Butcherblock is very nice, and can be renewed.
If I could afford it I would get stainless steel with an integrated sink.

Stainless steel, by far.

I have leathered steel grey granite... it has been my all time favorite countertop material for sure! (It does tend to chip when you have eased edges, but the repairs are pretty easy and visually very forgiving because they’re almost impossible to spot once repaired.) I’ve had laminate counters most of my life. I had another kind of polished granite before and I didn’t like that one because it stained and it was hard to see if there were any crumbs left behind after I wiped it unless I felt for them (feeling crumbs on a counter is a pet peeve of mine) and I also have solid walnut counters. (Which are gorgeous but high maintenance.) I also love soapstone but have never personally owned it.

Glacier White Corian, hands down! Second would be soapstone. I love the look of marble but don't want to worry about it and eventually "patina" turns to just plain ugly.

You're right that countertop selection is tough. Every surface seems to have some major drawback. I had no idea when starting a kitchen renovation that countertops would rank among the hardest of decisions to make. I assumed that a light-colored, durable countertop could be found in natural stone, but that's not really the case. If you are looking for durability in a natural stone, you're almost for certain going to need to switch to a dark color scheme for the countertop.

The darker granites tend to hold up better. As you research more, you'll find the names of a few that tend to wear well, Blue Pearl (high feldspar content) and Absolute Black (which isn't technically granite but gabbro) among them. The lighter granites can turn orange and brown over time as various mineral deposits are activated by the water that will come into contact with the stone in a kitchen after installation, and this can start happening within weeks or after 10 years of use, but it is always a risk. People happiest with granite long-term seem to be those with darker colors without too many mica deposits that can cause flaking or crumbling.

Quartzites are overall lighter in color than a lot of the granite selections but have varying track records for durability. As a group, they are so dense in composition that they are brittle to the point of cracking during or after fabrication and installation if not done by a consummate professional with proper tools and lots of water used during cutting. Some quartzites behave more like marble and tend to etch or stain. They are costly, which adds to the level of risk given the propensities for problems. Some people absolutely love quartzite and wouldn't have anything else, but do your research on the variety as some are known to flake like crazy or develop hairline cracks easily.

My personal choice for my kitchen after a year's research is a hard variety of soapstone called Beleza from Brazil. This material isn't for everyone. People with the softer varieties of soapstone will often be neutral or negative about their experiences living with the stone after experiencing a lot of chipping or scratching. The harder varieties are darker and may even have greenish tinting, a color not everyone appreciates. Watch out for the soft white veins in some soapstone and its sister stone serpentine that can contain asbestos on occasion. Even the hardest of soapstones rarely comes in at above a 4 or 4.5 on the Mohs scale, so the possibility for chips and scratches is still there, and the stone must be treated carefully, though it can be refinished and repaired for the most part. You have to experience the material in person to appreciate the smoothness and density of the surface, but if you like granite and are on a budget, soapstone isn't a money-saver, and a dark granite might serve your needs better.

There are some fans of Corian here at Houzz, but if you like any of the natural stones as described above, then it would be better to go with a natural stone to avoid the scratching issues you'll have with Corian as this product has its limits to how many times it can be refinished, and some people have gotten fairly deep scratches with it as well as the occasional crack, though again those can be repaired usually (it's generally recommended to stay away from marble for a working surface unless you are cool with easy damage and periodic refinishing to this soft surface, which is why I didn't include it above, but you'll find plenty of threads here at Houzz about it if you want to read up, including this current one: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5820152/marble-countertops-yay-or-nay).

Laminate is still a great surface after all these decades of use in kitchen design as far as durability, but it will date a house and could reduce the value at resale. You'll also have to use a topmount sink with it which isn't the current trend in sink styles. If you are open to laminate, it can be a great alternative for both price and durability. Check out Wilsonart's Soft Silk collection that mimics natural stone and has 3-D edge banding options.

From the tone of your post, it sounds like you've already done a lot of research on countertops, but I thought I'd add this comment to highlight some of the main things I've learned about each of the materials. Best wishes to you in your choice.

Yet another in the soapstone, glacier white Corian, and marble crew. We had soapstone (and some zinc) in our last house and I loved how it felt and being able to put hot things directly on it. Downside was that it got visible rings from having glasses of water on it, etc. I learned to love the imperfection of it.

