I would pick one or two vendors close to your home. I would frequent these places every other day or so. I would get to know the regular employee, owner or relative of owner....someone who is there, knows about their inventory and can remember your likes/your project a bit and so forth. They may know of something "coming in" and be able to alert you ...or may know of a piece they can get once they know what you want...and may even know of a style or piece that you haven't thought of. Stop with the spreading your footprint all over the place...narrow the process and something will transpire for you. No don't get laminate. You had a series of not fruitful experiences but so what. It is going to get completed and you will be satisfied..you just have to keep at it.

Do they have more of the White Lux available? If so, I would ask more questions of your fabricator. See if you can get an answer to what happened to the first round. Either way, ask him if he would have any concerns about working with the same stone again. I'm assuming he's covering the cost of the replacement, so I'd think he'd be quite willing to tell you if he had concerns about the same thing happening again because of a material problem. He certainly doesn't want to pay for a third set of stone.

@megs1030 Hugs to you, and I'm so sorry for your ongoing countertop troubles. There is no light-colored natural stone countertop out there that is foolproof, and you've been through more agony than most over this difficult element of decision in a kitchen remodel. Here's what I've learned through my own experience searching nearly a year for a light-colored, durable countertop that isn't laminate and will fabricate, transport and install without major issues:

• Looks like you've focused on white-toned quartzite, and the pricing on these slabs can be incredibly high without a guarantee of durability. Taj Mahal seems to have the best reputation all-around among quartzites for durability in regard to etch resistance and probability of a successful fabrication if you're using a skilled fabricator, but it can have what some may consider to be unsightly rust veins, and it's not the pure white that you seem to be seeking. It can also contain calcite deposits that lead to etching and staining, although that is more common among other quartzites than Taj Mahal, to my understanding. The newer Taj Mahal coming from Brazil has picked up brownish tones as production has moved deeper into the quarry, meaning its hard to find the light, creamy tones that made this variety so popular in years past, and you may even find that some slabs have been bleached to remove brown tones. Once you move on to other quartzites, you're usually dealing with more risk of flaking, breaking, and etching concerns than you might have with Taj Mahal. The slabs themselves may have already broken and been glued back together, something you may not recognize unless you've been trained to see it. It sounds like you're really frustrated with your search for the right white quartzite.
• If you're looking for white, I'm sure you've at least considered marble. There's a new trend now to use porcelain slabs with mitered edges to simulate the look of marble but with the greater durability of a porcelain surface. My advice on this is don't do it. Porcelain chips, cracks and breaks too easily for a hard-working kitchen, and I don't know of any porcelain slab suppliers that warranty their products for any of this. You can sometimes find a warehouse that will sell insurance on porcelain slabs, but I doubt this covers damage occurring after installation, which is almost inevitable if you use the kitchen much.
• We'll basically skip granite here, as I'm sure you've discovered that granite can have light tones but rarely white tones. Light-colored granite usually has a busy surface pattern mixed with other darker colors and is a risky choice due to color changes that can occur in the light areas from minerals including iron that can rust or otherwise darken the color after installation.
• Have you considered real marble? At this point, after all you've been through, you might want to give it a second look. You've had quartzite blow out at the fabricator, be priced more than you thought it was worth and contain iron oxide staining. Marble isn't as brittle as quartzite so should fabricate more easily, and while it's expensive, it will usually come in under a quartzite price. It's also fairly easy to find a beautiful slab without major imperfections. It can also be resurfaced if needed and sealed with a number of sealant options to help with durability. I've read that marble began a resurgence in popularity for kitchens when the Danby variety began to be quarried because it was more dense and less porous than other types of marble previously in use for kitchens. You'd have to be cautious about scratches, stains and acid etching, but if you're willing to give it a try, it would save the money spent on a laminate countertop, and it could last you quite a number of years with periodic resurfacing if you so desired. I normally wouldn't recommend marble, but in your case, maybe so.
• If you do decide to go the laminate route, check out Wilsonart's Soft Silk Laminate Collection. It even has shaped edge banding to make it look like natural stone. You might like it so well you'll decide to switch to laminate, but if not, maybe some of the previous thoughts will help.
• Final note, soapstone would be a complete switch in color tones, but it has the luxurious feel to it and durability that you'd get with a quartzite if you pick a harder variety. I sympathize with making round after round to the same slab yards, as it gets tiresome and time-prohibitive. I originally wanted a light natural stone surface too, but just decided on a hard variety of soapstone called Beleza because nothing else was working out, and I really loved the feel and look of soapstone in person. Hope something works out for you soon.

