QUARTZ vs GRANITE | How To Choose A Countertop in 2023 

I have a new video where I test quartz to see if it is scratch, smash and heat resistant. Check it out - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-D3PEsEXmtAE.html

I’m a designer for many years. I love my laminate tops. They don’t damage my knives, I don’t worry about hot pots or pans , and it actually releases stains like wine or strawberry/raspberry. No one wants laminate but it’s a fabulous option.

I’m putting laminate in the new condo I’m purchasing because I like to change up my style every few years or so. Quartz is beautiful, but I really find most granite to be too “busy” for my aesthetic; both are a serious investment for someone averse to commitment.😉 I installed quality laminate in my previous home and never had any issue with its performance. Further, no one ever came over for dinner and said, “I’m not eating at your house because you have laminate countertops.” 😏My money goes toward quality major appliances.

My wife and I close on a new house in a few weeks. It has Quartz countertops throughout. I'm so excited. lol

use a special quartz/granite cleaner on it ONLY! comet, or brillo, even windex will strip the sealant off. my girlfriend on a strict budget got a slate color laminate counter & its lovely. with white cabinets & some bright copper pots on the wall above & under cabinet lighting, it looks like real slate! i had granite in my first home but chose quartz in my new home because i wanted white with a touch of grey veining & granite didnt have it. im happy with the quartz. its beautiful, shiny & brightens up the kitchen.

Thank you for including laminate. Some of us can only afford this option

Sir, you are a very believable and impressive presenter. I love your tone, the absence of exaggeration, and the wealth and depth of your knowledge! Absolutely fantastic! Thank you!!!

We have white laminate in our kitchen and it's beautiful, and still looks brand new after 32 years. White is timeless and laminate is very durable.

Thank you for this video. It's refreshing to hear a designer say that it's ok to get laminate countertops. You must have a highly satisfied customer base. 🙂 We're all different, we all have different needs/wants. Thanks for recognizing that and not trying to change anyone's mind. Keep up the great work!! 👍👏

I will only have quartz., absolutely love it.

Let me first say how impressed I am with your content with these counter surfaces and how you give equally valued info to each and you don’t steer anyone away from or frown on a laminate versus a solid surface. It’s all it what one can afford and like you said, what you like.

So you can actually repair laminate to a certain extent. Check out my new video on just that topic. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-T5gp1WV0Sy0.html

I’m granite fabricator for over 25 years and my opinion is very simple for my own kitchen I will go granite not the man made stuff like quartz to me this is similar to corian back days so like titanic on his maiden voyage, yes it’s very popular at this moment and much easier to work with and I like to work with and make a new kitchen but for my own kitchen I’m going 100% natural material, so solid wood or by product like pressboard? That’s my opinion.

I will use laminate in my kitchen. I have never liked the coldness of stone or the price that goes with it. I use my kitchen to work in not to show off. So I will do me and be happy.

Thank you for talking honestly about the pros and cons of all 3 countertop types. Laminate is my go-to countertop choice. It gives me a lot more design flexibility since there are far more color and pattern choices compared to granite and quartz. From solid colors to wood styles to stone styles. You even get a choice of the type of surface finish and edge profile. It's also considerably more affordable at 2-3 times less expensive. For typical everyday use, they are perfectly durable. Use a cutting board. Use a potholder under hot pots. Problems solved. As for water intrusion, the fewer seams it has, the better off you are. If your countertop dimensions fit within the laminate sheet dimensions, your fabricator can give you a seamless top. No 45-degree mitered corner cut. It helps elevate the look and eliminate water intrusion issues in the corner of your kitchen.

So with you on the sealing of granite being a deal breaker, even if it's just a once a year task. Given the choice of low maintenance and no maintenance, I'll opt for the latter.

Thank you so much for sharing such important and so needed information on countertops. It can be overwhelming due to the cost and decision making.

I have granite and I love it.

Nice. I like your style of presentation, clear, concise... learning a lot. Subscribed

Put plain white quartz countertops in about 20 years ago before they became popular, and love them. They still look brand new. They are easy to clean. No maintenance, Even if it gets a stain you can still get it out.

