How about laminate or Corian?

Neolith sintered countertops. Nearly indestructible. Neolith

Tile tends to feel cold to me, so I imagined Neolith would too. Does it?

No Neolith isn't cold quite like tile.

I am curious what kind of granite you have. My granite is so easy-care, I was really surprised to read your post.

For warmth, I think butcher block is the warmest.

There have been threads on this forum about heated counters. I think it's a similar idea as heated floors. People love them.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/m/asktoh/question/0,,1064844,00.html

I am thinking that you might not like soapstone or quartz (engineered stone) either (although I think quartz is great), so my best recommendation is Corian - type (solid surface).

Soapstone or butcher block, as long as you can accept patina...

I have both, and neither require ANY care. Treat them like you would a work shop table or bench, and they just get better with age...

I like corian, easy to clean and shows no dust (mine has a variegated color). I do have granite on either side of the stove-DH may well put a hot pan on the countertop there...I put corian on the sink and prep side of the galley. Absolutely trouble free.

I understand not liking the cold and fussiness. We replaced laminate with Cambrian Quartz. It is always cold. We have a peninsula that we eat at. I'm not thinking of getting rid of it but I do miss the laminate for the warmth and not needing to worry about what cleaners to use. Cambrian says not to have crock pots directly on the surface so I need to put something under there. If I was doing it over again, I'd look at laminate or Corian/solid surface. We are doing a bathroom refresh and looking at Corian but did order a couple of Formica samples to look at. Finding the right color and look is the main thing so I could still end up with quartz.

Quartz will be easy care, but just as cold as granite.

No idea of the cost, but recently I've seen porcelain sheet that they make for shower surrounds that is absolutely incredible looking ... looks just like natural stone. They are also able to fabricate it for counters, but it needs to be done well and carefully as they have to miter the edges to make it work as the porcelain sheet is thin, not thick like stone. Porcelain would be very easy to clean.

Statuario Venato Porcelain Slab Counter.jpg · More Info

Corian for sure would be easy clean and warmer and softer...that's why I used it in our master bath...but for some reason, I don't like it in a kitchen, though people who do have it seem very happy with that choice.

Otherwise, there is good old laminate....they've done wonderful things with it in terms of looks and patterns and textures and it will last a long time is softer and very easy care. But you will need an overmount sink with it.

I love my wood countertops. I have sapele planks, (not butcher block) throughout the kitchen. They are beautiful, warm, and easy to maintain so far, but maintenance is relative to the pickiness of the owner.

I have polished granite in another home and knew I didn't want it again. Did you look at leathered stone? I considered it before deciding on the wood. It seemed warmer in appearance than polished stone, and seemed like it would be less maintenance.

"Otherwise, there is good old laminate....they've done wonderful things with it in terms of looks and patterns and textures and it will last a long time is softer and very easy care. But you will need an overmount sink with it."

Not anymore. Acrylic sinks can be seamed undermounted to laminate also.

Yes, check out good old laminate. Having had marble, and now granite in two bathrooms and solid surface in another, my new kitchen is going to be reliable laminate. It hasn't failed me yet. Can't say that about the others.

Thank you for all the replies -- I'm really leaning towards laminate -- not only because of the warmth, but also because of the cost -- it is far, far less than any other countertop material -- and seems to have the longevity I'm after.

Does anyone here actually have quartz???? -- I've read it is not acceptable to put warm pans on either -- this kitchen that I'm re-doing, HAS to have some flexibility as the granite is a royal pain to take care of -- It supposedly was an expensive countertop when the builder put it but I'm not willing to polish it every few days just to keep it looking good -- and it is so COLD!!!!

Waiting to hear from the Quartz owners -- thank you.

We have Cambria quartz and they do not recommend hot items being placed directly on the quartz. Not even a crock pot without something under it. I know some don't follow that and haven't had issues. I'm not willing to take that risk. I wouldn't put hot pans directly on laminate but I didn't need something under a crock pot.

I have Quartz and like it it. It's cold but easy to care for. It's also light like marble. I don't put hot pans on it, but I didn't put hot pans on my laminate either. I think if you hate the coldness of granite than you will hate the coldness of Quartz as well.

What maintenance for granite? Our Bianca antics is totally trouble free...hot pans right from the stove directly on it, red wine, etc.

they are SO cold and I'm tired of all the care they seem to take

Since your countertops are already installed, this won't help you, but for anyone else planning to install granite countertops, you can have them heated -- just like a bathroom floor.

I'd also like to know what excessive care your countertops currently require.

I have quartz. It's cold, but otherwise easy to care for. I wouldn't put something straight out of the oven on ANY surface. Lots of people on GW have quartz.

Corian all the way! I've had ,one for 31 years and it still looks fabulous!

"What maintenance for granite? Our Bianca antics is totally trouble free...hot pans right from the stove directly on it, red wine, etc."

Mrspete - I already said what you said in a prior post about heated counters, and asking what her granite is, but the OP didn't answer. The OP said "I'm not willing to polish it every few days just to keep it looking good" - I have never heard of granite needing that. The only thing I can think of is that she has Absolute Black granite, which I've read on this forum shows every fingerprint and speck. Other than that, I am stumped.

I would have suggested she swap it for an easy-care granite - there are so many. MIne is installed for more than 10 years and looks like it did the day it was installed, and I have never babied it. But she wants the counters to be warm, which is why I suggested heated counters.

I would price both formica laminate and corian solid surface. In my area the laminate was more expensive than the Corian.

Thank you again for all the replies -- we dislike the fact that the granite shows EVERY watermark from a wet glass, dish or whatever -- and it never seems to actually dry out -- so the mark is always showing. I'm considering looking at the high definition laminates -- quartz is way out of my budget. I don't know the name of the granite we have, as it was in the condo when we bought it, but it is a lot of gray, cream and black -- still shows every water mark. And with the cabinets being a dark brown, the gray doesn't really go all that well -- the decorator for the condo had all her taste in her mouth -- nothing coordinates from room to room -- so we're slowly making it "ours" with small changes as we can afford it on retirement income.

Check out avonite - they have some with flecks of pearlescent in them that just *pop* much the way quartz counters can. I love the sparkle!
(There are a few Corian colors I like as well though.)

Laminate often prices out about the same as other materials depending on edge chosen and so on. So if you like other materials better (Corian?) or at least as well, I suggest pricing all of them before deciding.

I love my quartz, don't notice that it is cold. Love laminate, too. Just a thought -- is your granite well sealed? Your water mark comment made me wonder.

I have butcher block (that I made) on one side of the kitchen, and have been saving for soapstone for the other side for a few years. I've wanted soapstone for so long, I'm running with it and risking the cold.

In the meanwhile, I have a laminate countertop of Wilsonart's 'Mineral Olivine.' It's absolutely beautiful. And it's never cold, which is something I will have to let go.

I gotta tell you. I don't baby anything. I even spill mineral spirits on it, scrub paint off it with plastic scrubbies, hot pans, Citristrip, cat claws, you name it and this stuff just laughs it off. I have 1 chip in the strip that goes around the (I don't know) edges. I konked it underneath with a hammer when I was smashing out the cabinets underneath it. But it took a hammer and a crazy woman.

the decorator for the condo had all her taste in her mouth

LOL...never heard that before. Will have to steal it. :)

I'm no help. I've only ever had laminate and I've been very happy with all of it. Tough stuff and easy to care for. And warm. Like you, I have no desire for the coldness of any of the stones, quartz, etc., although I find soapstone visually appealing. Maybe because I like patina.