I would absolutely, positively not take the KD's needs for wrapping up into account. And the faucet issue is laughable. Get laminate, or whatever cheap temporary fix you need until you can be satisfied with your choices. Quartzite is much too expensive to compromise on.

I love jemimabean's plywood. That would work for me for a few months.

Consider whether Unobtanium countertops are worth the cost, time, and aggravation.

Sorry to hear this megs, I can't believe that this one didn't work out either!

I would rather have temporary plywood for a couple of months than rush and/or settle with a countertop that I didn't love. You will be looking at that countertop every single day for years to come.

I, too, am so sorry you are going through this! We went through similar rigamarole with our soapstone...chosen slab (with paid deposit) sold to someone else, next slab delivered to fabricator with so many defects it was unusable, and final countertop installed with 3 deep gouges and one poorly done visible repair! But, they came back today and actually did a nice job repairing everything. I truly hope (and do believe) you will eventually get countertops you are happy with! It is just hard because it is a big expense so you want it done right, but at the same time you are waiting to have a finished, functioning kitchen. Is there a possibility of hooking everything up just with the plywood countertops? Maybe even taking a little break and then going back and looking at slabs with a fresh eye? We had stopped looking for about 2 weeks when we had to start over and I was surprised at how I looked at things differently the second time around.

"Unobtanium" made me laugh. Thank you @THOR, Son of ODIN.

Thanks to everyone who can either relate or offered suggestions. I do appreciate it. We do have plywood counters currently. @Kristin S, I would love to consider White Lux but the fabricator is hesitant about purchasing same lot, as am I. The other lot I've seen is not as pretty, it was cut a different way and lost all of the pretty veining the first lot had. I'm going back to that distributor this coming week. @klynneg, glad your countertops were fixed to your satisfaction, sounds like you went through the ringer, too. I am taking a break this week. Birthday, Halloween with 2 young kids, appointments... I need a breather. I'm glad it all worked for you in the end.

@Aglitter, thank you for taking the time to respond with all of those suggestions. I have considered Taj. Like you said, they are very gray now, not as creamy as they have been in years past. The movement, or lack thereof, in Taj is what is holding me back. The slabs I've seen are very consistent. Again, it's a lot of money to put down on something that's not quite what I'm looking for. I have considered marble, despite hearing objections from KD, distributors, etc. I just haven't seen any that I love, but I'm going to look again in a week or so. I do like Danby, but haven't seen it around here... which is odd. Although, I swear I read on Houzz recently that there was no more Danby in the Northeast?? Not sure if that's fact or fiction, but I haven't seen it. I definitely agree about porcelain, not something I'm considering. I'm not even considering laminate either, because while inexpensive, why pay twice? I'll cope with the plywood until I find my unicorn! ;)