We are remodeling our kitchen and the "wood look" laminate countertops, about 40 years old (!!!), were in surprisingly great shape, even around the drop-in sink! I wouldn't mind laminate, but I REALLY want mirror-like sparkles in my counter, and that's something you can't find in laminate. I'm probably going with Silestone Stellar Snow quartz. My question is, do you think it matters whether you buy from a place like Home Depot or an actual private kitchen design place? Is there a difference in product quality or installation quality? In regards to granite, I think the porosity varies with the stone chosen, and it seems the darker the stone, the less porous it is. I almost went with Blue Pearl (which is fairly dark) so I brought a sample home... I put pizza sauce, red and blue concentrated kool-aid, pineapple juice, permanent ink marker, vegetable oil, and D-Lime on it and let set for 24 hours. The only thing that did any damage to it was the D-Lime. Also, one of the stone workers told me that granite IS repairable. Resealing is just a matter of spraying or wiping on the product, waiting a bit, and wiping it off. If someone has their heart set on granite, I wouldn't let a 10 minute, once a year job of resealing it, be a deterrent.

It’s funny, I used wilsonart nevamar laminate when I built my home in 1986. We have the same countertops, yes my kitchen looks dated. But they are in excellent condition. I have always used cutting boards, rarely cut anything directly on the “formica”. Your video is helpful in deciding what material I will use when remodeling.

I am British and have sold a number of high end apartmemts in UK , the kitchens all of which had aga installed and granite tops . Our market at the top end would not accept anything else . Thank you for your trends . I think shelves look great . As you say it is up to you . To me people are looking for individuality and style and laminate has neither and never will have , so if you want style you pay for granite. Thank you for your clear and intetesting presentation which is a credit to you .

Terrific non bias , informative video, I now have lots to think about 😜

Love the honesty. Surprised about the laminate recommendation

I have no idea why this intrigued me enough to watch it since I have no particular use for the information (at 3am no less) but honestly, I’m glad I did. My future kitchen will be better designed for it! Thank you 😊

Just remember NO HOT POTS OR PANS on your quartz (it will crack). Also the sealer we use for granite lasts up to 10 years (not everyone uses the ultra premium sealer). Resealing an average sixed kitchen takes 15 minutes and can be done by a child. Very simple. Choose quartz or granite as equals, pick something that you love.

Quartz all the way for me, I dont want extra maintenance especially in a kitchen. I have a marble top in my bathroom vanity, and yes it’s gorgeous but a nightmare to maintain.

Previous home had marble and I absolutely hated it. Everything stained it including water. Just installed quartz in my new home and couldn’t be happier.

Durability for quartz his debatable, I got granite and quartz for my kitchen 6 years ago and the quarts got two chip parts already. My granite still impeccable.

When I dropped a heavy pot on the end of the sink granite counter I chip a piece off and it was repaired good as new. My counter is 13 yrs old, use the stone everyday, and still looks new. Most people are choosing quarts so now all the kitchens basically look the same; whereas, granite has more of a unique look on it's own.

Hi! Very happy to see your video please recommend quartz countertops which levels can choose to upgrade? Thank you

I've never heard anyone recommend laminate haha that's awesome! now that I'm thinking about it I didn't mind the laminate in my first apartment. We don't all need to be unique and one of a kind some of us want practical, I like it.

I designed two kitchens in older houses that we had bought. I had beautiful cabinets, and I used laminate in both kitchens. For one I had a beautiful light blue tweed design and one that looked like fallen, autumn leaves. But my favorite feature in both kitchens was the pull-out bread board. This pull-out doubled my counter space and was perfect at sandwich making time. It is an old fashioned feature, and it is great.

Technically, you shouldn’t cut or put hot surfaces on Quartz for risk of damage. Granite is the superior surface for kitchens, Quartz is a marketing fad. The big true con if granite is sealant but in 2021 there are numerous sealants that essentially exceeds the average life of countertops (25 years)

I had laminate since I bought my home back in 2008. You're right, water near the sink does make it swell. I'm planning to upgrade the cupboards and my countertop to quartz.