Before that we had very poorly done glacier white Corian that we inherited when we bought the house. We were ROUGH on it, but it cleaned up beautifully. We’re in the middle of a kitchen renovation and are very likely to order it soon. Marble is beeeeautiful, but I think that we might be too neurotic to live with it.

I think that there are a lot of pretty granites in this world but I personally cannot stand how they feel or the sound of them when glasses or plates are put on them. They just feel too hard and too cold to me, but I know that’s a weird quirk that most do not have.

One can find negative comments on this site and others on almost every kitchen countertop material available.

Well, yeah -- that's true. We don't all have the same preferences, goals and ideas. Additionally, every material has its pros and cons. A person on a limited budget may consider laminate "perfect", even though it's the shortest-lived material; a person who wants a light/bright kitchen may see soapstone as a negative.

At a glance:

Laminate -- a budget choice, easy to know exactly what you're going to get, but also easy to damage; considerably easier to install than stone

Butcher block -- lovely and pairs well with trendy white cabinets /hardwood floors, but very high upkeep; inexpensive

Corian -- nicer than laminate, but not as bulletproof as stone

Granite -- if you were to choose a "best all around", it'd probably be granite; difficult to damage, available in a wide range of looks, but also difficult to choose /quality of installation matters tremendously (true of all stone)

Quartz -- probably granite's biggest competitor; some people love it, while others find it "fake" looking

Recycled glass -- sparkly, which appeals to some people but not others; costs as much as granite or quartz but isn't as long-lasting

Soapstone -- lovely and modest in its upkeep, but not so easy to find

Marble -- trendy, uber-expensive and requires lots of upkeep

Quartzite -- nicer than granite or quartz, but also more expensive; very tough but not stain-proof

Did I leave anything out? Tile, but it seems to be O U T, out these days.

Consider, too, that differences exist within these categories; for example some granite is downright affordable, while other slabs are big bucks.

When we replaced the counter top when we moved in to our present house my husband told me to get whatever I wanted. I did extensive research on the pro and cons of counters and went back to formica with an under counter sink. Yes, you can get an under mounted sinks with formica . It's just a work horse. The only two things I can't do on my formica top is set hot pots or cut on it. My second choice was stainless steel, but it scratches too easy.

^ Work horse - absolutely! Elated to hear that they're now under mount sink friendly. As far as heat and cutting - neither should be done on any countertop, from what I understand. Some counters are hard enough to handle cutting without a board, but I hear it'll ruins your knives. So . . .

Did I leave anything out?

Cement, stainless, and a variety of newer composite materials like Paperstone, RichLite, etc.

:-)

All of which are more minor players in the market.

I’m actually happy to read that so many people still like granite!

I love my glacier white Corian. I don't really understand the comment about scratching. It's been a year and I don't have any scratches, and I am not easy on my counter. And while I'm sure it's true that you can't refinish it indefinitely, the fact that you CAN refinish it is a huge plus. Of course if one loves stone, or wants a dramatic pattern, then Corian wouldn't be the right choice. But maintenance-wise, it has been awesome.

Dormelles - please tell me about asbestos in the white veining! We loved our PA (pineus altos) soapstone from Brazil - had it for five years and it was pretty bullet proof and felt awesome. We moved, and we're planning our reno and I'm leaning toward PA again. We had beautiful white veining on our very dark, almost black soapstone. How can I check for asbestos?!

Hi Gail, weighing in from CA...I have been in the design industry for 18 years and can confidently say from an aesthetic standpoint granite is out now, very passe and not specified much in higher end design. While it certainly has its merits, granite was overused by builders and has seen its day. Man-made quartz products such as Silestone or Casearstone offer great color choices and are extremely durable. Marble and limestone are lovely, but to "precious" for most homeowners and not an ideal choice if you have an active household with children, or are worried about staining from acidic foods. Soapstone is particularly nice in historic homes and since it is a very dense stone doesn't need to be sealed (just an fyi, it can be a bit pricey). Hope this helps a little, good luck with your project..