@megs1030 We have many full-sized Danby slabs on display at slab warehouses in Dallas, Texas, at the moment, so not sure what's going on there in the Northeast. It shouldn't be much trouble at all to get slabs transferred to you, as they are currently available on the market. I don't personally care for the Danby veining as much as Carrara or Calacatta, but Danby is reportedly one of the most durable marbles on the market today for use as countertop material, and if you haven't heard of Stoneguard, you might look into it, because a great sealer can go a long way. People who use marble for countertops sometimes make use of decorative trays to hold various items to keep them off the marble to help preserve the surface. It's also common to have resurfacing done for a couple of hundred dollars when desired, though that's not a requirement. Usually, any KD, distributor or fabricator wants a "hands off" approach to marble because they don't want to be blamed for perceived problems after installation, whereas so much of the marble experience depends on the individual, how the marble is used and cared for, and how much the user enjoys the look of real marble. I've run across several articles written by people who have experienced marble countertops in their homes for years, and despite some wear to the surface, they are still totally in love with the look. You could put in marble twice compared to the cost of some quartzites, and I personally think marble is prettier than most quartzites. I actually had one fabricator tell me recently that he's known of people who have marble countertops that are quite worn who still absolutely love them. You would want to look for a marble with a higher dolomite mineral content, as it is the calcite marbles that are more problematic. Some slab yards will even specify "dolomite marble." It is you who has to live with the counters, so I'd go with what you love personally rather than what the advisers want to sell to you. I even ran across a story recently of a lady who accidentally got yellow oil stains on a marble backsplash above her stove, and she was able to completely renew the surface with a poultice that drew out the staining, afterward protecting it once again with 3 layers of sealant, so there are all kinds of ways to learn to care for marble. If you're set against laminate, then it's correct you wouldn't want to spend the money on a temporary fix since laminate installation can take a huge chunk out of your real countertop budget. Don't give up on marble just yet! I'd encourage you to find a few of the positive stories online of people who have lived with marble and would put it in again if they had the choice.

1000 likes ^^^^^

@megs1030 I am also in the NE. I also had trouble finding Danby marble but I saw it in April at Boston Granite Exchange. They had it at both the West Bridgewater and Haverhill locations. You can check their online inventory to get an idea of what they might have now. I was specifically looking for honed Montclair Danby, and West Bridgewater had several slabs (I needed 3). Unfortunately for me, the marble was in pretty bad shape (lots of pockmarks). I was crushed because I really wanted those greenish veins to go with my dark green island. Fortunately for me, they also had an Opus White quartzite that had the dark green veining I was looking for and I’ve ended up loving that more than the marble I’d originally planned for. If you haven’t been there yet, I’d definitely recommend them- I had good experiences with both locations.

Ugh, why can't things just be easy sometimes? I understand that looking at those plywood countertops is a constant reminder of the problem, but don't rush towards a conclusion. Take your time and do it right.

I really want the White Lux that I selected in #2 because it was beautiful and perfect but I'm hesitant to purchase that again for fear that it will be ruined when
it's cut. I want to love my counters for the amount of $$ that they cost, I do not want to settle.

If this is what you really want, go get it. If it breaks again, choose another stone. I understand you're frustrated, but you're not out-of-pocket over their mistake, are you? Get what you really want. You're going to live with these countertops a long time, so what's a few more weeks?

I suggested to KD that I install laminate for now

I vote NO. First, her desire to finish up your project is not an issue. You hired her to make this project run smoothly -- she should do her job, not try to push you /pressure you to a quick finish.

Installing anything "temporary" is an awful choice financially -- because you're paying for two countertops. It's also an awful choice for the earth. Those "temporary" countertops will rot in a landfill longer you'll be alive. We as a society can't keep doing stuff like that.

HOWEVER, you might go look at laminate and ask yourself, "Could I live with this long-term?" It is a whole lot cheaper, and it's more of a sure-thing than a natural stone. Look at it and consider it seriously.

"Unobtanium" made me laugh.

Yeah, my engineer husband uses that term.

Someone in the comments section of the following article noted that Mont Blanc is a harder variety of marble used for kitchen countertops. The main article is also an interesting read, a balanced evaluation and advice on upkeep from a family that lived with Carrara marble countertops on every single countertop surface in their house for 4 years until they moved to another city for job relocation: https://www.zdesignathome.com/the-pros-cons-of-marble-countertops-what-i-use-to-clean-mine/