"Some stores say all quality quartz is same, just pick your color."

They are correct.

We went to several showrooms and brought a lot of samples home. The best one closest to white and at the best price with no heavy veining was Santamargherita Vermont. Still love it over a year later, seems indestructible so far too.

Thank you for photo @itsourcasa. Your kitchen is beautiful!

Hi ds356, while we can't speak to the quality of other quartz brands we can explain to you the benefits of Cambria. We are a family owned, American made natural quartz surface company with a transferable Full Lifetime Warranty. Cambria's dedicated customer care team is prepared to answer questions before, during, and after installation. Our unique processing technology combined with high purity natural quartz material harvested from the earth are used to create our innovative and industry leading designs. Cambria is highly stain resistant and nonabsorbent, meaning there is no sealing or polishing required for the life of the product. Learn more about quartz countertops HERE, during a virtual consultation, or by giving us a call at 866-226-2742.

Hello ds356, we offer a wide selection of quartz products including Cambria. We are a retail store with professional designers that are knowledgeable. Feel free to give us a call for more information at 707-255-7115. We will be happy to assist you!

Are you looking for something with veining? Or something more uniformly patterned? I love my Radianz Adirondack Birch in my cottage style? kitchen. I have had it for 6 years now, with no problems.

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Do consider Corian. Glacier White is gorgeous and lasts forever. I recently purchased a vacation/retirement home with a load of GW Corian and it is wonderful if you like a rich, creamy look. My sis installed it in her home (now a rental) in 1981 and it still looks like brand-spanking new. With CGW, you get slab issues, no pattern issues, no durability issues. So clean and sanitary

That said, I removed the GWC from the main kitchen here, and installed Cambria. I’ve had my issues with various Cambria installs over the years, but it’s a solid if pricey product. But sometimes I look at the remaining Corian here, and wish . . .

I put Cambria in my kitchen way back when and to this day it looks exactly like it did when I installed it. It's higher cost but it's also 97% quartz which I know some of the less expensive brands are not. I also know these lesser brands do stain (first hand knowledge) and can scratch. I also agree with seeing the entire slab before you green light it. Even though it's engineered it can and will look a little different from the showroom square. I am also looking for a quartz for the perimeter of my kitchen to compliment my island quartzite. I'm not having much luck. I hope you have better luck!!

"...but it's also 97% quartz which I know some of the less expensive brands are not."

Lisa:

You're parroting the manufacturer's pitch. It's 97% quartz by weight, which is meaningless, not by volume. Engineered stone is 65% quartz and 35% resin +-. This is not up for debate.

It's also why estone is more susceptible to heat damage than natural stone; the plastic scorches.

The composition of products varies by manufacturer, but not substantially enough to say that they're not all the same stuff. It is. When you're selling the same thing everyone else is, and the Chinese are doing an excellent job of ripping you off, you've got to switch the subject to your better selection, innovative colors, Breton process, made in the states, etc. to justify your higher price and keep your margins and business intact.

All I can say is when I sold Cambria vs some of the other materials Cambria held up better than the rest. I also have it in my kitchen and it survived 4 kids and the entire neighborhood of kids without a stain or scratch. In our showroom some of the other brands were stained and scratched and did not wear as well.

jospeh, you can't compare cheaper chinese made quartz with some of the higher end companies, whether those are in US, Can. or Europe. We all have heard the horror stories of the sub-standard quality that chinese-made products have. Now it may well be 35% resin, but that quality of resin may be made in china where it wouldn't pass our stringent standards. I don't know. Lisa has a point.

Cambria Newport is a lovely warm white -- it reads as a pure white from across the room, but is actually a slightly creamy white with some fine veining (white on white) up close.

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ds, look through some of the Silestone options

Beth:

Please substantiate your claims. Hearing horror stories is anecdotal evidence. If Lisa has a point, help her make it with facts and statistics please.

@highdesertowl thank you - beautiful space you have - like your cabinets, too. I don’t want anything too busy or bold - have only known plain white counters - so there is a “fear” of patterns - and getting tired of a pattern in a few years -yet something subtle I think would be elegant.

@acm thank you for beautiful photos and info - warm white definitely!

I just got my Cambria Torquay installed this week. I am super happy with it!

joseph:

The United States is one of the strictest countries in terms of its Health and Safety Standards. Due to this, products produced inside the United States go through rigorous product checks and quality checks, ensuring that the product is produced according to the law. China’s standards differ from the US, and as such, the chemicals used during production may not be the safest. One example of this we’ve seen reported is that Chinese Quartz Countertops may emit a smell for the first year or so in your home due to excess chemicals used during production in China.

I neither have the time nor the inclination to search out people w/sub-standard chinese produced quartz countertops. (but I did post some links for you to peruse, if you like)

Most people wouldn't have a clue where their countertop was made. If you want the facts and stats, you look it up on the 'net. I did find this: (paragraph 2 supports what Lisa was saying)

U.S. trade laws specify the quartz to resin ratios which all North American manufacturers strictly follow. Some Chinese quartz manufacturers aren’t following that standard. You might have higher quantities of resin or dyes in your imported slab than actual quartz. This can lead to the countertops bending during transport. What can also happen is an inconsistency in slab thickness due to the inadequate ratios. 3cm slabs are the norm in the U.S. but you might not receive that thickness from Chinese imports.