One factor not touched on, which I feel is very important, is the quality and condition of the existing cabinetry. My counters are old, ugly and in disrepair. But my cabinets (laminate over particle board), are in pretty good shape. And I happen to like them. But I fear they are not physically strong enough to support a heavy stone counter. I would love to have quartz counters, but I think it's ludicrous to install an insanely expensive counter on top of cheap cabinets. And I certainly can't afford to replace all my base cabinets. So the cabinets (not I) will decide the best countertop choice: laminate.

We are getting a new kitchen, and boy, how I wish I had discovered your channel before starting the process! Re: countertops, we went to the fancy kitchen shop and said we wanted something stain-resistant, as that's the main gripe with our current countertop. It's FULL of stains/discolorations, even just from simple water, mug rings etc. Once also we dropped a cup on the edge from about half a metre up, and a 1 inch chunk broke off just like that. So we really hate that countertop. So kitchen guy really recommended laminate, as it is stain-resistant, easy to maintaint, and cheap indeed. Medium durabililty but OK. He really didn't try AT ALL to sell us quartz or another premium material. After reading 3 gazillion articles on countertops though, I would say quartz would be the best choice for us (durable, stain resistant, no need for maintenance etc.). We could also probably afford it. Despite all the reassurances, laminate feels/looks a bit "cheap" to us. But here's the thing: we checked with the previous owners of the house what material our shitty countertop is made of, and it turns out ... it's quartz! Probably it's unpolished, and it was not cared for properly (the previous occupants, not the owners, were real savages ...). So the supposed best material, we don't like it. So now we don't know what to do. If we were rich, we'd go for Decton, but now, either we just settle for laminate, or still go for quartz (Silestone?), and hope it's better than what we have now ... :)

My Mom installed laminate. It began raveling the first time she ran the dishwasher. I'm replacing the kitchen, going with Blue Pearl granite countertops.

We’ve had all three. Laminate is cheap. When we were young and less “affluent” it was a go to. Don’t like the shiny finish of granite and dislike the required yearly sealing. Our latest bath remodel we’ve gone with quartz. Low luster, basically zero maintenance and love the modern clean look. 🤷🏻

I have had both. My current home has granite and I can't wait until I can get rid of it and switch to quartz again.

I have granite, quartz and marble. Of the three quartz is my least favorite. The beauty of marble and granite being natural is so much more unique.

Thank you for an unprejudiced comparison of surface materials.

I install granite countertops everyday. Quartz ive taken a hammer to break it( it took alot of hits) to break.the darker the granite the stronger. The fiberglass on the back means its weaker.

Thanks for the informative video. I think quartz is at its best when its patterns imitate marble rather than granite. I’ve seen quartz countertops that are indistinguishable from the comparable marble and the durability of quartz versus marble in a kitchen makes it a superior choice in my view.

"how to choose a countertop in 2023" 3 years ago. It's currently April 2024. Did RU-vid mess with the timestream again or what?

This was extremely helpful. I am hoping to replace my countertops and have been toying around with the best options that would meet the desired aesthetic and functionality. I was considering a granite countertop before viewing this video, but I will expand my search to include quartz, as the yearly sealing seems like it could be costly.

very good introduce

Hi. I’ve been going through the comments and so far I’ve found only that brings to light the difference in quartz and quartzite. I’d really like an explanation of the pros and cons of the natural substance, quartzite. My limited experience with it was that, depending on what you choose, it can look as beautiful as marble but without the negative aspect of porosity. I love marble but hate all the etching, ringing, spotting. It never looks clean and requires diamond polishing (very expensive) to grind it back to luster. The quartzite seemed impermeable. Am I wrong? And, how does it compare cost wise with quartz and granite? Thanks much. You are a great explainer of your topic.

I had laminate in previous homes. When I redid my current kitchen I chose solid surface, Silestone, and I really enjoy it. I think quartz would be my stone choice. Thanks for the information.

Thank you sooooo much for your valuable information and advice!! I’m thinking of upgrading my kitchen with minor changes until I could do my major changes (expanding it)! Going laminate is perfect for now since I hope to do my major change in a few years and then buy the more expensive countertops!!! Great video!!!!!

