Help! I might be able to afford quartz after all...

[partystress]

Getting near the end of a big project which will finish with long awaited replacement of ancient kitchen. Going for sage coloured units and had planned to get pale cream laminate worktops. Partly because we expected funds to be v tight, partly because we are lazy sods a busy family with no time for high maintenance stuff.

However, kitchen fitting quote is much lower than expected and kitchen fitter can supply a quartz worktop for a price that makes it affordable. So, unexpected dilemma. My questions are, how much faffing does it take to keep light coloured quartz clean? And would we have to be all precious and have things to put hot pans and tins on! TIA

Is that the same as Silestone? I think they're similar if not the same...and definitely lovely! My friend has an off white Silestone worktop and it's no hassle at all

How spooky! I was off reading a baby name thread about Kit, because my dad is called Kit, and you replied kits mummy! I think Silestone is a brand of quartz, yes. Encouraging to hear. Anyone with personal experience?

Oh how funny! See, it's a sign, you NEED quartz

Thanks Billy. Also encouraging... Anyone got very pale quartz and can tell me whether it is a PITA or a choice I won't regret?

I've got white Ceasarstone work tops. I don't put hot pans on them, use chopping boards etc... and clean with a bleach spray/limelight around the taps. 3 years on they still look like new.

I have cream silestone (haiku).
No problems with staining, everything wipes off. Any stains you do get are easily remedied with a bit of Cif rubbed on with the green side of one of those sponge things. As an example I moved my coffee machine the other day, there was a dried out patch of coffee under there, was a bit worried it wouldnt come out, but it did.

I just wipe it with a bit of hot water and fairy, quick dry off with a bit of kitchenroll and good as new.
I am too scared to try putting hot pans on it though, although I am told you can - cost too much to risk it!

We had a pale grey quartz fitted over duck egg blue units a couple of months ago, and so far, it's proving to be very easy to keep clean.

I've got vanilla quartz in the kitchen and pure white in the utility... I was under the impression it's pretty indestructible but as we haven't actually moved in yet I can't confirm!

That said, I have wiped off several rust marks where a paintbrush was left on it no problem and also used the flat edge of a blade to scrape off eggshell paint that had dropped on to it and dried fecking decorator is a friend so can't really complain too much! and it's fine.

Also looking at quartz but sorry, not sure if cream is easy to keep clean.... Apologies for blatant hijack but any opinions/advice re. colour scheme for my (first ever!) new kitchen would be appreciated. Keen on gloss cream units, pale grey amtico stone-effect floor tiles and mid-blue quartz worktops. Cannot find any posh designer pics of such a kitchen - does this mean I'm hopelessly behind the times ahead of the curve with the next big trend? Earth colours are everywhere at the mo (and lovely) but I've got a lighter, fresher look in my head. Any thoughts/ideas/hysterical laughter welcome!