My top 3 faves,in order, are soapstone,marble and butcherblock. (I have the first two in my house. Quite happy with both and these counters are both old enough to drive) Yet I've seen many gorgeous kitchens that don't have a speck of any of those! Because as Jan pointed out, there is no perfect choice.

@Soul Interiors Design, LLC - you are incorrect. Every once in a while we get a designer on here to tell us what is passé. Sometimes the Pro does so much business with the solid surface industry, they feel pressure to criticize other competing materials. Or they don’t take into account that these choices can be regional, or that they are misinformed or have misjudged the market. For example, this photo from @Soul Interiors Design, LLC‘s Houzz page shows a shower that would be passé in my area, but not in her area. That is why it can be dicey to make those kinds of pronouncements.

@AboutToGetDusty If you had Pineus Altos soapstone previously and liked it, I see no reason why you shouldn't get it again. Most of the risk from any asbestos in soapstone and serpentine happens as dust is released during mining and fabrication, and plenty of soapstone is completely asbestos-free. If you'll do some research on the appearance of asbestos, you'll often be able to do a preliminary guess as to whether or not the white veins might be prone to containing any, and if you have a sample, you can take it to a lab for testing. Soapstones that have hard white deposits aren't at risk here, just the ones with the softer white veining. If you do get the surface refinished at some future date after installation, you can take care to use tenting and/or other hazmat procedures to keep the dust contained out of precaution. Here's an explanation I wrote on another thread about it:

This is going to be a very unpopular point, but some soapstone, particularly from Brazil and Canada, has been known to contain asbestos. Governments aren't supposed to supply permits to quarry in places where asbestos is known to be present in soapstone, but nevertheless it can sometimes present in the white veins even in soapstone that is supposed to be asbestos-free. Here's a good thread about that: http://sculpture.net/community/showthread.php?t=8511 Even in asbestos-free soapstone, the talc and steatite components can create dust hazardous to lungs. This is more a problem for the fabricator, but when the time comes that you'll want to have your surface re-honed, that dust can be released into your house and be a problem. Soapstone has so many wonderful properties that it's sad to cross it off for the fear of talc/steatite/asbestos lung concerns, and the risk in reality is probably low, but it's something you'll want to factor into your decision as to how much risk you're willing to take, even if it's 0.001%.

To the original poster, Gail, I wanted to follow up on my comment about Corian "scratching" since one user above has delightfully stated not noticing scratching after having it in the kitchen and "not being easy" on the countertop. It's great that the patina Corian develops isn't noticeable in many instances. Lighter Corian colors disguise it better than darker ones. You may have to get down to eye level with the countertop in good lighting to see it. "Scratching" is perhaps too harsh of a word. It's more of a pattern or patina of movement that can slightly dull the surface as it is used, but this can be refinished if desired in time. Deeper scratches can happen as well, but these can be avoided with care or repaired. It's a great surface if you like the look of it. Some people like it better than others. I've researched reviews on Corian as well as seen multiple installations of it in showrooms and in one private home, and opinions are really divided between people who love it and who wouldn't put it in again based on both the appearance and the wear properties. It's a personal judgment call.

[This comment has been edited to remove incorrect data regarding Corian's available thicknesses. According to Corian.com, all standard color palette options are available in 12 mm (1/2") sheets, and some color options may be available in 19 mm (3/4") sheets or 6 mm (1/4") sheets. Some users have stated in reviews that due to thickness availabilities, Corian as a surface cannot be refinished indefinitely.]

I love ceramic tile, even though it's been pronounce O U T! Large format tiles require much less grout and new grout materials have come a long way in durability and cleanability. There are also porcelain slab counters now without seams or grout.

I don't want to worry about setting down hot things, or spilling wine or oil, or someone cutting on my counter without pulling out a cutting board. I'm still living with my 1980's tile counter and it's fine. I hope to redo the kitchen before long and will use tile again, or porcelain slabs. I also have a large built in butcher block area that I love.

Copper with an integrated sink is my favourite. The counter starts out shiny like a new penny and then dulls to a darker colour. I absolutely love that but some hate that.

Taj Mahal quartzite, granite

Soapstone in my previous house, soapstone in my newly renovated kitchen. I love how it looks and everyone has to touch it! Some of my favorite memories our previous house are the many times we had six or more cooks, age 4 to 68, cooking. It’s used in chemistry labs, for goodness sake.

