Cawaps summed it up. Though I would add that they might also choose granite if they want a counter that 15 years later will look like the day they installed it.

If you want to read more, there are thousands of posts on this topic on this forum. Have you tried doing a search? You will be reading for days. I don't think there is anything more to add to what has already been said so many times here.

You either embrace patina, or you find it offensive that you spent a bunch of money for counters that quickly look “used”.

Ditto the above. No secret sealant. If you choose marble, you must get it sealed but also be ready to embrace the patina, the etching, staining etc.

We are currently looking at countertops for a kitchen reno. One thing I learned about quartz... scratches are impossible to get out. And it is essentially made of plastic and glue. If you are wanting a countertop that looks like marble but has the hardness of granite, consider looking at slabs of quartzite.

"consider looking at slabs of quartzite."

And be prepared to pay $$$ for quartzite. Don't leave that part out.

LOL. I don't think any of the options above are cheap. Quartz can be more expensive than most!

and know what you are buying since what is labeled quartzite may in fact be a marble.

Embrace the patina. Think of ancient statuary and bistro tables. Otherwise I ould choose soapstone, or one of its granite lookalikes or copy Anglophilia's Glacier White Corian with slightly larger marble subway backsplash. That combination looks wonderful. The marble has more impact that way than you would think.

@ megs - how did you manage to scratch your quartz top? What brand do you have??

I feel like this is a simple case of knowing what you are buying and the pros and cons. Then buy what you love.

What cawaps said.

We have Formica ("Basalt Slate") on our perimeter countertops and honed Carrara marble on the island, and I'm an "embrace the etching" person : ) . Yes, I chose marble because to me nothing else is as beautiful. I love the feel and look of the honed marble, and it's amazing for kneading and rolling out dough.

Last summer, I had one kid leave an orange popsicle on the marble -- after discovery and cleaning up the melted mess, there was etching. Someone set half a tomato down on the marble instead on the cutting board -- etching. Some apple cider vinegar splashed while whisking up salad dressing -- etching. And there will be more, since we have lots of friends and family come over to cook, and I'm not standing there guarding or policing the marble. If it happens, it happens. I'd much rather we have a great time cooking in our kitchen.

We moved into our new house last summer and I used Miracle 511 Porous Plus sealer on the island against stains, which has worked very well since there haven't been any in the past year, but I don't plan to sweat those either when they happen. And I know it will be "when" rather than "if". I do need to re-apply sometime soon.

If you're the least bit concerned about the warnings, to me that would be a signal to look at a different material.

If you like a honed finish, etches can be blended with a fine sanding sponge, polishing powder, or a scrubbie. I purchased a used dining table with a Carrara top, which had many etches on the highly polished surface--including a perfect imprint of an orange juice jug. I honed it, then hand-polished to a satiny finish, and we converted the table to an island. The only etch I haven't been able to blend is a deep, straight, line, where my grandson's lunch box leaked fruit juice (and sat in it overnight) before it was noticed. That etch will be there for eternity, but no one else ever notices it.

When the top was newly refinished, I ran for the sanding sponge to polish out each etch, but with time I've relaxed. I've watched my daughter's helpful friend cut ripe tomatoes on a cutting board, with juice running over the sides, without losing it--when he was finished, I just said, "Here, let me wipe those drips for you." Once in a while I polish all the etches, but I know it won't last, and I'm OK with it.

For the record, I've never sealed the island top. I roll out dough on the island, and the grandkids have spilled lots of things. Red drink powder didn't stain it, nor has any other foodstuff. A little bleach and/or baking soda has removed blue ink, but the worst stain was from the stamen of a bouquet of oriental lilies.

You can search the forum for 'marble etches' and find a lot of info and DIY solutions.

We have Carrara in our rental. It’s on the island and perimeter tops. It started out as polished but now the heavily used areas are definitely honed now. As in the entire island and definitely all around the sink. Ha. To be honest, I quite prefer the honed look; it blends the etching and water marks more. We don’t have a ton of natural light and glare in our kitchen (actually no natural light tbh) which also helps to hide things.

The imperfections don’t bother me. If it had all been pristine polished...then I’d probably have lost several years off of my life if this had been my kitchen and not a rental. I can get everything out with either a poultice made of baking soda or even a magic eraser. I seal it....never. We’ve lived here 5 years.

I will say...my husband had our giant 5 L commercial bucket we use for sous viding on the counter overnight cooking a pork butt. The marble cracked under it. The heat I guess?

Yes, probably the heat, maybe combined with a natural fault line. I cool cooky sheets straight from the oven, but I would never put a hot casserole or cake pan on it, especially a glass one--chance of thermal shock (for the top or the dish) is too great.

@mama yes, probably correct about fault line combined with heat plus weight

Either you’re okay with imperfections or not. It’s that simple. I’m not.

@Debbi, I do not have a quartz countertop. I do not like the look of them. We are about to demo and re-do our kitchen in the next 2 months. I've visited 6 different fabricators who all carry granite, marble, quartz, etc. The owners / salespeople have all told me that any scratches in quartz do not come out. I'm just repeating what I've been told.