Granite or wooden worktops - help me decide!

[wigwam33]

We're getting a new kitchen fitted and I just can't decide on whether to go for granite worktops - look good (I think?!), durable, can withstand a lot - but possibly a bit dark. Is granite classic or will it date too?

Or wooden - goes better with white / cream units and looks more modern perhaps? But will it be a complete nightmare to maintain with a young family? And look terrible around the sink in no time?

We're probably going for fairly classic oak shaker-style kitchen units as the house is edwardian with lots of period features so don't want to go too contemporary. Still trying to make that final decision too.

Opinions please!

I have granite in my kitchen (from previous owner) and oak in my utility room including round a butlers sink.

I agree with the granite being harder to keep clean as it shows smears if you just wipe it down.

The trick with wood is to varnish it rather than oil it. My builder insisted against my better judgement that it was better than oil and would mean that it would never go black. He said everytime he'd fitted oiled oak he'd had complaints about it going black around the taps, only to have to go back and sand and re-oil it again.

I disagreed and he went ahead and did it anyway!!! He used a matt laquer so it isn't shiny (at all) and guess what he was right - it is really easy to keep clean, there are no black marks or staining at all after a year. I was so impressed that i am now going to go with laquered oak when i replace the kitchen.

OK I've decided against granite in most of the kitchen because with the final kitchen design we've decided on more work surface space including a small breakfast bar, so a) there is more side space and it was going to work out far too expensive and b) granite seemed too cold for the breakfast bar. Some people also mentioned about breaking things - that will be me.

The previous owners have installed granite in what will be half of the new kitchen, so we may keep a smallish block around the sink, if we can work out how to get it cut.

I much prefer the colour and look of natural wood but am still very concerned about it just looking horrible within a couple of years.

Anyone got high quality wood-effect laminate in their kitchen? I've heard you can get it and it's almost hard to tell the difference, but haven't seen it. Anyone?

Please help! I know this is pretty dull but I really need to -carry on thinking about this for another 2-3 weeks - make this decision soon and get out more

We've got wood effect laminate which we love but no one would ever mistake it for real wood.

Thanks nocake! You love it that's the main thing I think.

I have a new kitchen with wood effect doors, from a fancy German company. They cost more than wood and, if you look closely, are obviously not real wood, but I love them. So easy to care for and will last ages.

Thanks Cahootz. Got your PM and am looking into this.

My parents got their kitchen from Howdens and it looks really good other than the wood effect laminate which is so clearly not wood and just looks a bit odd. I imagine that there are others which look better though. Is it possible to do a whizz around a few kitchen showrooms and see if they have any wood laminates on display and, if so, what you think of them?

Thanks Murtette - that's what I'm a little concerned about with a wood effect laminate!

I'm now wondering about getting wood but having it well varnished with a matt varnish as elfandsafeT suggested. My question about varnish is - how safe is it on a food prep surface? (isn't varnish often quite toxic?!)