In conjunction with material quantities are dye lot inconsistencies. As mentioned above, homeowners have more say in the color consistency of their quartz slabs. However, if Chinese quartz manufacturers aren’t following U.S. trade laws as to what ratios to use in materials, you can end up purchasing a slab that can quickly change in color and pattern. If there is more resin within the product, this affects the pigmentation of the slab.

Lastly, U.S. trade laws dictate what chemicals can and cannot be used indoors and outdoors. This is to protect homeowners from being exposed to potentially harmful gases and materials that come into contact with food. However, China views volatile organic compounds differently than North America. If you purchase Chinese quartz, there very well could be components for indoor and outdoor use within a slab being installed in your kitchen.

https://www.northwoodconstruction.com/blog/are-all-quartz-countertops-the-same/

china has had recalls of everything from dog food to toys over the past few decades. If they produce their quartz products anything like a good majority of their other products, it's not hard to imagine complaints.

Are all their quartz products horrible? didn't say that. I said there's a good chance the resin they use isn't as good as what higher end companies use. (mainly it's the chemicals that they use that aren't allowed in the US. I don't see how you can argue that.) Or maybe the process in which they heat it, or mix it, is sub standard. Don't know. I don't manufacture it. But if Lisa works in the business and has evidence of their products that don't hold up as well as Cambria or others, then i'm sure there's a reason for it.

The only thing I'm arguing is that there are sub-standard quartz countertops and not all are created exactly the same. The use of chemicals, more resin than quartz, and cheaper manufacturing, can result in sub-standard countertops. I really don't know why you're even debating this.

https://www.hanstonequartz.com/blogs/blog/problems-with-chinese-quartz-countertops

https://www.igscountertops.com/chinese-quartz-countertops-what-to-avoid/

I second the recommendations for white Corian (Solid surface). I looked for a solid soft/warm white quartz for a long time and couldn’t find one l liked. I ended up with solid surface and am really happy with it. Didn’t hurt that it was less than 1/2 the cost of Cambria!

@Beth H. :@Lisa @Joseph Corlett, LLC thank you - Lisa I appreciate knowing Cambria has performed better than others you’ve worked with. Your firsthand insight is very valuable. We don’t really know what we are investing in and so your experience is meaningful.

I agree with Beth that there is likely a difference in the resin. Using as a food surface, long term safety matters as much as product performance/appearance. We know the stories about wood floors, dog food etc.

I‘d like to better understand Joseph’s point about weight/volume - does it mean a brand like Cambria is for some reason more substantial, stronger?

I went to a Cambria gallery but they did not have the patterns in full slabs (just a handful). I was told the distributor would measure but ultimately choose my piece from inventory or Cambria would ship it from their hq. So the largest pieces were mainly 3’ and did not show full pattern. I’m not sure it is possible to see a full Cambria slab based on info given to me.

ds, I posted a few links up above that explain it. you can read those. what's he's saying about percentage is right.

w/the chinese types, they often use more resin because it's cheaper. the links explain it.

btw, Cambria is the only one completely made in America

they have a comparison here:

https://www.thespruce.com/quartz-countertop-brands-comparison-guide-4122337

Ds have you contacted Cambria? I’ve been speaking with someone at a gallery in PA and I can do a virtual appointment to see a full slab. The boutique I worked in had full slabs on site plus remnants. I can say Cambria was one of the few where the slabs looked like the samples. Only on one occasion was there an off slab.

@Lisa thank you! I did speak with and will call again re seeing slab. I really value your knowledge. Good to know about samples. Cambria did tell me they keep all formulas and while different lots may vary it is usually slight. I didn’t realize there could be big variances with samples. I called Cambria and Ceasar several times. Cambria was very service friendly. Ceaser had a recording, no one ever picked up. What are the odds of ever needing post-purchase care, don’t know, but it is reassuring when a company is reachable.

Is quartz truly worth it In terms of practicality? Because as good as anything may look or feel, it comes down to performance. Re resin melting, I heard that happening w solid surface under coffee pots.

@Indecisiveness and @MizLizzie thank you each - I will definitely look at again - a friend also has and likes. It was my go to until I started exploring quartz. I looked at LG Hausys.

If you do settle on a quartz, it might help if you search the discussions for your favorite before committing. Ive read a few posts where people were unhappy with dark specs in what they thought would be pure white. Not sure if that’s something that would bother you.

My counters are artic white LG HiMacs that I got from Lowe’s for around $25/ft installed. Lowe’s subcontracts the work to a local shop. I’ve had no issues with melting, i always out something underneath a hot pot, which you would need to do with quartz as well since it has resin. I have zero issues with staining even with red wine or hot sauce left over night. 5 minutes with some Soft Scrub and it’s gone.