I have Silestone quartz which looks STUNNING but it does stain pretty easily.. which makes no sense if it doesn't absorb liquid? If I don't quickly wipe away any spills, I have to use a really strong cleaner to get the stains out... still feel it's worth it as it actually encourages me to clean as I go, but yeah something to consider.

I have NEVER had to seal my granite countertops in over 10 years and they shine! Many experts say you can seal them every 5-7 years. I purchased precut granite countertops to save money, stuck them on an A frame for transport and cut them with a grinder. Although I have seams, it's fine for me. I also used black galaxy tiles for my washer/dryer push-in. You can be fancy and cheap. I don't trust anything with resin. Why should I pay the same for fake stone as the real stuff? We really do get fooled by corner cutting builders.

Quartz is heat weak, a fry pan can easily make a mark when hot.

Fake marble is one of my top two peeves. Yeah, quartz is durable, but it is SO obviously a fake "stone".

Will it take a hotter pot? Does it stain? Does it hold up under a family for Decades

Mark, Thanks for this down-to-earth video post. At this writing, I have my kitchen remodel nearly complete. In recent weeks as far as countertops go, my wife and I checked out the three options you reviewed in this post. I must say, we could afford the high end offerings, but decided to go with a laminate countertop. As in like you mentioned there are so many options in textures, colors, patterns, etc. In our home (a 70 year old Cape Cod style cottage) we decided to stay with (dare I say it) a wood-look laminate countertop by Wilson Art. Our house has stained wood work through out, and we just wanted to keep the updated kitchen in blend with the rest of the house. We considered butcher block, but did not want to worry with the upkeep. The laminate we chose looks similar to the butcher block style, but without the maintenance. These days so many seem to be trending toward neutral, almost clinical "Dynasty" looking kitchens with no color or warmth, and of that, to each their own. My wife and I are dated people who still like dated looking (though new) stuff, and make no apologies about it. And like you mentioned regarding laminate, if down the road we get tired of looking at it, we can change it up without the parting of the Red Sea so to speak. Peace, and more power to you in your field of work & design. 👍

Natural stone stays cooler. Better when preparing foods. It will also take longer to thaw frozen foods if you place them directly on the stone. My wife was a chef and she prefers natural stone (granite).

Over the years I installed an acre of laminate in kitchens I remodeled. Cheap, easy to work with woodworking tools, looks okay. We remodeled our own kitchen a couple years ago and put in Hanstone quartz. Yes pricy, but it’s beautiful and there’s no mistaking it for laminate. Also, we have a 12” overhang on our island which didn’t need support. It would have needed brackets if granite.

Why I need durable countertops: heat resistance, mallet tenderizing meat, heavy appliances (ever seen a kitchenaid or vitamix almost walk off the counter? 😂), children, dropping large items (cast iron, heavy pots), cleaver chopping bones, etc. Using a cutting board prevents scratching but only minimally reduces impact force.

I poured Epoxy Resin in the kitchen and two bath and they looked great. I made the bathrooms look like white marble and the kitchen like metallic grey granite. I watched A LOT of How-to videos and practiced on sample boards several times before I did it. Fun to do but not something I would recommend to first time DIY'ers but it is great if you are artistic and willing to work for it.

Hello, GRANITE, would be my LAST CHOICE, my #1 is QUARTZ, & are others… granite has too many problems, cheers 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Quartz for me as well. Sealing a countertop constantly is a deal breaker. I wish the cost wasn’t so much.

