My personal experience has included your three options plus marble.

Quartz hands down.

Quartz with a glass or marble backsplash.

We installed a beautiful quartzite island top and it was super pricey, but it is more beautiful than I expected it to be.
We went with a slab that looks very very similar to marble. We were told the sealant on it is top-notch, but we already have a spot or two where the sealant has either been damaged or stained. We have granite perimeter countertops and they are bullet proof (and less expensive).

I've no experience with Quartz I'm afraid.

Tough call; whatever you choose, I would endorse picking the slab yourself, if you can.

Good luck.

It really depends on the design you're going with. Granite has a lot of movement and may be busy for some. Also, it may be hard to find matching granite if the granite needs to be replaced in the future.

Quartz has a more uniform pattern, which is great because you can go with a more expressive backsplash and in some experiences, can be easier to maintain and clean than granite.

I really like my quartz. If you are keeping the 1990's cabinets (wood, maybe oak?) - just did a refresh, did not paint cabinets, but did countertop, backsplash and farmhouse sink. The sink is the thing that really pulled off the refresh. (pics in my "my pics" idea book)

They're all durable and desirable. Granite is not on its way out. Natural stone (ie granite and quartzite) is preferable to many because it's natural. Quartz is man made using part natural stone. I had an extremely difficult time finding a quartz that I liked but saw lots of Quartzite and marble slabs I loved and did find a couple of granite slabs I liked. I chose granite and it's durable and I love that it was created by nature.

If you want a marble look but don't want to embrace the natural patina that will develop over time you may like quartz. Or, maybe you like the speckled chunky style quartz (my least favorite), or something fairly solid in color. In those cases, quartz would be a good choice. If you like natural movement and the depth that granite or Quartzite has then you won't be happy with quartz.

natural stone: granite, quartzite, marble, soapstone or natural quartz; these are the best,

The mix of silica sand and plastic is just trendy, in its learning curve, not suitable for monumental work, does not add the connection with mother-nature: rather, it feeds imperialistic groups in other countries and kill workers in U.S. and overseas with the silica sand exposure

You need to make sure to educate yourself as you go through the process. Do you use your kitchen? If so and you don't want stains and scratches then Marble or Quartzite are not going to be the way to go. You can use them but they do require more care. Granite and Quartz are going to be the most durable and granite is going to be the most budget friendly. What color are your cabinets, flooring?

Astonia Stone Artisans, hello, a true quartzite is as scratch and stain resistant as granite, I just want to correct this information.

Thank you,

Unfortunately, I have heard from people on this forum that they were sold "quartzite" that was actually more in the marble family. I do not know why this mislabeling is happening because real quartzite is very tough, but people are buying "quartzite" that is etching and behaving like marble - because it is not quartzite at all.

Always get a test piece of the material and abuse it with whatever you can think of that might happen in a kitchen and see how it holds up.

@lucybdesigns agreed but I know I'm too rough in the kitchen for marble.
@leemiller I like the idea of a glass backsplash!
@bishop1968 so would you still recommend the quartzite? Was it an issue with the sealer?
@casedesign. Good point. I think the problem is I'm unsure what my style is I'm trying to accomplish. I lean towards a bright white, calm kitchen but I'm my family thinks it's too sterile-looking.
@jhmarie lovely kitchen. I'm replacing my cabinets with white cabinets. Struggling with counter.
@lisag thanks. I think I'm afraid the Quartz will look fake. Thoughts?
@daniel is this true for the US made Quartz?
@astonia I have a fresh slate. I'm replacing my floors. I have decided on white cabinets and probably a 12x24 greige concrete-look porcelain tile.
@jhmarie-will do, thanks!

While I do like quartz for what it is, yes, I do think it looks fake if you choose one of the marble-look ones. They don't look bad by any means...but it's not the real thing for sure. I find they look better in photos than in person.

Here is my granite called Glacier White. I wanted a light stone with movement and something that vaguely resembled marble, but did not want marble or a marble-look quartz. This may not be exactly what you're after, but it might help you decide if you like natural stone vs manufactured surfaces.

Find pictures of kitchens you like. You are going to spend 5 more years there, get something that speaks to you.

Google images has awesome pictures of kitchens. Find a white kitchen and tell your family, this is MY room!!! We redid ours last year, white and I love it.

I have Cambria Quartz Bellingham and I could not be happier.

Daniel has a wonderful knowledge of natural products and is a wealth of knowledge. He is a little skewed away from quartz, but we don't hold that against him!!!

I have no opinion, but am interested in the comments. I fantasize about replacing our kitchen counters (we have laminate, but our house is only 5 years old, so it is in good condition). I am gathering information for when I can make the switch (probably 10-15 years, when the kids are out of college).

We did put a quartz countertop in the main bathroom, and I like it very much because I don't have to think about it. I can clean it with anything and don't have to seal it.

We just built a house 1 year ago and I had the same confusion. We went with quartz as it is beautiful, BUT beware it chips easily. Our island has chips were we pulled dishes out from the dishwasher and grazed the side and around the sink where dishes have hit it. I never had any of the chipping issues with my granite countertops in the past. They can come do repair and sand/fill in the chips, but it will inevitably happen no matter how careful you are.