Kitchen Countertop Comparison Chart
Countertop Comparison Chart
What Material is Best for You?
The chart below compares the main characteristics of the most popular countertop materials in today’s market, including granite, marble, quartzite, soapstone, porcelain, and engineered quartz.
Price: The price range for each surface will vary, with some being more dramatic than others. Find out which countertops are the most affordable and which are the most expensive.
Durability: There are a few factors to consider when discussing the durability of a kitchen countertop: heat resistance, scratch resistance, and chemical resistance. How a surface is impacted by these factors will determine how it will perform in your kitchen.
Care & Maintenance: Each surface has different care and maintenance requirements. Consider how your kitchen will be used. Will you be cooking regularly? Do you envision your kitchen as a gathering place or are you looking for a work surface? These things will help determine how much these care and maintenance requirements factor into your decision.
Construction: Natural stone has an allure to many homeowners since every piece is a work of art crafted by mother nature. It also provides a connection to nature not available from engineered surfaces. Others prefer the predictability of manmade materials, but it is important to know what these materials are made of.
Heat Resistance: What happens if you take a hot baking sheet out of the oven and set in on your countertop? Some surfaces are susceptible to scorching or even melting. You will also want to know what might happen with prolonged exposure to lower temperatures, such as the use of a Crockpot.
Scratch Resistance: Many popular countertop surfaces are very resistant to scratches. However, softer materials will inevitably get scratched from time to time. Some can be repaired and others cannot.
Availability: Is this countertop surface available from numerous manufacturers/distributors in many colors and patterns? Some have very limited availability which often drives up the price.
Countertop Comparisons Series