Corian's standard thickness is 1/2" but glacier white is available in 3/4"

Someone may have mentioned it by now, but you can have an undermount sink with Formica countertops. https://www.formica.com/en-us/articles/home-design/laminate-countertops-love-undermount-sinks?CheckCookie=1

I don't know about how well they last, but the ones I've seen in the showrooms look good.

I'm probably doing laminate in my new kitchen, I don't live in an area where it's frowned upon and it's probably best for our budget as well.

@Buzz Solo in northeast MI Those look more like "flush" mount sinks to me and limit you to a specific manufacturer with special care given to the edge sealing, but it might be something of interest for someone set on laminate countertops. I've seen one laminate product called Abet Laminati Stratificato that is supposedly suitable for any undermount sink application, and it comes in thicknesses similar to Corian, but if you'll read the specs even for it, the situation can be risky for water damage. It's hard to find Stratificato suppliers in the United States, but at least one kitchen designer who posts in the Houzz forums has reported being able to access the product for special applications in North America.

Buzz Solo, I got my formica under the counter sink 5 years ago. I abuse it like any other SS sink I have owned. There is no special care to take care of it. It is flush mount sealed to the counter. There isn't any food and grime to clean out of under the rim like a under the counter sink with a stone counter. As far as price for the sink I don't have the foggiest what it cost. I just told them what I wanted and paid the bill. I could of got granite for what my kitchen counter cost, but I was willing to pay more for what I wanted.

@ functionthenlook Thanks for the info and the photo. Is that Dolce Vita? I love that one, but DH doesn't so I'm still looking, lol.

Buzz Solo, yes it is. Formica and Wilson Art have many pretty patterns. I'm sure you can find one you both like.

I suggest that anyone considering granite should be sure to stay in a condo or as a guest where it is installed in the kitchen to be sure you like "using " it. Two relatives that I visit often have it in their homes and I find that it smears when I wipe it down, and as mentioned above, it is very loud when setting things down on it. I wouldn't choose it for those reasons, no matter how beautiful it is. Also mentioned above--hot pans shouldn't be set on any type of counter material. I don't know where people got the idea of moving away from using hot pads for that.

As the self-confessed World's Sloppiest Cook granite is my only choice. Oops, I missed that splatter of spaghetti sauce (3 days ago), or that oil splatter last night...no problem. Hot water, drop of Dawn, soft green "scrubbie" and it's like new. I've had many granites and never have I resealed any of them.

“It smears when I wipe it down”

What granite was that? I have not experienced that in 25 years of having different granite counters. As mentioned earlier, there are a thousand variations of granite. If you are going to mention your experience with one, it would be helpful to describe it more fully. What does it look like? Is it Absolute Black? That is a solid black stone that is notorious for showing fingerprints.

Also, that smearing could be from improper sealing. I mentioned earlier in this thread that a number of granites never need sealing because they are so dense. In fact, sealing mars those granites’ appearance because it does not absorb, but instead sits on top of it, causing haze and streaks. The sealant would need to be removed by acetone to restore the granite‘s beauty. It could be that @junco East Georgia zone 8a experience was with one of those granites that should not be sealed, yet was sealed anyway. The problem then was not the granite itself.

As to the sound, I have never noticed it, but everyone has different sensitivities. I’d be curious if it also occurred with soapstone, quartzite, and marble. Anyway, that is why it’s good there are so many choices in countertops.

Shannon,

I don't know the name of the stones involved but both are very black so could be the Absolute. There seems to be a lot to consider in choosing a stone, as witnessed by the many threads here on GW.

This is one of the hardest choices to make but I agree with Jan - It really is a function of the look you want, the way you cook, and the personality you have. I personally hate granite, and always have. I just think it's ugly and in my area of the country it is indeed OUT. I've had my kitchen for 25 years and am getting ready for a renovation. I've had Corian for 25 years and it has served me well. Am I doing it again -NO WAY-. This time I'm going with marble. I love the look, the feel and the beauty I see in it. I know there is maintenance to it, but it has survived in cafes in Paris for years and in my eyes still looks beautiful. While Quartz is all the rage now (as Corian was years ago), I feel it looks fake, and doubt it's popularity will last. I already had fake for 25 years and don't want that again. In the end, no one can choose for you but you.

