement slab (the peninsula) didn't match the edge of the original slabs. It took months to get it fixed (at my installer's expense), even though it was a fabrication error. Months to get the countertop fixed meant months before we could do the backsplash, paint, etc. The fabricator, who has contract to do all of Silestone's work in Central Texas absolutely did not stand by their work. It has been a terrible experience, but I am lucky to have had a good installer.

As I said earlier, I really do like my countertop now. I have a very active kitchen and am ALWAYS preparing and serving coffee, berries, wine and other foods that stain, but haven't had any problems. A couple of times, I thought something was going to stain because it left a mark, but the mark completely disappeared over a matter of a day or two.

Good Luck!
Elizabeth

I have Sierra Madre which is part of their new Mountain series and I LOVE IT! I think it is my favorite part of the new kitchen. :)

It cleans well and looks great.

I have had my Silestone countertops for about four months and I really like them. I wanted something easy to care for and that is why I went with Silestone instead of granite. My perimeter is Ebony Pearl and my island is Sienna Ridge. The Ebony Pearl shows crumbs and dust more than the Sienna Ridge. I have to lean down and look across the island to see if I left anything on it. I just spray with Windex and wipe.

I wanted Silestone White Zeus, but they discontinued it because of the problems they'd had with it. (They didn't discontinue any of the other Silestone ones, just that one.) Have they re-introduced it again? In the end we got Caesarstone Blizzard, which I'm very happy with.

I have Black Canyon Silestone counter tops and I absolutely love them. I got silestone because of its low maintenance and durability.

I have Black Canyon, same as jujybean. It waa just installed Thursday and I love it. Havent stopped fondling it yet ;-)

Elaine

I had Blanco Maple installed two months ago and I love it. It's a white background with small translucent quartz chips that pick up the blues and greens in my kitchen. I am careful to put hot items on a trivet. Not hard for me to remember, as I've always had formica before this.

I've had a light colored Silestone for about 7 years. It looks the same as when I put it in. I literally have to run my hand over it to find crumbs, or tilt my head in certain lights to find them. As much as I love it, I'm not going to use it again when I remodel our other home. There are too many granites and marble I'm in love with. For me this next time; there's something about the natural beauty and movement of those stones that appeals to me. I hope I don't regret that decision when I begin working on them! But in terms of maintance and maintaining it's orginal look; I'd recommend Silestone in a heartbeat.

I've had a light colored Silestone for about 7 years. It looks the same as when I put it in. I literally have to run my hand over it to find crumbs, or tilt my head in certain lights to find them. As much as I love it, I'm not going to use it again when I remodel our other home. There are too many granites and marble I'm in love with. For me this next time; there's something about the natural beauty and movement of those stones that appeals to me. I hope I don't regret that decision when I begin working on them! But in terms of maintance and maintaining it's orginal look; I'd recommend Silestone in a heartbeat.

I have Silestone for about 16 months now and really love it. Everytime I clean it down and I am pleased as punch because it's easy to do, and best of all, no sealing like the granite in the bathroom. Now that's a PITA.

We put in Kona Beige and love the look, easy care, and how it hides dust/crumbs. But a couple pieces will be replaced because:

One 10-foot piece had very noticeable scratches from the fabricator, the installers say. They tried to fix but couldn't to our satisfaction. It also has a tiny dimple the size of a peppercorn. In this same piece, the quartz look isn't the same in one corner, about 6" by 6". There's a lot more filler than quartz. Anyone else have these issues? (I'm a little worried that the seam won't be as good as it is now when they replace that long piece!)

Another piece shows what appear to be circular surfacy scratches along the very edge, this one probably due to the installer.

While I'm here, we can't decide on a backsplash. If we go with the same tiles as the floor, I think it may be too much. Any ideas for easy care backsplash that looks nice? Kitchen is traditional, cabinets are Schuler, cherry pecan; knickel hardware; white appliances except for 36" SS stove and 42" Kobe hood; floor is porcelain tile, Castelvetro Salus Fuiggi, http://www.gres-massimo.hu/a_Gres_katalogus/csempe_akcio_05.htm

I love all the choices so far. I'd post pics but I can't figure it out! Appreciate any help out there. I've already learned a lot from this site, thanks!

Another Silestone cheerleader here!

{{gwi:1559013}}

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.modernflip.com/1407beech/

From a Fabricator's perspective:

We prefer to work with Caesarstone
whenever our customers want an Engineered Stone product -
we have had the BEST Customer & Technical support
from the Caesarstone folks.

Great colors and product (2CM & 3CM) are great to work with when
comparing the various engineered stones "apples to apples"....
Dupont Zodiaq comes in at a close "2nd" in my opinion - as the
Dupont "corporate machine" is not as user friendly as the Caesarstone
folks are.....

Actually - the engineered stones (regardless of Brand)
are ALL made on the SAME manufacturing
processing systems (Breton) -
the only differences are the colors added to
vary the shades and the "look" that you may be after....

and... it has also been reported that a a couple of companies
(allegedly - Cambria & Silestone)
add the chemical "Micorban" (aka triclosan)
into their product -

Don't take this the wrong way -
I am NOT trying to hijack this thread,
and I am NOT stating this as an irrefutable fact - OK??

I am only relaying what I have read over the last couple
of weeks - I'm not sure
of the safety on the Microban additive, as I have heard
many negatives on it, and I don't
know personally if there are any other
brands out there that DO add Microban into their products -
BUT - regardless of this - I DO NOT want to
start some mass hysteria about Microban being harmful (unless
it is determined that it actually IS...)

HOWEVER - if it IS found to be a fact the Silestone & Cambria DO add Microban
to their products
(or any other solid surface products as well) -

It's my opinion that consumers have a right to know that,
as well as the potential risks (if there actually ARE any)
in being exposed to Microban or any other pesticide/herbacide/etc....

just my .02 cents worth

kevin

Here is a link that might be useful: Caesarstone

This is a bit OT but was wondering whether anyone had anything to say or any experience with Mystera. I am not even sure whether Mystera is a quartz product like Caesarstone or a solid surface like Corian. But I can say that the few samples I saw were really nice.

A am also wondering whether anyone has made their Silestone or Caesarstone counters look thicker by doubling up just at the edge?

Going after the "thicker" look is pretty easy -
we do the same thing with Natural stone too -
we do a Laminated "edge" where we build up the
edge with another layer.

This is puerly an aesthetic move and personally -
I like the thicker looking edge detail - but that's
just me....

hope that helps

kevin

azstone-
i have heard that Silestone uses digital templating and Caesarstone does not, so that you get a tighter fit with Silestone. Or maybe it is in the cutting that Silestone follows a computer?

lacuisine, wouldn't that be dependent on the fabricator rather than the material?

writersblock-
No. apparently SIlestone does ALL of it's own fabricating. THey do, however, certify independent installers. Anyway it was one of those installers who told me that ( and he installs of the quartz options).
LC

Thanks. lacuisine. That is very strange and doesn't sound like it possibly can be cost effective: you are saying they have to ship every completed countertop from the central factory?

I know that here, for instance, to use Corian as an example: most fabricators measure and template digitally and use a CNC for fabrication, while the installers used by home depot send out two guys in a pickup truck with a tape measure.

Microban is basically triclosan embedded into the binder. The safety is triclosan is now under scrutiny and has been linked to cancer. Lawyers are already out there trolling for victims as you can see from the link below. I personally don't want that on my counters. Contact with water produces chloroform gas that's toxic.

Here is a link that might be useful: Triclosan Lawsuits

That's it - a CNC. That's what our installer told us. Ceaserstone does NOT use the CNC. AS for Silestone, no they don't fabricate everything at their corporate headquarters, (texas?), but they do have their own factories across the US and each factory works with certified installers in that region. So they fabricate everything themselves, but farm out the installation to independent, though , certified (trained?) installers. ANother interesting fact is that in some cities they own a showroom, but the showroom "sells" other products as well, and you won't be able to tell that it is a Silestone owned showroom just by walking in there. When I called the Silestone fabricator / factory in our area, they actually told me NOT to buy from their showroom because they deliberately charge higher prices, so as not to compete with their various certified installers in the other showrooms. IN other words, they want as much business from the independent sellers that they can get, but they will open showrooms "just for show". i do NOT know what happens when you go into a SIlestone-owned showroom and try to buy aNOther brand of quartz.
Interesting, huh?

So we should start seeing a lot of cancer among Silestone fabricators. Until then, i will not worry.

bronwyn's mom (or anyone else out there:) do you know how the black silestone compared in price (and look) to absolute black granite?

I have had silestone for over 5 years and I love it today as much as the day I put it in. I am like Remodelfla I have to really look to see if it is dirty. I have Amarilla Palmetto which really hides everything. I do not think you will regret Silestone. One tip though I priced it at HD and then found a local contractor and he was $1000 cheaper.

