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Original poster

Quartz is overarated…

64 replies

Justcannotbearsed · 27/10/2021 07:18

Had a quartz worktop fitted. Now wondering if it’s a bit all fur coat and no knickers. Looks fabulous.

But, if we change built in hob, if it breaks for example, we will have to get exact same one as can’t change shape of cut out.

Everything clinks, bowls, plates etc, it’s noisy. Sets me on edge a bit.

Can’t put anything hot on it, like a baking tray, whereas laminate could get away with leaning a corner of a hot tray on it.

Stains, yes they wipe away with a bit of barkeepers friend, but I want to be able to put a tin on the worktop and not leave a rust stain.

Its effing expensive.

Laminate? Cheap and easy if you want to change it
Bombproof with stains.
Soft rather than clinky.

OP posts:
FuzzyPuffling · 27/10/2021 07:25

Oh thanks ☹️
My new quartz worktops will be arriving very shortly.
( My laminate ones have blown in places)

EerilyDisembodied · 27/10/2021 07:25

We've had ours about three months, I like it. My parents drilled into me never to put hot pans or trays on a work surface so I never do. Haven't had any rust marks yet, and the clinkiness doesn't bother me, although I'm glad we went for oak instead on the breakfast bar where we eat. The fixed size issue bothers me a little, if we need to replace our freestanding fridge freezer we will have to get the exact same size.

CRbear · 27/10/2021 07:30

Quartz is formed in 573 degree temperatures. If you can’t put hot things on it, it’s not quartz. (geologist)

Choccorocco · 27/10/2021 07:30

Just get some nice looking trivets that live out on the counter ready for hot pans if you need them x

MintJulia · 27/10/2021 07:35

I love mine. It reflects light around the room so my kitchen always seems bright and sunny. which makes me cheerful. It's worth its (not inconsiderable) weight for that alone. Smile

EerilyDisembodied · 27/10/2021 07:36

@CRbear

Quartz is formed in 573 degree temperatures. If you can’t put hot things on it, it’s not quartz. (geologist)
I know that, but kitchen quartz is made of crushed quartz in a polymer resin.
ShakespearesSisters · 27/10/2021 07:43

I've had a grey quartz worktop for 2 years now. I've put baking trays straight out of oven on it with no issues. Tins haven't caused any issues, tea stains are the worst. But come off with a bit of elbow grease.
I'd previously had wood, that was horrendous by the sink. I did end up with some awful marks, tried sanding but seemed to bleed down so much I had a dip by the time I'd sanded it away. Round the sink went black where hands dripped after turning tap off with wet hands, I tried to dry off when I did it but the rest of the family didn't. Had laminate in my old house, was quiet old and it did stain and scratched and bubbled in a few places. But it was cheap so could have been replaced for a reasonable cost.

Callmejudith · 27/10/2021 07:45

We’re also getting quartz next week. I have lots of trivets and planning cork placemats for the breakfast bar

purplesequins · 27/10/2021 07:50

our quarz worktops are a pain.
they are black and show each and any stain.
plus all the crumbs.
and we can't use acidic cleaners, i.e. descalers or vinegar as it leaves the surfaces rough.

next time we shall be having natural granite or cheap laminated surfaces.

CRbear · 27/10/2021 07:59

@EerilyDisembodied - my mistake, apologies. I wonder how they get away with calling it quartz! Imagine if you could get “granite” that didn’t actually have the properties of granite…

Original poster
Justcannotbearsed · 27/10/2021 07:59

Ours do look stunning and as with poster above love the light bouncing round.

But wish I’d put wood in at the breakfast bar end.

OP posts:
loveautumncolors · 27/10/2021 08:00

Hi
Dekton worktops meant to be really good . I don't know whether they are same price as quartz or bit pricey

EerilyDisembodied · 27/10/2021 08:04

[quote CRbear]@EerilyDisembodied - my mistake, apologies. I wonder how they get away with calling it quartz! Imagine if you could get “granite” that didn’t actually have the properties of granite…[/quote]
I didn't realise either till we started kitchen planning, it really ought to be called quartz composite.

Ours is white with grey speckles, and a tiny bit of glitter, crumbs don't show but tea splashes do.

Bookmarket · 27/10/2021 08:05

I love mine too. Its the one thing I'd definitely have again if we moved house or fit a new kitchen. The little mirror speckles in mine please me greatly when the sun shines in and I get coloured reflections on the ceiling.

I can put anything hot down on it. The only time I have issues with stains is when making a curry and some drops on the worktop. I've figured out you can leave neat washing up liquid on turmeric stains for a few hours and then the stains wipe away.

Piapiano · 27/10/2021 08:08

I love ours. It's white with a very subtle grey vein like marble. I find it really easy to keep clean and love the minimal simplicity of it. I just use a trivet or the kitchen table of I want to put down a hot pan. You do have to be a little bit careful with things like red wine drips but I like to keep things clean and minimalist anyway so don't leave things on the surface and wipe it down regularly.

ethelredonagoodday · 27/10/2021 08:09

I retested in this as we are starting to plan our kitchen extension. Just on the wood surfaces, we had them in our previous house and they too are a bit of a pain to look after if you're a bit slapdash like we were! 😬😂

Piapiano · 27/10/2021 08:09

Cif cleaning cream has brought out any curry etc stains really easily.

Invasionofthegutsnatchers · 27/10/2021 08:09

We have granite worktops and they're indestructible. Boiling hot pans, just stick them on the worktop. We obviously have chopping boards etc but there aren't any scratches on it after 14 years. The rest of the kitchen is knackered though.

ethelredonagoodday · 27/10/2021 08:09

Retested?! *I'm interested...

Fastforwardtospring · 27/10/2021 08:20

We have speckled white quartz, our fitter left behind a cut out (like a cutting board) from the sink which we use as a trivet, we put every hot pan on here, the only one I had an issue with was a cast iron casserole, left a stain but bit of elbow grease and it’s gone. Tea stains are the worst but I Cif those or use a magic eraser. We had black granite before, never again, the white quartz allows me to be a bit slovenly as doesn’t show the dust !

Warmduscher · 27/10/2021 08:39

@CRbear

Quartz is formed in 573 degree temperatures. If you can’t put hot things on it, it’s not quartz. (geologist)
Sorry, but you did kind of invite this by putting “geologist” in your post - did you mean degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit? It’s unusual for a scientist to leave that out Grin
purplesequins · 27/10/2021 08:46

or kelvin?
proper scientists always use kelvin I have been informed.

EerilyDisembodied · 27/10/2021 09:02

Ah, come on Smile. I'm a proper scientist (although not a geologist) and it's °C all the way in my work.

SkankingMopoke · 27/10/2021 09:10

We've had our quartz tops for about 5 years and I don't recognise any of the issues PPs are talking about. I don't often put hot pans on it, because years of laminate worktops trained me not to, but the ones I have put down have caused no damage. We've had no issue with staining either (tea, turmeric, red wine etc), and we're definitely not precious with them! Maybe it's to do with the colour, as many are mentioning their white tops? Ours are a mid grey.
I think they're great. Nothing seems to damage them, water scale build up is easily scraped off using a sharp Stanley blade (we live in an area with very hard water), and I can even hot glue gun the DCs' craft projects together directly over the surface as the glue drips lift straight off once hard! It's nice and cool for rolling out pastry too.

lunar1 · 27/10/2021 09:16

I didn't know you weren't supposed to put hit pans on and have been doing so for years without problems!

Turmeric is a pain though and needs some elbow grease to get rid of.