I had a client choose to go with Soapstone, and ordered from one of the last quarries in Virginia. He also chose to have floor tiles of 4 different sizes made at the same quarry, they took longer, but looked great in the end. Anyhoo... The counters got installed and sealed, then allowed to cure for 24 hours. After the dry/cure was done, the GC covered the tops with resin paper and it was announced that NO ONE was allowed to place ANYTHING on the counter tops, so we did not. On the last day of trim out, we removed paper from the tops and in installed the faucet. When the client came home, he removed all of the paper and it was discovered that the Soapstone had a quartz vein that had separated from the Soapstone, and created a large fissure. Client lost it and started throwing blame around. Fortunately, the GC had a camera in the job site that viewed the area in particular and allowed the client access to the footage to sleuth it out for himself. Needless to say, he did review the footage and found that only his family members had placed anything on the covered tops. Finally, they contacted the installers and they came out, explained that this was to be expected due to the stone acclimatizing to the indoor environment. They used an epoxy to reattach the quartz pieces in the fissure and filled in the voids. It was almost imperceptible. But the client still regrets going with Soapstone. It cost an arm & a leg but he keeps talking about replacing it. He's still a client of mine, but refuses to use the GC ever again. Mostly for other reasons (walls not plumb or square, half assed detail work, etc.) I no longer do work with him either, unless a mutual client uses him.

Installing granite and quartz for years, you’re mostly accurate for the most part. Don’t be scared of the fiberglass mesh on the back. The more expensive the stone the more likely it is to have it. And quartz is not 100% non-porous. It will stain if not cleaned off after a spill. Granite needs to be sealed every 3-5 years once sealed. Don’t be scared of real stone. Also, if a repair is ever needed, granite is easier and a better appearance after repairing. I would never recommend quartz to anyone but, to each their own.

You got me at QUARTZ!...Thank you!

Kitchen Remodeler of 30+ years here - GREAT video! I will add 2 things though - 1) There are really good 15 YEAR Sealers out there now, so it does not have to be a 'seal it every year' thing. 2) You forgot the whole group of Solid Surface tops like Corian, Staron, Hi-Macs, and the like! We do the majority of our tops (roughly 60-90 per year) in Stone, but still do a fair amount in Solid Surface and Laminate too. I have Solid Suraface in my current home as it was going to be a 'long term flip' and the price point in our market falls halfway between laminate and granite. It can also be easily 'renewed' by buffing out scratches.

Very informative video, I just have a question, why the rich people choosing marble and especially white marble? by the way I hate artificial materials

Thank you! Awesome video, so helpful. Love the objective delivery of the facts and information. So Helpful!

Our granite countertop cracked behind the faucet where it meets the backsplash. A guy came out and fixed it by filling it in with epoxy and matching the color as close as he could. That lasted for about 2 years when the countertop started cracking even more than the first time and the repairman said it was beyond repair. Okay, so lets replace the countertop in the sink area. After calling around to granite dealers, I found out that an older color of granite is not easy to replace. The granite from the source in Brazil was done and there is not a new source for that particular color. If I had sealed the countertop every year would it not have cracked, maybe. But now I have to replace all the countertops in the kitchen. I'm thinking quart might be the way to go.

The problem with what the trade calls “granite” is that most of it isn’t granite. This can make quite a big difference in the weight on top of your cabinets. Granites are mainly quartz and feldspar and have densities of 2.6- 2.8 grams/cc while more dense rocks such as gabbros, diorites and peridotite ( usually darker) are much heavier, at 2.9 - 3.3 gym/cc. It may not sound like much but it can be several hundred pounds difference on a big countertop. Many “granites” are metamorphic rocks formed at great pressures and temperatures and are denser. True quartz rock (quartzite) is not so heavy, but qan be brittle and fractured, and sometimes porous.

Thanks for the info and starting the discussion! After reading the comments, I'm going to go with granite. Quartz seems to chip and stain more than granite and is harder to repair - which begs to be replaced. I resent planned obsolescence because it's literally so wasteful. I want something that will last and plays nice with the right to repair movement. I'll happily seal granite so it won't end up in the landfill.

Do we want or not want the grid on the back of granite?

Can’t stand quartz, have granite and quartz. Quartz is fake looking and just unattractive. But that said to each their own.

My temporary home is a new upscale apartment community. I’m the first occupant in this unit. I have quartz countertops. It has chipped at the edges of the sink and it does stain with tea and red wine spills even when wiping them up immediately. Sure, I can and do use bleach to remove the stains and that’s a good sanitizer but these factors cause me to resist the urge to get quartz for my forever home. Your video states that quartz is impermeable. That has not been my experience.

My elderly mother in law accidentally put two hot dishes on my laminate countertop and by the time time I sprinted over with coasters it already got some bad discolorations. She is used to something else in her country which is more heat-safe. For that reason alone I switched to natural stone (quartzite) so I could just install and forget.

My granite countertops have been over 10 years old, it still looks great. I clean it with dish soap occasionally, maintenance is very low.

Love your video. My question is: My Mom's house that I live in now has a Turquoise color laminate kitchen counter. The house was built in the '50s. I love it and want keep it. i have gone to many websites to purchase more for replacing the old for new, but can not find anything that matches that color. They are either Teal -which is too dark or Tiffany blue which is to light. Any suggestions?

and it scratches ever so easy

I’ve had my granite for about nine years should I be worried it’s only been sealed from the manufacture it looks great though

also quartz burns with a hot pan, but not granite

Wish you had also discussed solid surface, such as Coriander. But thanks for the info.

I went with quartz because granite makes a great rock, but I have never liked things that are speckled.

Man made quartz surfaces are as strong and as durable as the resin; granite, well, ask those who constructed obelisks and pyramids 6,000 yeras ago... a well chosen granite is perfect, just that

For a real family 100% acrylic solid surface is the way to go and you do not give it the attention it deserves which is why I'm giving you a thumbs down. Quartz is not as durable and can stain. There are many really beautiful patterns of solid surface, if you're going to do a comparison you should do a thorough comparison

Say no to the shiny. Mat black sandblasted granite was the most pleasant to use countertop we've ever had. The next house (purchased today) is getting it.

I need a surface that is hot pan ready, not laced with grout lines like a tiled bench, not horribly clinical like stainless, and preferably not prohibitively expensive like porcelain. Also, the stretch of bench I'm looking at on the plan is 3.3m long and I already know the boss won't be happy if there's a seam in it. Suggestions welcome.

Very clear, very informative. Thank you!

Very helpful. Thank you.

Super projekt 👍👍👍miło się ogląda 🙂

I have my heart set on granite because I love the beauty of natural stone. Thanks for the tip about looking at the back of the samples. I had read that some granite is more durable than others but it's hard to find specific information on which ones to choose.

I wouldn't take laminate for granted (granite), but if another natural material could be used, wouldn't that be gneiss? LOL BTW, you're very easy on the eyes...

Thank you I just change my mind .

I don't understand where the idea comes from that granite is "high maintenance". I clean my counters with a simple mixture of water, alcohol, and Dawn, and have never had a problem. No stains, and the counters maintain their gloss after three years.

Very informative! I choose tile and butcher block :)

Being a owner of a stone counter top company the are a couple things that I want to clarify. First is that Quartz warranties are very limited on what they cover and if the company accepts the claim they only provide the material. The homeowners are responsible for the fabrication, installation and all of the other costs for the replacement of the counter tops. 2nd it is much easier to repair granite than Quartz. If u burn your Quartz it has to be replaced. If it chips depending on the color and pattern the repair may be noticeable. If it gets scratched the top polish sheen will not match perfectly to the manufacturers polish. Granite however is much easier to repair chips. Scratches are much easier to polish and match the existing sheen. But if cracked there is nothing you can do. With Quartz if it cracks if installed properly should be covered by warranty but is going to cost you some coin.

somehow i managed to chip my quartz countertop

I feel that a clarification must be made. Quartzite is naturally found in nature as granite and it’s a natural stone. Quartz is lab made from quartz particles and resins to form the slabs and various colors. People should pay attention to ensure which one they are really getting. The most popular are the lab created ones, which are not heat durable. I have seen damaged bathroom counter by styling heat items and possibly nail polish remover, the color completely dissolved, the counter looked like a big rounded scar. Be sure you’re getting the natural stone not the lab created one if you want the best, otherwise granite is the better choice. Buyer be aware.

I have a gaudy red and black granite counter. I need to update to something light and neutral but replacing also seems like a downgrade. What do?

What are your thoughts on silestone counter tops?