A maple cutting board works fine.

Natural stone and engineered stone have the same trivet use requirements as Corian.

Thanks for your help, Joe. I have no experience with stone countertops, I've had laminate counters my whole life, and I never put anything under a crock pot, toaster oven or coffee maker and never had a problem. I'm finally getting a new kitchen and I deserve a change from laminate but I still want to be practical, so I'm leaning toward Corian. So, I'm trying to get it really clear in my brain so I don't ruin it! I keep a toaster oven with feet and a basic coffee maker (Ninja brand) on my counter, and I occassionally use a slow-cooker. Just tell me "straight up" what, if anything I need under each, so I know what I'm getting into and don't wreck my new counter. Thank you VERY much!!!

From the Corian website -

Heat marks & scorching
Always use a heat protection pad, trivet (with rubber feet) or protective sink mat for hot cookware, or leave cookware to cool first. Never put hot pans, particularly cast iron, directly on a Corian® Solid Surface top or in a sink. Such heat can damage any surface
Boiling water alone will not damage your Corian® Solid Surface sink. However, it is a recommended practice to run cold water from the faucet while pouring boiling water into the sink.
Always use the correct size pan on the burner and place it centrally. An overhanging pan scorches surrounding surfaces.

• Scratches
  Like all materials, Corian® Solid Surface will develop slight abrasion marks in normal daily use:
  Never cut or chop on Corian® Solid Surface - it will score the surface! Use a chopping board instead.
  Dark, heavily pigmented colors will show scratches, dust and ordinary wear and tear more readily than lighter, textured colors.
• Chemical Spillage
  Accidental spills of strong chemicals (e.g. paint stripper, brush cleaners, metal cleaners, oven cleaners, cleaners containing methylene chloride, acid drain cleaners, acetone based nail varnish removers etc.) should be flushed promptly with plenty of soapy water to avoid damaging the countertop! For nail varnish spills, non-acetone based remover can be used, and then flushed with water. Undetected or prolonged exposure to chemicals may damage the surface.
• Instant Boiling Water Taps
  A container should be used to collect boiling water at all times as boiling water from this type of tap may cause surface damage in and around the Corian® Solid Surface sink. This type of damage is not covered by the DuPont 10 Year Warranty.

Thank you chiflipper. I have seen this on the Corian website. As a laminate owner/user "forever", I have NEVER put a hot pan down on a counter or cut/chopped directly on a counter, so that's not a concern. Over-sized pans on stove - don't generally use them because there's just two of us lol. Probably getting another stainless steel sink, so boiling water isn't an issue either. I'm used to "patina" scratches on my 30-year old laminate, and am looking forward to being able to buff out minor scratches on Corian. My main concerns are my toaster oven and coffee maker (Ninja brand) which "live" on the counter, and a slow-cooker that gets used occasionally. I've never needed to protect my laminate from them, so I'm wondering what people who have Corian do about those things? Do they REALLY keep something under them, or not? If not, has it hurt their Corian? I'm not excited about the "look" of "platforms" under my countertop appliances, so I'm just trying to find out what's really necessary so I make an informed choice. Thanks!

Thanks, Beverly. So, do you KEEP one under a toaster oven and coffee maker that "live" on your counter? That's what I'm trying to figure out.

I had Corian counters for over 20 years in my previous house and never put anything under the toaster (with feet) or my Keurig coffee pot. No problems.

Thanks, gustaviatex! That's what I'm HOPING to hear from people. I'll do what's necessary, but I don't want a buch of "platforms" under kitchen appliances if I can avoid it.

This is also from Corian...

"Always use a trivet under portable heat-generating appliances, such as a toaster oven."

That being said, we had white Corian counters in a previous home for years. It still looked new when we sold the house. Though I didn't keep any small appliances on the counter all the time, I sometime would have them out for several hours with no problem. I think some generate more heat than others. When the counters were installed, the guys left two large footed trivets I would occasionally use. Those were also the same white Corian as the counters. I still have them.

Thanks, Chloe! Valuable information, which is what I need. I just have this feeling that most people use common sense, but don't necessarily have every counter appliance sitting on top of something all the time. Hoping to get more real-life experiences from people like you.