When it comes to choosing countertops for your kitchen, there are several choices available. The primary driver that will dictate your final choice is usually your budget.
If money is no object, then almost anyone would go for a solid granite kitchen countertop. There is nothing like a good quality solid granite kitchen countertop complementing your kitchen cabinets.
Elegance does come with a price though. Solid granite kitchen countertop needs a lot of care as it does absorb stains and can crack under duress (e.g. extreme heat and cold).
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If your budget still allows it but you do not want to have the hassle of maintaining a solid granite kitchen countertop, the next option would be engineered stone kitchen countertops. These are manmade and are much more resilient than solid granite. Market brands like DuPont and Silestone carry many variations.
Solid surfaces are next in line as we go down the list. As a kitchen countertop, solid surfaces offer a wide variety of patterns and colors. You can even get away with a solid surface countertop that can pass off as a solid granite countertop if you get the right patterns. Although it quite stain resistant, solid surface countertops can be sensitive to heat so be sure to not rest your hot pans directly on the solid surface kitchen countertop!
Laminates are relatively inexpensive and quite easy to maintain. The seams do show though so you need to get a good installer to ensure that the seams are done right. Be extra careful with laminate kitchen countertops though as any scratches are quite difficult to repair.
If you like the professional restaurant kitchen look, then you might want to consider stainless steel countertops. Then you can pretend that you are a master chef in the kitchen! It can be a bit pricey though so mind your budget. Stainless steel kitchen countertops are easy to clean and hot pans are not a problem. Dont drop anything heavy on it as that might leave a dent.
For a rough and tough outdoors kind of look, there is always the concrete option for your kitchen countertop. Nowadays, there are treated concrete that will not crack as easily as normal concrete. The concrete kitchen countertop is usually porous but this can be sealed with special treatment.
Last but not least, is a pure a marble kitchen countertop. Beauty is guaranteed. But with a hefty price tag and the risk of chipping it, you might to consider using pure marble only in areas of the kitchen where no real work is being done.
by Arturo Ronzon
