Best material for kitchen countertop?

I don't care for granite at all. It is slightly porous, so you have to seal it - plus, being a natural product you run the risk of imperfections - and I just think it is "played out" as a look.

I think the new quartz/epoxy composites are the way to go. They can be made any shape, they don't need to be sealed; they are scratch resistant and fairly heat proof, and they look amazing.

It depends on your budget, your time horizon, and your taste. We are facing the exact same problem. Orange formica with a brown sink...lovely. ;(

Composite materials have the advantage of being highly customizable, but more susceptible to damage from hot and cold and cutting. Depending on the type you get, they can come out and repair it seamlessly. I like the seamless look and the ease of cleaning it. Natural stone can be hard to care for, but it is beautiful. It's not a do-it-yourself project, though, and the seams can show unless you've got a really great installation guy. Granite is the gold standard these days, but metal and even concrete are trendy. You can see examples in all sorts of styles and colors at a HOme Depot or Lowes, and you can order them to be installed, as well. We are going to try to use individual granite tiles. I'm not sure how that's going to work, but at least as well as ceramic counter tops. for higher durability and only a little more cost. We replaced a cheap counter top in Arkansas with Ceramic tile, and had good luck with it. The grout lines can be troublesome, but if they are sealed, they look nice for ten years or so.

Our granite tiles are about $8.00 per square foot, compared to $65 to $100 per square foot for composite or natural stone. I'm not going for a high-end market because this is frankly not a high-end house or a high-end part of town. We'll have to seal it annually to keep it durable, but I am looking forward to the change. It is a solid and reasonable house though, so the update will pay for itself. A really high-end redo would not recoup the cost if we have to sell it withing ten years.

Pre built laminate countertops at Home Depot or Lowes works fast and is very reasonable in cost without the hassle of laminating yourself.

granite is probably the best but is fairly expensive

tile is good for counters and less expensive

id go to a kitchen design store and see what all the options are and compare looks and prices

Astro Turf

Marble or polished concrete.

granate