Some of the quartz patterns are beautiful. But I wanted a solid white, no pattern and decided there wasn’t a benefit for the quartz. I used the savings from going with HiMacs to buy 2 round trip tickets AND a week at an ocean front condo in Aruba.

@Indecisiveness thank you - appreciate the info. Lowe’s is also where I saw the LG. Hope you had a great vacation!

Not sure what you mean by "soft white", but I'm a big fan of Daltile One Quartz. I've used their Morning Frost color in multiple projects. You can see it here:

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@Beth H. :thank you for the links and safety data. Off-gassing from a foreign made quartz would be a real concern. In my travels I picked up a brochure with following brand info:

Cambria USA

Zodiaq/q Canada (Corian brand)

Silestone Spain

Caeserstone Israel

Hanstone S Korea

Viatera S Korea

Some of these companies are producing in N America such as Caeserstone. I imagine each being big names are good products.

MSI has been recommended as a lower cost, good product and Im sure there are others but truthfully it gets overwhelming with time needed to comparison shop.

So to these points of foreign components from countries less regulated and when @Lisa shared valued experience on product performance she has seen in industry, it helps to narrow. It would be interesting to know if offshore brands use Chinese components. Thanks!

@Beth H. :the Spruce article mentions quartz chips or dust. I saw at Cambria gallery a display of quartz chips - the “dust” may mean more resin than quartz with other manuf?, which doesn’t sound.

@rosine Bless you! I saw and liked Torquay however I saw and did not like a sample of Torquay at another shop visited. I’m attaching photos. The first two were taken at a Cambria gallery store (distributor). Soft, muted The last two taken at another shop Photo three is scribbly and busy. Photo four shows Smithfield (very white) - which Im told is Torquay minus color saturation - plus the Torquay sample, stacked on top of a pattern Ella. Hopefully my descriptions make sense

Can you please share does your Torquay have the dense scribbled look like this third photo?

@Cambria please respond on Torquay?

I want to also comment on edges. The Ogee look is very pretty yet I was advised that a straight or a beveled edge would be less likely to chip.

Beth:

There are several problems with your Hanstone link. First, even Cambria, the best in the business as far as I'm concerned, sells resin pooling as a feature, not a bug. This article seems to claim that resin pooling is exclusive to Chinese estone. It is not.

Secondly, the article claims that estone is 93% quartz. It is by weight, which is irrelevant, not by volume which is the actual relevant measurement, 65/35%.

Thirdly, under Inconsistent Material Quantities, the article claims ",,,and it can also make a more flexible countertop that can bend during transport." This is nonsense. When you alter a natural stone sink cutout, if you get close to the corners, a little tap and the stone will break where you want. Never, ever, try this with estone unless you want a cracked front rail because the material is so strong it won't break where you like. You can hear and feel the difference when you tap on them. It's so much stronger because it's 35% plastic. If anything, a more plastic (resin) countertop will be stronger and less likely to "bend during transport". Corian is full of plastic and it's stronger than any estone or natural stone. Some fabricators have thermoformed estone. Plastic is good.

I can't imagine there is any more significant off gassing with Chinese estone. The article never supplies any ASTM tests to substantiate their claim.

Slab thickness inconsistencies pervade the estone and natural stone industries, no matter the manufacturer or supplier.

Resin pooling, false; 93% quartz, false; bending, false; off gassing, unsubstantiated; slab thickness, false.

Hanstone better stop letting the salespeople write their technical articles.

Remember when everyone used to believe estone couldn't be book matched? Yeah, well the Chinese never got the memo:

Say what you want about the Chinese, their treatment of the Uighurs is unspeakable, but they make excellent estone and some stainless steel sinks. I've got to give them credit when they innovate because I'd never seen book matched estone before theirs.

My Cambria Torquay does not have dense squibbles. I went to the Cambria manufacturer and saw different Torquay slabs and they were all consistent in pattern.

joseph, I caught that error in the first link. I knew you'd see that! maybe they just failed to mention the weight portion.

the other two links? did you read those? Cambria cites the correct percentages. so does the 3rd one. How many links would you like me to post that claim Chinese made quartz are not up to par w/other brands? (not all, but we're talking the cheap ones)

I'm still going to say that chinese regulations are zero compared to ours. If you don't think they use sketchy chemicals (that are not regulated like they are here) or that they may use more resin than quartz, then I don't know what to tell you. I never said one thing about the appearance or the design quality.

And I also said that not ALL are made poorly. you seem to only pick out the few things in my comment that suit your argument and ignore everything else.

If it came down to all things being equal, I'd pick any other manufacturer except china. USA, Spain,, China would be last just because of their lack of quality control. And that's really all I ever said. their quality is not comparable. Let's face it, how many items in your home that were cheap, made in China, last for any length of time? WalMart is full of Chinese imports. (which is one of the reasons they were never forced to close during the pandemic while mom and pop stores were. But I digress) The items are cheap and they don't last.

Hello ds356, we would like to learn more about the third sample you viewed. Would you be able to provide a phone number via private message or give our Cambria customer care team a call at 866-226-2742 and request to speak with Chris Donaldson? Thank you.