The Pros and Cons of a Quartz Kitchen Worktop

If you want your kitchen to have that high-end feeling, then choosing quartz kitchen worktops could be the answer for your home improvement. Made from pieces of natural stone bonded together, a ground quartz countertop is very effective in providing a sophisticated feeling to your kitchen. In short, it’s a worktop that’s a blend of artificial resin and quartz.

Quartz worktops are here to stay, but if you’re looking to bring this worktop into your kitchen, then you should first weigh up both the pros and cons. Read on to learn more about quartz worktops and see if they're the right fit for you.

The Pros of Quartz Kitchen Worktops

Quartz countertops offer a range of unique advantages, including their attractive aesthetics, impressive durability and ability to be stain resistant. If you’ve been unsure about whether you want to buy a quartz worktop and perhaps need an extra nudge, dive into our list of reasons why a quartz kitchen worktop would be a good fit for you. 

Appearance

Arguably, quartz’s most defining characteristic is its beautiful appearance that provides a polished and refined look to the kitchen. Thanks to science, we now have a lot of flexibility in designing the quartz worktop’s appearance. For example, using a ground crystal that’s coarse will affect whether the quartz kitchen worktop is either smooth or flecked in its appearance.

Durability

Another benefit of quartz countertops is that they’re incredibly durable. The surface is non-porous, meaning it’s a lot less likely to get stained or cracked. So if you’re the type to be nervous about spillage and stains, then you won’t need to worry! Quartz worktops will resist spillage from oil, juice, wine, coffee and any other sources of stains in the kitchen.

On top of all of that, quartz countertops are generally scratch-resistant, which is ideal if you have young kids. Interestingly, only three other minerals can scratch it: sapphire, topaz and diamond. Compared to granite, the difference in durability is like night and day. Quartz worktops are more rigid, having four times the flexural strength and double the impact resistance.

Easy to Clean

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a quartz kitchen worktop is how easy it is to clean. If you like to have a spotless kitchen, then your priority is to opt for a worktop that makes the cleaning process as easy as possible.

As we mentioned previously, quartz is non-porous. This means that microscopic pores that would exist on a surface made purely from natural stone are instead filled with crushed bits of quartz. When spillage inevitably occurs on these quartz countertops, the pigments won’t seep in and stain the surface.

But more importantly, quartz countertops are highly antimicrobial. Not having any gaps or spaces for micro-organisms to attach to drastically reduces their ability to grow and spread.

The Cons of Quartz Countertops

Now, we’ve just gone through the most significant advantages of quartz worktops, but just like any kitchen surface, there’s a list of cons that you should consider before deciding to purchase. Below are some of the downsides you should know before opting for quartz kitchen worktops. 

Cost

Quartz worktops aren't very budget-friendly. Being non-porous, highly durable and sophisticated in its appearance comes at a cost. The price ranges anywhere between £50 and £100, depending on the quality, manufacturer and design.

Prone to Heat Damage

The actual material, quartz, can withstand high temperatures, but unfortunately, the resin and polymer fillers cannot. This means that if you accidentally place hot cookware on quartz countertops, the heat can melt the resins and lead to discolouration and permanent damage.

You’ll often see white spottings and cloudiness on the surface when this happens. Some homeowners have mentioned that putting plates straight from the microwave onto a quartz worktop can burn the resin binders. Ultimately, if heat damage is a significant concern for you, it would be best to consider a different surface such as granite.

Appearance

We previously mentioned that quartz kitchen worktops could provide an aura of sophistication for your kitchen. This is undoubtedly true, but the overall style of quartz worktops leans towards contemporary, which isn’t a bad thing since beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

However, if you prefer having a kitchen surface that’s more natural in appearance, then quartz countertops wouldn’t be your first choice. Being artificially engineered, quartz tries its best to mimic the natural look of stone. Still, it fails to successfully replicate the natural intricacies of the smooth patterns that embody granite or marble.

So Are Quartz Kitchen Worktops Worth It?

This depends entirely on your preferences, but if you’re someone who is more pragmatic and values functionality, then quartz worktops would undoubtedly be an excellent choice. Being low maintenance, highly durable and easy to clean, there are many reasons you would choose to go with a quartz countertop.

However, if you’re working within a tight budget and aren’t a fan of contemporary style, then quartz kitchen worktops wouldn’t be at the top of your list. If you’re still uncertain about what surface to choose, then make sure to read our ultimate guide to choosing the best kitchen worktop for more information.