Laminate, granite, quartz, quartzite, soapstone are all good countertops, but every surface needs some care.

Some real stones can be mis-labeled and you do not want a marble. So if you look at a real stone, do your homework and be sure something that is labeled quartzite or granite really is.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/4426353/the-definitive-guide-to-quartzite

http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2692150/countertop-geology-part-six-lets-talk-about-rocks-some-more

Quartz and quartzite are not the same thing.

Consider white Corian. Smooth, easy to maintain and clean, no special treatments required, and holds it's looks. Has a great white blouse or shirt every been "out of style"? That's what a white Corian countertop is!

If you do your research, testing and are careful about approving layout and seaming, quartzite can be a beautiful choice.

Beautiful slabs

Don't be afraid of granite and having to maintain it because I'm not sure you actually need to do maintenance on some types of granite. I've been abusing an unsealed scrap piece from our predominantly white granite slab and the only thing that has been able to slightly discolor it has been a propane torch. Dried on wine wiped away, sharpie did nothing, and we left some starsan (50% phosphoric acid) on it for a few days and still nothing.

The post I'm referring to from Leadstone was deleted.

Why avoid a Chinese quartz? I guessing this product is Chinese but the 'warehouse' in Long Island City gives no information about where or how its made other than a 93 to 7% resin ratio. Who is the manufacturer and how long have they been producing. What machinery, process and independent reviews are there. My experience and general impression of Chinese manufacturers - they do the minimum to create the appearance of quality when examined by a consumer without knowledge of the product. They can evaporate in a week or change product characteristics at will because they're completely anonymous without a name brand history to protect or build. This supplier could change manufacturers tomorrow if it were in his best interest. No one would know.

Granite doesn't always require regular maintenance. It depends if you get the more porous ones that need occasional sealing or a really dense one. We have Titanium in our kitchen and it requires nothing at all except to clean it when you have food on it. It doesn't etch or stain. I just don't like food laying around on the counter and sticky or greasy surfaces. Our quartzite (Fusion) in our main bathroom also needs no maintenance at all and I tested it for etching with many bathroom things such as toothpaste, toilet bowl cleaner, etc. and nothing affected it. So don't rule out granite until you research the ones you like.

I had granite in my last kitchen and it held up beautifully. No staining or anything. Agree 100% with silken.

We installed 4-inch tiles and it worked out great for us. Next time we might go with 1-ft x 2-ft tiles for more options in appearance. The wood look tiles are nice, too.