Countertop options

As you can see, we chose granite countertops for our kitchen and the standard manufactured marble for our bathrooms. These are not the only choices you have when talking about countertops. Below are the most common options and I will break them down showing you the pros and cons of each. Here is a comparison chart as detailed by Great Lakes Granite & Marble.

Natural stone (Granite & Marble)
The most common solid surface countertops are currently the natural stones. The reason for their popularity tends to be appearance. There are so many different stones out there and each slab is unique.

Pros:

• Each slab is unique.
• Very attractive and has high potential of really dressing up your kitchen/counters.
• Wide price range, but obviously more than basic laminate.
• Can come in tile form.

Cons:

• Natural stone is porous. This leads to a higher chance of staining.
• Must be sealed periodically.
• Outside of the entry level stone, prices can skyrocket. 

Quartz
Also known as engineered stone countertops. Quartz is man made and can get rid of some of the weaknesses of the natural stone products...sometimes at a price.

Pros:

• Low maintenance. No sealing required.
• Consistent appearance. No worries of "bad spots" like you see on some slabs of granite or marble.

Cons:

• Can be very costly. This is especially true if you want some of the more detailed and "granite-like" appearances.
• Not heat resistant.

Stainless steel
This seems to be a little more rare, but popular for those who like a more industrial look.

Pros:

• Can be bent to fit any space.
• Reportedly the reflective qualities help to make an area seem larger and helps it adapt to the color of the room.
• A very unique look.

Cons:

• You must be careful not to dent the material.
• Scratches relatively easy compared to other materials.
• Difficult to keep clean (smudges).
• Expensive.

Concrete
No you won't have a patio for a countertop. Through acid staining, you won't be able to even tell it is concrete!

Pros:

• Attractive and high end.
• Heat resistant.
• Very durable.

Cons:

• High cost.
• Does need to be resealed periodically.

It really is kind of surprising how nice these look. Here's a video:

Solid surface
The most common brand of this is Corian. This offers good looks at a very affordable price.

Pros:

• Easy to find in specific colors.
• Easy install.

Cons:

• Like quartz, this is not heat resistant.
• Scratches easy (although this can be repaired for a price).
• If needed for a larger area, there will be more seams than other materials.

Laminate
One of the more common choices and for good reason. Commonly referred to as Formica (a brand of laminate).

Pros:

• The most cost effective.
• Has the largest selection of designs and they are getting good to where sometimes you have to do a double take to figure out if it is really laminate!
• Cost less if needed to replace down the line.

Cons:

• Not resistant to heat.
• Easy to scratch and damage.
• Not considered "high end" to those that it would bother.