Kitchen Design: Comparing Countertops: So Many Choices!


By Sue LeVee, Kitchen Designer

Your countertops can be the focal point of your kitchen, or the unifying element, or even the neutral backdrop. Here is some information to help you with your investment:
In 2009, Consumer Reports tested different countertop options. The countertop materials were rated in 5 different categories, and we still use this information today, to help our clients choose their countertops.

DuPont.com

Quartz (also called engineered stone; think Silestone or Hanstone for example), came in at #1, with a total score of 87. That was expected – we know how durable quartz is.

Granite came in at #2, no surprise there. What did catch my attention was that granite scored 86 points, only one point less than quartz.

We don’t do a lot of tile countertops in the Midwest, but for those fans of tile, it came in at #3, with 76 points.

Next, in 4th place, comes my budget friendly favorite, Laminate (think Formica and Wilsonart). With 67 points overall, and so many patterns to choose from, this is not your parent’s countertop.

Finishing up the top 5 is Solid Surface, (like Corian and Meganite), with 53 total points.

Each material has it’s advantages and disadvantages, depending on the application and the client’s needs. If you would like to read further, and see some great pictures, take a look at this article from Houzz:





Posted by Sue LeVee
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