So just dragging/moving a regular porcelain plate, for instance, shouldn’t make a mark?

Shouldn't. I have some kind of quartz now and I really wish I had my previous Corian.

That’s actually really reassuring lizziesma!

I had a pink Corian kitchen once and still have the pink "cutting" boards that came with it. You have to work to scratch it. (It's also too heavy to be a cutting board.)

I've heard that dark colors show scratches more than light--you should be able to get a sample of colors in which you're interested and see what damage you can do to them. You should do that with any countertop material, of course.

My bathroom Corian counters have been wearing well for 12-15 years, although the bowls are prone to discoloration from water drips et al. Of course, I'm two years into quartz in the kitchen with no troubles in the least. Are you sure you had actual quartz and not quartzite (stone)? If so, the manufacturer's warranty may still be in play!

Not sure, I only know the brand. We were able to get a full refund,thankfully!

In my understanding, Corian can be easily repaired. I like that aspect of the product, plus there are a lot of nice color options now, especially with the various brands available (i.e. not necessarily Corian brand).

I got Corian and Granite in my recent counter update. I love them both. I got the Glacier White Corian and it is creamy and so smooth to the touch. I also love my granite, we got Blue Pearl Royale.

One relative has Silestone quartz and it looks great after 15+ years, but it's the original pebbly look. Another relative has a black quartz and I think it has faded some.

I thought I would get a marble look quartz, but I did a 360 degree turn and don't regret it.

If you get quartz, I would only get a big national brand.

We have a black corian table top and it scratches like crazy. We also have a gray corian table top that doesn't show scratches as much. It was broken in half by the movers and it was repaired and looks as good as new! These corian tops are over 20 years old.

When we moved into our current home the kitchen had Corian. Sorry, but I could wait to get rid of it. I don’t like the feel of it. I prefer stone in my kitchen. I wanted to get quartz, but I just couldn’t find anything I liked & decided it’s just not my style. We went with granite & I love love love it!! I’ve never had an issue with staining, chipping, or maintainence with any of the granite I’ve owned.

I’m not totally against granite but not a fan of how busy the patterns are since we have a vein-y marble backsplash

there is solid black granite, if that works for you

Don't use any dark Corian - it scratches "white". For me, it's Glacier White Corian all the way. I've had my countertops now for almost 34 years. Added a section when I redid the kitchen 2 1/2 yrs ago. Also have a huge, single Corian integrated sink. I LOVE them all!

Does it scratch? Yes, but it's like scratches on sterling silver flatware - it is sort of a patina and in white, one must look very carefully to see any scratches. It's a breeze to clean, I cannot see my seams, and it wears like iron. And I'm VERY picky!

Stick with the white and you'll be fine.

And you can’t beat anglophilia’s marble subway backsplash with her white Corian. She has the best of both worlds. Tough countertop, gorgeous marble on wall for drama and interest.

Misty Becken : you can find patterns that are not too busy in quartzites and dolomites. Check for example Pegasus dolomite

I just installed Glacier White Corian, and I love it. You can get samples for cheap and do your own tests. That's what I did. I am not careful with ours, aside from not cutting directly on it, and while it has "scuffs," that is what becomes the patina. The color doesn't change, and they are hard to see without direct light. And they are fine. In another couple months the counters will all be consistent. If you really are considering Corian, order some samples to play with and then you will have an answer. I knew I wanted white, and I also considered white quartz. In my tests (I think it was a white Caesarstone), nothing stained the Corian, but a couple things did stain the white quartz. Not to say that *no cleaner* would have removed them, but softscrub with bleach did not, and that was enough of an answer for me. I don't have time to baby a countertop, and I only wanted white.

I've had formica, granite and formica with a large (48"x36") marble slab for pastry making. I now have LG Hi Macs, a solid surface material like Corian, color Ice Queen, which has subtle flecks of gray and small glints of sparkle. I am loving it! It has a soft, velvety feel, it is easy to clean, it is gentle on glassware, and is fantastic for pastry. I hope I never have to go back to granite.

Did you look into Caesarstone options? They are a serious international brand and have lovely options and a wide color palette. They also give a lifetime guarantee on residential use, which is definitely worth considering.

We are also looking at that. And Silestone! I think we need to stick w a known brand and may get a better result.

When I get home I want to take a shower, touch a stone, hug a tree. I like the natural, when you touch is different, it gives a different vibe.