My brother and his wife decided on Corian several years ago and remain very satisfied with it..

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=VDXKXZzHGaW9ggfR2KDYCA&q=corian+countertop+colors&oq=Corian+counter&gs_l=psy-ab.1.3.0l10.2116.4082..9050...0.0..0.108.1208.12j2......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i131.PqL4VV2yH58#spf=1573533023842

Here's a comment Joseph Corlett just posted about Corian's refinishing longevity on another thread where I updated by cross-posting the information given above here about the current thicknesses of Corian available, "The surface is only removed to the depth of the scratches. You'll be dead before your refinisher makes the top too thin."

My favorite material bar none, absolutely, is ceramic tile. It's tough, it doesn't stain (at least mine - 25 years old, doesn't), is available in a gorgeous array of colors and patterns, and is so easy to customize. Being color-driven in my decorating, I find it hard to resist! Our tile is a very pale apricot/salmon/terra cotta color, with a thin listello in the same color plus lavender, yellow, and green. People wander into the kitchen and admire it, although they may be thinking about how out-of-date it is (I don't care about that, though).

The problem is the grout and the annoying upkeep required. We are about to start a total redo of the kitchen and I'd resigned myself to some sort of solid surface. But if, as Olychick mentioned, there's a new type of grout available, I may rethink that.

How many of us have actually experienced a large variety of counter top options? One could offer the favorite of the few, very few they have had in their homes but that doesn't begin to point out the virtues of ALL the options. What's your criteria? Back in the day HGTV did a show "bang for your buck" and they did a segment on counter tops. It might be worth the attempt to dig it up and see what they found as positives and negatives.

Ok. Here is a brief list of the countertops I have had in 17 moves. Formica in the first moves, except for the first apartment’s wall hung porcelain sink with integral counter. One of our kitchens had Formica with the metal band as edging. I especially remember (in a bad dream) the bright orange Formica in the kitchen with avocado green range, white fridge, brown and gold patterned wall to wall carpet.... Finally we installed soapstone in a custom home we built twenty years ago. When we moved three years ago our kitchen “featured” walnut counters and butcher block with the prep sink. The walnut was beautiful, but “sticky” with butchers’ wax, very difficult to scrub. The actual butcher block around the prep sink was a nightmare. It had been used as a real chopping surface and all the scratches were impossible to clean. Even bleach couldn’t get all the black gunk out. After I spent a year of planning, I installed beautiful soapstone. Above everything, a kitchen counter should be clean to be safe. My DD had a kitchen with tile counters and the grout lines were a problem. One her kitchens had granite, but I just dislike all the busy pattern.

I have had ceramic tile, quartz (in bathrooms), quartzite (kitchen island) and leathered Virginia Mist (kitchen perimeters). The tile itself was pretty bullet proof but maintaining the grout was no fun. The quartz has been fine and very low maintenance but I have no experience with it in a kitchen setting. The quartzite is polished so does show streaks more readily but otherwise has been great. The leathered granite (which is not OUT in my area, by the way) has been the best for ease of maintenance. Soapstone was unavailable when I had to make a decision; otherwise I might have gone with it. But no regrets with the leathered Virginia Mist. I agree that it is a personal decision and a major factor is how you use your kitchen as well as how much maintenance you are okay with.

Ewz

Scanning the responses, I haven't seen Dekton mentioned. For client's that are looking for long-range durability and clean simple edges, we've done several projects using this "ultra-compact" surface. Each to their own!

Dekton Countertop · More Info

My first choice would be a granite or quartzite - choice would depend partly on getting one with a look that we like. It's real stone so you have to choose from the colors as it comes. (Note: "granite" in this case is a market term covering lots of types of hard non-reactive stone including many that aren't granite to a geologist.)

We have quartzite and it's bullet proof. At times we have a lot of cooks in our kitchen and some aren't very neat. It cleans up so easily even if someone has missed a drop of something the night before. We make bread and it provides a good smooth surface for kneading and for forming the dough into loaves.

