FWIW, I wouldn’t put a hot pot on granite either..

Granite has been known to crack when a hot pan hits the cold surface. I have never heard of quartz melting but I would not place a hot pan on the cold surface of quartz either. I think you should get some trivets.

In my time I've had laminate, marble, corian, granite and quartz counters, and I've always used cutting boards or trivets on all of them. Quartz won't necessarily melt but it will scorch. Granite has been known to scorch and crack, so it's not worry free either.

I have granite and would never put a hot pot on it. I always use trivets.

Stainless steel might work for the trivet averse.

@lovelydinosaur Granite has a host of problems I won't go into here, but you're limited to the darker varieties if you want something that tends to be more problem-free. If you got a lighter quartz, it was the right decision for the color's sake. Any natural stone should be treated carefully which includes not setting hot items directly on the countertops, so even though people talk about doing that, there are other stories of people who have had cracking from thermal shock as a result. I've heard of one story of engineered quartz melting from a very hot pot taken directly out of the dishwasher and placed on the surface, so just be mindful of how you treat your new surface. Also, don't put hot things like a waffle maker, crock pot, or catering burners over your quartz. New installments take time to get used to, and you're sure to be happy with this as time goes on. Quartz doesn't require the sealing that can be such a tricky thing with granite and marble, so you're ahead in that respect already.

You should not put extremely hot items on any countertops (items right out of the oven). The thermal shock can cause granite, marble or quartz to crack. Quartz is durable enough for crock pots, toasters and waffle makers.

Soapstone is the only stone which won‘t suffer from thermal shock. It’s just one of the reasons we put them on our counters. We got one of the harder varieties, Belvedere. No chips or scratches after almost four years. We love our soapstone!

The statement below is from the LG Viatera Warranty. This tells me that there should be a barrier between a quartz countertop and any heat source like a crockpot. A while back I also recall someone who had discolored their quartz in the area where they often used their laptop directly on the countertop. Better to be safe than sorry.

"Viatera® can be damaged by excessive heat which causes the polyester binder to contract, leaving the surface exposed to heat feeling rough to touch and/or discolored. Avoid possible problems by using a trivet between the countertop and any hot pan or heat source."

Joe posted an image once of what happens to quartz, even if you just leave a coffee maker on it - it pops up little inclusions of aggregate. On a dark quartz it looked dotted with lighter pieces.

The thing is, there’s no perfect surface, not even soapstone, which actually can suffer a thermal shock and crack, it is just rarer with soapstone than with other types of stone because it has a high specific heat... and yes, I know they make cookstones out of soapstone, but it can still crack. You must have chosen quartz for the look. Enjoy it, and taking proper care of it will become second nature to you.

That's why I won't switch. I don't think I could remember to baby it. I often set things that are hot on the granite even just for a second. But do what others suggest and leave a pretty cutting board or something where you would put something hot in case you forget. Best of luck.

Have had different granite counters in different homes for 25 years. Easy care, never a problem in all that time. While I use a trivet to set hot things down, which has always been my ingrained unalterable habit from growing up with Formica counters, my kids when they were young did not, nor my careless DH. Nothing ever happened, though thermal shock is indeed a risk that I’ve read about on this forum.

In answer to the OP’s question (who appears not to be returning), “Anyone have quartz melt from heat?”, there are a number of threads on this forum about Quartz scorching from heat, almost always when used as a backsplash directly behind a cooktop. The Quartz manufacturers‘ warranties warn against placing Quartz near a heat source, which would violate the warranty.

M Miller, it hasn't even been a day. Why do you think the OP is not coming back?

We have two large wooden cutting boards on the main work surfaces near the range and sink. They are always out (and look quite nice) and that is where hot pots go. I am not the type to bother with coasters for drinks, etc., but I have read enough horror stories about granite and thermal shock, to not put heat directly on it.

Trivets are your friend wrt most any countertop material, stainless steel, porcelain tile and soapstone being eceptions.