my personal favorite is quartz. it is zero maintence and has a lot less "movement" in the design (which is more modern/cleanline to my eye). Soapstone is quite beautiful and trendy right now but is has quite a bit of maintenance (a friend had it installed last year and tells me she has to oil it twice a month to keep it from looking 'scratched').

i'm over granite. but as you wil see VERY soon, there are a lot of people on this site -- many with "granite" in their user names -- that disagree with me ... strongly.

I was thinking quarts or corian(sp?) but read the quarts has less maintence, which I am looking for in a counter top. I don't think I can afford granite. I have alot of space to fill.

Quartz is often more expensive than granite. Price out the granite - you may find it's more affordable than you think.

last time I was at HomeDepot that had two styles of granite or $29 a square foot. If this is decision is being made on cost, you won't go with quartz.

I don't like Corian -- it seems so "80's"

Hi Allison, I like Corian.

I like all three - and they all have different benefits.

My inclination would be to spend a small bit of $$ up from and get a decent sample size of each material. Test them for a month or so to determine how they respond to the things they'll be subjected to in your kitchen (red wine, oils, possible scratches, a dropped glass). Make your decision based on what best meets your criteria and budget.

I think movement in granite is a "choice." It is not in all granite, all colors. And a lot of people pay big money to get movement. So please don't rule it out until you have seen it in person. The good news is you should be able to afford some really great granite slabs. There is no extra maintenance with granite. When I first installed granite in a kitchen it was the mid 80's (some of the posters tired of granite probably weren't even born!) and the granite did not need to be sealed and it cleaned beautifully and easily. Absolutely nothing scratched it. If I were you I would check with someone (preferably check with many someones) who is a granite specialist (yes probably someone with granite in their ID like granite grannie). I have read lots of misinformation regarding granite on houzz from posters who are of the opinion they are helping others make important decisions. In addition to Home Depot visit some small specialty granite/marble/tile retail establishments near your home. These people are knowledgable and will deal with you on a personal level that more than makes up for the extra per square foot cost. Good luck and please do not rush into this.

If resale is a consideration, go with quartz or granite, not Corian. Many people think of Corian (fairly or unfairly) as outdated because it was overused in the 1980's and sometimes looks a bit plastic. I think both quartz and granite are beautiful and could be great choices.

Thank you feeny. I will tell her about the Dorado Wax.

I think quartz or granite would be your best options. Its a matter of personal preference as to whether or not you like the movement in granite or a more even pattern in quartz. Quartz is maintenance free,but usually more expensive, especially the Cambria line.Granite does require some maintenance . People always make a big deal about the maintenance of granite, but it's really not hard at all to maintain. It's a big decision, I think you would be happy with either one. I would stay away from corian ( too "old school")

I LOVE Corian- the feel- maintenance free. I have it in my kitchen

I just replaced as much of my Corian as I could afford to. After 8 years, it looked quite scratched and beat up. Also, the Corian sink had chips and didn't look very good anymore. I had the Corian sanded by a pro one time and it definitely didn't make it look new - the finish looked uneven around the faucets where they couldn't get right next to them. I had a tough stain one time and used a little comet. That was a big mistake as it left a very dull spot. I was thrilled to get rid of it (still more to replace later). I replaced it with quartzite - terribly expensive but amazing!

As a solid surface, Corian can be sanded to remove imperfections from use over time

Barb, have you had better success with sanding than I did or have you not needed it done yet?

Natural stone (granite or quartzite) is virtually maintenance free with only a re-sealing once every few years. You can set your hot pans on it, cut right on it (although you'll dull your knives), etc. Engineered quartz is a nice option too. No sealing, but the resins in it can prevent you from being able to set hot pans on it (as with Corian). On the quartz vs. granite debate there are many discussions on Houzz that you can read. One is not necessarily better than the other, but it's just determining which one is right for you. As others have said, quartz on average is more expensive than your average granite. Corian still has its place in the industry, but I can tell you that I replace Corian counters on a regular basis in residential remodels with stone-based solid surfacing (granite, quartz, etc.). Whether that's due to it going out of style, or just that it's durability isn't as long-lasting, I'm not sure.

I love my Corian and plan to use it for my next project. The feel is nice and soft.

Go with Quartz! I like Silestone, which has bacteriostatic protection. Nothing else is as beautiful and durable as Quartz, and remember there could be possible health concerns with Granite (radon gas) yet you see it EVERYWHERE (a great reason NOT to use it!).