Upsides of quartzite: it is very hard and durable, it doesn't react with acids so it doesn't etch, it is a smooth continuous surface (as is granite and quartz); some fabulous looks - some have patterns similar to marble, ours (azul do mar) looks like the ocean.

Downsides of quartzite: cost (both because the slabs are more expensive than the average granite slab and because fabrication of such a hard material can cost more); inaccurate identification - because some quartzites look similar to marbles/dolomites, sometimes those soft stones are mislabeled as quartzite so if you don't know what you are doing, you could think you are buying quartzite but end up with a calcium containing stone that etches.

Quartzite varies in porosity; some need to be sealed to prevent staining, some don't. Ours has never been sealed and absorbs nothing.

If I couldn't afford granite or quartzite, I'd probably go with a large format tile porcelain (e.g 24" x 24" or 12" x 24") to minimize grout lines. Porcelain for a tile that is as durable as possible. Tile isn't simple either, installation quality is important and you want to thing ahead of time about how the counter edges will be handled. We recently had it installed in our bathroom (the first time we've had a tile project other than a small floor area) and didn't know to ask about the edges ahead of time. We didn't like how they were doing them and had to negotiate a change order to get mitered edges.

Sabinical mentioned as an advantage that tile comes in a wide variety of colors; unfortunately, that doesn't seem very true right now, at least for large format tiles around here. When recently looking, it seems like almost everything is grey, ivory, beige or brown tones or faux wood and stone. Color is apparently "out" for tile.

Just about the worst counter surface ever - when we bought our house, it had "rustic" tile with a bumpy uneven surface and wide gray-brown grout - impossible to clean no matter how hard you scrubbed.

Corian seems very plasticy to me. I wouldn't want to have it, don't like the way it feels. Quartz has a large portion of quartz (natural minerals) by weight which is the way quartz proponents like to state the percentage. Quartz (the mineral) is much denser than resin (the other component of "quartz" the surface) so the percentage of resin by volume is much higher.

The resin part of quartz is about 7% by weight but about 34% by volume. So if you looked at the materials going into the product, it would be about 1/3 resin. Far from "natural."

Solid surface: formica, Wilson Art, Corian .... I like color, so I use a solid surface that looks like it has pieces of glass in it.

GlacierWhite Corian is not trying to look like something it's not. Quartz tries to look like stone.

I don’t think the people making quartz are trying to make it look like stone. It is what it is- it’s quartz. Corian is Totally engineered. Why is there what seems to be downright scorn for quartz, when not for Corian? It doesn’t make any sense to me. They are both just materials. I think quartz is pretty. It’s at the very least no more “ ugly” than Corian.

I personally hate granite, and always have. I just think it's ugly and in my area of the country it is indeed OUT

The fact that you hate it and always have is a valid choice, but you really can't say that all granite is "OUT." Speckled granites are indeed out of style in most places, but there are plenty of granites that most people wouldn't even realize are the same category of material as those speckled granites and are not unfashionable, one example being the gorgeous leathered Virginia Mist cited above, which can be hard to distinguish from soapstone.

I don’t think the people making quartz are trying to make it look like stone.

Quartz tries to look like stone.

Some quartz tries to look like stone (see the endless version replicating marble); some quartz doesn't. Just like granite, it's really too broad a category for many sweeping generalizations to be accurate.

I had a desk at my last job made out of WIlsonart laminate ( much warmer to work on than a stone top ). It was really nice, textured and reflective. Many customers would say -" oh this is a pretty granite" and I would smile and say it's laminate! I loved that top and sold it to many budget conscious folks so they could have a beautiful kitchen even if they couldn't afford a stone top.

I have quartz in my kitchen because I got a good deal - its been so easy to take care of... Someday I will get soapstone....

But every time I walk into the granite yard I find something else to swoon over!

We have leathered steel grey granite. We love it. Love the way it looks and feels. Very easy to care for. We live in a log cabin so wanted something natural. We have a large kitchen with lots of countertop so budget was also considered in our choice.

I can say the only countertops I don't care for are quartz. It looks so fake to me and is expensive. It's funny that Soul Interior Designs mentions how granite was overused in the past and is passe and if this is the case it now appears quartz is on the same trajectory.