While tiling your kitchen countertops is very cost effective, it is not going to really add any value to your home. Also, you will have to put up with cleaning the grout, and writing a letter or grocery list on your countertop will be more difficult because it is an uneven surface.

If you really love the look, then go for it--because it is your home. If it were my home, I would use a natural stone or solid surface material because, in my opinion, the cons outweigh the pros.

had tiled work surfaces years ago - wouldn't recommend them as the grout goes off colour easily and they are too cold and even though we used floor tiles for strength - one still cracked ! nice idea - maybe look good for first 4months - but after that :-( nope !!

I've lived with tiled countertops in quite a few kitchens and wouldn't do it again by choice.

Perhaps you have a small area of your kitchen that would be decorative only? Could you tile that and just place some accessory items there? You'd get the look but still have the function in the rest of the kitchen where you need it.

Have you ever tried to bake a pie with tile counter tops ? I have lived with my for 15 years and changing to granite . I had white tile , white grout I spent half my time bleaching grout . Don't do it !!!

Definitely use epoxy grout and large tiles. We've done a couple of tile countertops but always with large tiles. Personally, I like the look also but understand why serious cooks probably wouldn't care for them.

I'm not a serious cook and I don't bake pies, but I LOVE tiled countertops. I love being able to put a hot pot down without frantically searching for a trivet. I love that they're fuss free. And I love that tile comes in so many interesting colors and patterns now that you're not stuck with the 80's tiled countertop look.

I have lived with tiles countertops for 18 years. Now changing to engineered stone.

My tiles were off-white 6" squares with a rippled/dimpled texture that was all the rage in 1977, and a 1/2" dark brown grout line.

PRO: Shaped tiles at outer edge with a slight lip to prevent liquids running off. This, I will truly miss.
Heat resistance.
Stain resistance (of tiles only, not of grout).
The irregular surface meant that I could drain freshly rinsed dished upside down directly on the counter without creating a water seal.

CON: Everything else.
Chipping. The children may have been doing something violent when I wasn't watching, but I got a lot of chips over time.
Hard to clean as one must make a point to clean every grouted line, due to the topography.
Cleaning the grout chewed up sponges.
Busy, busy appearance visually.
Dated look....I swear people used photos of my tiles in half the kitchen "Before" pictures I've seen.
The grout was never really clean as its textures held tiny flecks of crumbs, Scotchbrite, paper towels, etc.
Not clean looking.

tiled countertops were popular in the 60s. They are not so practical for cleaning and general use imo.

Not an expert but you might want to consider....tiles are prone to crack if you drop a jar or glass...grout can get icky and harbor germs...tiles can loosen.... so why don't you consider a tile backsplash and go with hard surface for the counters?

I love the look of them in vintage kitchens, but I agree that there are some drawbacks in terms of practicality compared to some other materials being used today. Not huge drawbacks, however. Here is a favorite one that really makes a statement: