Every counter material has some disadvantages and it really just depends on which ones matter to you. I loved my dark granite in my last house. I could literally do anything to it and it wouldn't blemish. I just didn't love the color, and didn't have any light granite choices in our new build, so I chose white quartz. I'm not sure about my choice. My current temporary living situation has gray quartz. Everything marks it, particularly glasses and bowls. They leave rings, and when I try to wipe them up, they will wipe up and disappear on the dry quartz, but when it's wet I can still see them (when I'm wiping off my counters the next time, there are the old rings). I've spent the last 6 months of living here trying to find something that cleans up the rings, and finally - on my 6th or 7th product - I have had positive results with Mrs. Meyers Baking soda cleanser (past products included soap & water, method cleaner, glass cleaner, stone cleaner, & Weisman's quartz cleaner). I also tried using barkeeper's friend on it in the beginning to take care of the rings, and I ended up etching it. Once it's etched, there's really no fixing it (unlike granite, which if chipped can be repaired). Not sure what kind of repair mdln is thinking you can do on quartz. I took a rust ring off my granite using BKF, and I usually just cleaned it using a wet rag - it would wipe up like a dream.

So while I love the look of the counter I chose, I don't love how it seems higher maintenance than my granite, which was virtually maintenance free. But I guess I'm glad I did the dry run with quartz in a rental and have hopefully learned my lessons on how to care for it.

Also, FWIW, not all granites are equal. Mine was hard, didn't need sealant, and wouldn't stain ever. Others are softer and need sealing. So it's hard to throw all granite into the same bucket.

For your second question: All white can look pretty stark - there are a few threads from people who have tried to get the million dollar white kitchens you see on houzz and end up with white overload (or mismatched whites). Unless you have a kitchen designer who can help you pick your whites, your lighting, and your floors so it all works, I might try to bring in a bit of texture and variation somewhere, whether it's your backsplash or counters.

@mdln Ok, that's fine for chips...but I mostly hear people that have problems with etching and scorching, not chipping or cracking. Etching and scorching cannot be repaired.

My sister installed white quartz about 3 years ago and she is the worst in the kitchen. Hers looks perfect.

I am installing quartz countertops in my reno and took the precaution of adding a few trivets to my Amazon cart in anticipation of their delivery. I also picked up a thick bamboo cutting board at Ikea to put under my instapot and air fryer when using them on the counter. I don't consider either of these extreme measures to take.

Neither quartz or granite are "bullet proof" and I personally find granite busy.

I currently have a dark quartz, and I really like it. I am pretty careful about not putting hot items on it, but on a few occasions I've put something down VERY briefly, and have not had issues. Of course, YMMV. The only damage that's occurred in 17 years is when an alkaline battery leaked and it "bleached" some of the color. Fortunately, this occurred in an inconspicuous spot. It's held up to plenty of "wine rings" that were left to sit for days. Again, this is with a dark color. I am currently leaning toward quartz in my new build, but I may need to reconsider. I was hoping to have the same backsplash and counter material, and I am not sure that's a good idea because of potential damage from the heat of my rangetop. I am also a bit concerned about the reports of yellowing -- I will need to look into that since for my new kitchen I'm looking at lighter colors.

I am anything but a design expert, but I think you need an accent color of some kind in the quartz to go with white cabinets or it will be "too much white". Of course, this is largely a matter of personal taste.

I love my new white quartz counters. I had granite in my last 2 kitchens for 20ish years & it was definitely time for a change. I love the smooth feel & clean look of quartz. It's more work to keep them clean (obvi... white compared to my old speckled granite) but it's a daily squirt and wipe, takes all of 30 seconds.

eld6161

I really like the look of your bathroom photo. Was the vanity ordered online or custom made? Also, I was wondering what the floor tile is, and if the shower tile is the same as the floor. Does the shower tile go vertically or horizontally....it's hard to tell on my computer screen.

I love the look of plain white but agree that it will show every single crumb and coffee grind. a little bit of a pattern helps. I personally like the "terrazzo" style in a low contrast pattern (such as very pale greys and whites) so it's not too busy. kind of depends on your aesthetic. it looks great in modern or MCM style kitchens.

as for brand though, ugh. it seems almost impossible to find the "right" choice. there are tons of threads on Houzz debating the pros and cons of manmade quartz, and I think the big worry is that some kinds can turn yellowish with sun exposure. I have yet to have settled on a brand yet for this reason.

as far as needing to use trivets for hot things? not a big deal and worth it if you really hate all of the real stone options out there.

My two homes both have quartz, both very light. They were installed by builder in one, previous owner in the other. My previous home had granite, looked like new after 15 years. I miss the granite , didn’t have to be so careful re spills, scorching, etc.

"Yeah…. but its PLASTIC!"

And so is the resin "natural" stone slab processors suck through their slabs to make them non-porus enough to be suitable for countertop use. Please.

Laddie, the vanity was custom. If you look in the mirror you will see a cabinet that was custom so we matched the two.

Yes the tiles in the shower are the same as the floor, but they are polished while the floor is unpolished.

The wall tiles are horizontal, 1/3 offset.

We went with a matching mosaic from the same line for the shower floor.

Happy Floors, Citrus Blossom.

We were lucky to stumble across the tile installed in a showroom. I don’t think I would have chosen them from the brochure..

I have light quartz, and I love it. I had dark granite in my last house, and I wasn’t fond of it. I do use hot pads with my countertops now, but that’s not a big deal to me. As far as cleaning it, it’s easy, and I don’t care that crumbs, etc show up on it because I clean it every time I cook. I just wipe my counters off with some soapy water and dry. They always look great! I do a lot of baking, too.

Joseph- read ALL of the posts -have a good one

@mdln

Where does the recycled quartz mineral come from for "quartz" countertops? Just curious?

@socks, not my area of expertise, on https://www.thespruce.com/facts-about-quartz-countertops-1821233 found ""About 10 percent of the material volume in a quartz countertop isn't stone at all, but rather a polymeric or cement-based binder. And the other 90 percent? Crushed up waste granite, marble, and natural stone or recycled industrial wastes such as ceramic, silica, glass, mirrors, etc. Yes, maybe some actual quartz—sometimes maybe a lot of it. All this rock material mixed together and held together with binders is what gives a so-called quartz countertop the look and feel of stone. More accurately, a quartz countertop should probably be called engineered stone or compound stone—terms that more accurately describe the way these products are created. The industry, in fact, is increasingly using the term engineered stone to refer to this type of countertop. Bottom line: quartz countertops may include greater or lesser quantities of actual quartz, but they include no solid quartz extracted from quarries and likely have lots of other materials in them, as well."

I have both black granite and light marbled quartz and prefer the quartz. it doesnt show water spots like the granite. the granite must be washed and dried, the quartz can just be washed. i have not seen any yellowing, and would never put hot pots directly on either surface. Also, have had no staining over 2 years.

Thank you!

Thank you.

Thank You!

Patricia Colwell: I see people seem to like Taj Mahal quartsite in their kitchen and even as a backsplash. Would this be the same catagory as quartz and maybe not the best choice for a kitchen in your opinion? I am new to this and will need to replace my old tile countertop before long.

I've had it all....laminate, acylic (Corian), granite and quartz. Quartz is, by far, my favorite material of all to date! I loved my dark granite from the 90s when it was sparkly clean. But it was so labor intensive to keep it looking nice. Hard water spots...and it always looked a bit hazy. I found an awesome all-in-one granite cleaner/polisher that really helped...but it took multiple steps in cleaning it to get it looking nice. My quartz is SO much easier. I'll never do granite again.

@laddie903 You may want to start your own thread, but quartz is engineered stone and quartzITE is natural stone.

Here's a kitchen we did for a professional chef with white quartz counters:

Redwood City Kitchen and Bath Remodel · More Info

It looks gorgeous and I don't know anyone who puts hot pots and pans directly on a counter, anyway. Even when I had granite in my own kitchen, I always used a trivet.

Personally, I love the crisp look of white counters and it allows other elements to be the stars, particularly if you're installing interesting tile. P.S. These counters are DaltileOne Quartz in Morning Frost. Another favorite of mine is Silestone White Zeus, which I'm currently using in a bathroom project for a different client.

Sabrina, I agree. I always used trivets when I had granite. Beautiful kitchen!

Sabrina: that kichen is stunning. I am also a trivet user and have Silestone quartz counters. My sister and daughter in law both have granite countertops; they always use trivets too.

Wow Sabrina! That is WOW!

Thank you Sabrina. That is beautiful!

If you cook, bake, etc. you cannot place hot pots and pans directly on Quartz counters.

You should not place hot pots or pans directly on marble or granite either. Thermal shock can cause it to crack. As a general rule, use racks, trivets or the cooktop for hot pots/pans regardless of your surface material.

@Patricia Colwell Consulting as a professional interior designer, I am curious how you navigate your clients' design expectations with your opinions about quartz countertops. While white granite can be lovely, it often includes dark spots or veins that many of my clients dislike. Quartz provides a cleaner more uniform look that many prefer. I work with both depending on the design aesthetic and client preference. Do you only work with natural stone with your clients?

Ok, that's fine for chips...but I mostly hear people that have problems with etching and scorching, not chipping or cracking.

I have been designing with quartz for years and have never had a client complain of etching or scorching. I had a Cambria countertop crack once from the heat of an an oven installed under it (it was in self-clean mode). Cambria repaired it. I also had quartz crack around a fireplace but it was from an improper installation. I had a granite countertop crack once too. I had one issue with scorching behind a range...with natural marble, not quartz. I have had just a couple clients with quartz countertops that have chipped. They were easily repaired. I'm just one designer working in one market, but my experience is that quartz is not as delicate as some may suggest.

@Kristin Petro Interiors, Inc. I etched my quartz the first time I tried getting all the water rings off of it. There are a number of threads on this board about people etching/scorching their quartz as well. Who knows why my quartz has these issues with rings and others don't, but it's there (and a bit of googling shows that I'm not the only one - and that bit of googling also pointed me to the product that actually works to get them off). I just hope my current experience isn't typical and the quartz I'm installing in my house is the dream material that everyone else seems to have. The cleaning methods & products you can use on quartz are really limited, and that's where it becomes fussy to me - especially when a wet bowl leaves a mark that can't be removed with the wipe of a rag. Don't even get me started on the LO's fingerprints.

After having busy, santa cecilia granite, We put in white quartz in our ktichen. We found all granite to be very busy. We would have loved quartzite, but the 13k price tag was beyond budget.

I have had clients with issues with dull marks and discoloration on the quartz directly after installation that they thought was from the quartz but was actually from construction residue like grout or silicone (it's hard to see when clean but can grab onto dirt and debris, so it shows up after the job is complete). My installer typically goes back and cleans the quartz with acetone and they have no further issues. What brand of quartz do you have @anj_p?

If one is leaning towards white, what about porcelain? Isn't that supposedly bulletproof compared to quartz? (I think?)

As far as those of us who complain about crumbs when it comes to pure white: yes, I always wipe counters when I'm finished. My husband makes an effort but misses details, and I'm not going to nag about something so trivial. A compromise is to get something with at least a slight pattern so I can ignore the insignificant things and move on with my day.

Thanks for the kind comments, everyone! Yes, this was a fun project to design, and everyone was thrilled with the outcome.

@Kristin Petro Interiors, Inc. I don't know the brand I currently have - we're in a rental while our house is being built. The quartz I will have in my house is Hanstone. I really hope it's just a difference in quality of the quartz that causes the issues I'm having and the quartz in my home will be...better? I don't know. Maybe the white hides stuff like this better too. My cousin just had quartz installed and has similar issues with hers...I should ask her what she got.

It was user error on my part as to how I etched my quartz...I just cleaned it with what I'd use on my granite (baking soda & vinegar) not knowing that chemicals & quartz don't typically mix. But I think it's important for new quartz owners to know that they can't just use anything on it.

Don't understand all this about cleaning quartz. I have Cambria quartz and just use my ordinary dish soap and water to wipe the counters after washing up whatever needs to be handwashed. Have never had any problems after years of use. Why would you use anything stronger. My quartz countertops are as lovely as the day they were installed.

@doods everything leaves marks on my quartz, and soap and water doesn't take care of it. That's the issue I'm experiencing with the quartz in my current kitchen. If a photo could capture what is happening I'd gladly post. It drives me crazy.

anj_p, what color and brand did you get? I imagine color, pattern, finish and quality all make a difference. A water ring is going to show up way more on a dark gloss more than a matte white or something with a busy pattern.

People have been using actual plastic for countertops for decades. Laminate countertops are functional and effective. And they are actually plastic. The idea that you shouldn't use quartz in a kitchen because you'll scorch it with hot pots doesn't make much sense to me.

Opinions are great, and it can be helpful to hear other people's opinions of a product before you commit. Knowing the difference between opinion and fact is even more helpful.

@anj_p Sorry you are having trouble with your quartz. Did you read the post above by Kristin Petro... "I have had clients with issues ..... " wonder if that's your problem. I hope you have much better luck with the quartz in your new house.!

@doods Yes, I saw that. These are from glasses/bowls. They don't come off with soap and water (or anything else I had tried until I finally I found a product that works). After a few days of not doing the "deep clean" my counters look like they have olympic rings all over them! I also hope I have better luck with my new counters!! @User the quartz in my apartment is dark gray and it's a dark gloss. I also think they show up more because of the finish but I don't get why they don't wipe off.

@Carolyn Jenkins totally didn't mean to hijack your thread! Good luck with your decision! As you can see, most people love their quartz. Hopefully I will love my new counters as well!

Kristin.....when we moved into our house, (it was brand new) we had some marks on the quartz that I couldn't get out. They had put blue plastic on the countertops to protect them, and I think they left residue. I wiped them down with acetone, cleaned them well afterwards, and the residue came off. They look beautiful now.

There is so many different quartz products out there; it can be scary. A few years ago, my boss had met someone trying to get us to sell their quartz. They had about 10 colors - mostly white with various amounts of veining. He brought the sample piece in for us to look at. My boss had written the reps number on top of the sample. We tried to clean it off. Nothing worked - not even the eraser. We tried every kind of cleaned , scrubby pads and I think my boss tried turpentine and goof off... needless to say we passed.

I have luckily not had issues except for one. Customer squirted clorox gel with bleach onto the counter. It left an etch in the top when she wiped it off. This was not a recommended cleaner for that product and it caused a problem. Always use ONLY what the brand specifies.

I have seen chips on quartz and on granite and have seen both get repaired.

For those who have issues, instead of "trying things" , did you call the fabricator or the manufacturer and get their advice? That's where I would start.

NOTHING is bullet proof. Unfortunately there will always be "something" . Knowing worst case scenarios is probably the best way to go into your decision.

Best of luck to everyone!

Thank you Debbi!

I my previous home I had granite, Allhot pans went on it from rangeor oven. i spritz it with 20% alcohol & 80 % water. Look like new when we sold. Hot pans on it,, i haven oiled it for 2 years.

After months of indecision I finally forked out the money for quartz (I was kind of set on tried-and-true laminate, only because I've had it in homes my entire life and it's always lasted perfectly, and I just couldn't see spending thousands on the countertop part of the kitchen when laminate is so inexpensive in comparison!) I am pretty 'scared' of my quartz, afraid everything is going to damage it. I hate feeling like I have to baby something that is supposed to be an everyday workhorse!

So far the issue I have is I'm already getting 'tea' stains from my adult son making tea and not wiping it up immediately if he spills a bit on the counter. They are very light and possibly visitors wouldn't notice, but of course, I do. I'm not sure what to use for that, there are SO many things you CAN'T use to clean it. So far, I just wipe it with the rest of the counter, hoping eventually they'll just fade away, but if anyone knows something safe I could try, that would be great! I haven't used the toaster on my countertop at all yet because it scares me. My MIL's quartz countertop cracked (huge!!!!) while she was using her 'air fryer'. I use an electric griddle sometimes and I'm scared to use it how I normally would've with a laminate countertop, so I use it by putting a towel down on top of my gas stove burners and set the griddle on there (which is ridiculous, really??!!). I am also 'scared' of the countertop yellowing over time since I have pretty much all-windows in one area of my kitchen. I originally wanted an 'all-white' kitchen, so I didn't really consider other products because of the usual veining. I'm not sure they don't also have to be babied though. Just my personal experience/thoughts.

I have found that spraying on a bit of 409 and letting sit for a couple of minutes has worked well for me at removing tough to clean items. Read your quartz manufactuer info to see what they say is safe on their product. I use the toaster all of the time and it is fine on quartz. I have a lot of windows on one wall in the kitchen but they face North so no direct sunlight and they have not yellowed at all.

I had white solid-surface in my last house. Was there but recently installed by the previous owner when I moved in, and I lived there 17 years. It wasn't even the "good stuff" (e.g. Corian, et al) just some cheapie no-name solid surface. Be darned it held up like a champ all those years. It did stain here and there, but a Magic Eraser took care of that. Even though I'm partial to stone, I did choose a white solid-surface prefab from Home Depot for a recent small bathroom refresh I did -- it was relatively cheap and something DH could install himself, and I didn't want to spend a lot of money knowing I'm going to do a full remodel down the line. It looks great and is serving its intended shorter-term purpose well. Point being -- if you like quartz, get quartz, it will hold up fine. I have a bias for natural stone but I don't think there's any horrible choice for a counter, they're all fine and with their own pros and cons.

No wait, I take that back -- I would never recommend a ceramic tile countertop. Not because of the tile but but because of the grout. Yea....that got replaced in this house needless to say.