Boy, all of this is very confusing and troubling. Great reviews for the most part RE Silestone, but also these concerns RE Microban. Where I live in Central Texas, I don't think Caesarstone is available. When I went to their website and put in my zip code, the closest place is Tennessee! Not feasible, obviously. But I really like the colors of Caesarstone better than Silestone's, and this Microban thing is worrisome. What about Zodiaq? Does anyone know how it compares to the other two? Anyone else out there in Central TX know if there's a reasonably close place (Austin, Dallas) where a Ceasarstone fabricator might be located? I am bumping this so that it will get more attention.

bump

momali3,

I know of two places in Austin that sell Caesarstone. One is Cabinet Solutions (I think), with an address on Great Northern Blvd, and the second is Alpha Granite. I have no idea if they are good, bad, etc.

Elizabeth

Thanks for info on where Caesarstone might be purchased in Central TX!

We have Sienna Ridge Silestone in our 98% complete kitchen, and in our brief experience, we are very happy with it. It really does hide everything; so much that I have to run my hand over it to find out if it is clean.

However, the most important part is that MrsPandy loves the way it looks - even better than she had imagined. We are slowly moving back in as the final touches are being completed, so I'll have pictures as soon as we hit 100%.

To followup to the fabricator post.. Engineered stone varies among different manufacturers in composition (between 90-93% quartz; some contain "recycled material" that may/may not be specified), warranties (and exactly what is covered), customer service (as he pointed out) and characteristics (different porosities, hardness, etc.).

You can download test data from most of their websites, but ask them to interpret since it's incomprehensible to anyone but a lab tech. And, ask to see/select a slab before installation to get exactly what you want, to eliminate resin pooling, scratches, etc.

You can get a good deal going through a big box store, but I've read a lot of negative posts about Precision Countertops, who is Home Depot's fabricator/installer. I'm sure they have some good fabricators, but they don't have the same incentive as another fab shop, whose reputation is based solely on customer referrals (versus a steady customer base from Home Depot). I visited a Precision Countertop showroom and was told Onyx was harder than marble and resisted etching. Turns out the opposite is true. If I'd relied just on what the sales person told me and had the material installed, I'd be one unhappy puppy.

So yes, it comes down to the look you what, but for this size of investment, for me it also includes 1) knowing what is in the material (finding out what the 'recycled material' is), 2) familiarity with what the warranty covers, 3) a sense of how they treat customers in case you need after sales care (many designers choose Caeserstone and perhaps, based on the fabricator post, customer service is one reason), and 3) being able to view the slab to eliminate resin pooling, dents and scratches.

I strongly recommend against Silestone. I had it installed less than a year ago in my very light use kitchen. The edges are chipping and crumbling so badly that I need to replace it. Multiple calls and emails into Cosentino and their response is "This is not a material defect". Though they advertise it as a durable surface it is anything but.

That sounds terrible, citytheresa2. Our kitchen has Silestone counters (10 years old) that have held up pretty well. There are a couple of chips on edges, but the overall pattern is so busy and speckled-y that you'd never notice them unless you were looking.

Many of my friends also have Quartz counters which is why I purchased mine. I wanted a sustainable, durable, low maintenance, recycled product for my Manhattan Penthouse.

I believe passionately in low carbon footprint sustainable design!

I have been emailing Cosintino (parent company) for months to inspect their product. They have refused and their response is that their countertops "chip" and the edges are "delicate".

So, despite spending thousands of dollars on a "durable , sustainable counter" 6 months in I have to rip up my kitchen and start again.

Any suggestions on what to replace it with?

I'm personally undecided on what to use, citytheresa. Corian or Dekton might be options to consider.

We have had quartz countertops for over 10 years in our cabin and home in Arizona, and are now replacing the countertops in our home in Austin. We have had Silestone and Ceasarstone. Love both but Silestone seems to be a little nicer, which might be related to the quality of the installation. We have never had a chip or an issue with either the Silestone or the Ceasarstone. We will be putting Silestone in our current home, and will most likely always have quartz countertops. Love them!

Having said that, quartz countertops that we are replacing in our current home don't seem to have had stellar installation. The edges have a horizontal seam that has started to look tacky. Apparently the counters were the thinner ones, but an extra piece was laminated to the edges to make them look thicker. While I understand that this is a common practice, I personally think that they look better if they are either thin or thick, not thin made to look thick. The result, at least in our case, is not good!

We have Silistone kitchen countertops. Was impressed with it even before I knew what it was We don't sit food directly onto the surface. I think it's unlikely Microban is harmful, but I don't want to find out.

We are just choosing a kitchen and our designer has recommended Ceaserstone. Does año y have this quartz worktop and how do they like it? Thanks.

Anyone use Arenastone?

My countertop of less than 1 year has a chip now and they offered no advice as to how to have it fixed even though the site explicity says guaranteed durable.