Tell me about your kitchen worktops please

[Charlie01234]

We are getting a new kitchen - Howdens, Burford Grey, High Gloss. I really want solid Oak worktops but everyone keeps trying to put me off saying that they are really difficult to look after.

If you have them, please be honest - do you love them? How hard are they to maintain? Do you stress about them getting ruined by water, stains, hot pans etc? Would you chose them again?
If you wouldnt have real wood worktops, tell me what I should have instead ....... thanks!

We had high end laminate that looked like wood - the really chunky squared off sort - and it looked really great.

My sister has recently installed wooden worktops and is having a nightmare with them.

Shoewhore, what's the name of the laminate? And where did you get it?

I've got solid maple edged maple laminate - and a lump of granite for hot pots and a chopping board for chopping ! ( because my island is maple ) had solid wood on the island - but had to change it to same as rest as some idiot burned it with a hot pot ! accidents do happen - and it's usually someone you'd least expect ! it's about 8 years old now - am thinking of changing it to corian or granite - can't make my mind up either - and I'm a kitchen designer !! so understand your dilemma !!! if you love the wood - I would go for wood !! if you have to change it later down the line - the you have to change it ! by then there might be some newfangled product made from seaweed and peanuts that will get the next 'in thing' !!!

It was a while ago MrsJamin - we got it via the local kitchen shop that designed and supplied the kitchen - I think it was made by Alno. I was a bit skeptical but we couldn't justify the cost of granite (it was a 2 bed flat) and the designer warned us off solid wood.

That's the thing, oneplanonhouzz, I have a stunning Iroko sample from here and it is just beautiful, shiny in different places as you move it against natural light. Laminate has got to look pretty good compared to it! I am considering looking into having a section of stainless steel worktop with integrated sink though that can take hot pans and wet stuff.

Are you having an island ? could you do that in oak and the rest in granite ?

We're investigating Nobilia worktops www.nobilia.de/en/produkte/designvarianten/arbeitsplatten. I saw them in Habitat in London recently and they looked fabulous. They are high quality laminate - but it's difficult to tell what they are.

The designer at Habitat said that Nobilia had spent millions developing the product which he (the designer) tried to cut through and scratch with a key in front of us.

Nobilia sell through some Homebase stores and they've told me Battersea the nearest one to us - we've just to make a trip there.

I must admit - I chose the laminate with solid edge to match my maple island - and went for laminate as it was a good match and I knew the colour would stay true ... and it has ! natural wood will evolve over time and become slightly different - usually darker - over time but in Charlie01234's kitchen - there's no other wood to match with ( from what I understand ) so that's one less thing to worry about !

Who's laminate did you use OnePlanOnHouzz? I know you are a designer so am very interested.

patty, have done some research and the Nobilia range is actually Odina in homebase. I saw these worktops ages ago in our local store, but the very snooty kitchen lady said that the worktops couldn't be sold seperatly

I used a Duropal 40mm one. Had the std bullnose cut off and had the solid maple edging put on by the worktop fabricators ! They did a lovely job !!

Mrsladybirdface - that's all right. All you do is pick what you want at Homebase and then email Nobilia and they will tell you your nearest supplier. I'll be back...I'm away to get the email address for you. The sales manager is very helpful.

Thanks OnePlan

We have an off white silestone/caesarstone equivalent but not had a great experience with it. Stains with tea especially. Does come off with scrubbing but even when wipe off immediately it will mark. Not impressed.
It was slightly cheaper than the other brands but not that much so worry we made a mistake by not going for the brand.

great thank you!

justneed to get dh on board with laminate now

kp that worries me. I've just ordered Compaq (which is a cheaper version of Silestone) and was told it wouldn't stain.

kpandthesunshineband - we had Caeserstone (white) in the last house that we rented. I wouldn't have it again because of the staining. I think that may be peculiar only to the white as I have friends with other colours and it's okay. We did get rid of the stains with Cif cleaner.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Still undecided but going back into howdens tomorrow to look at laminate and wood again.

DO NOT GET WOOD!!

Unless you are some kind of clean freak who never leaves a glass on the counter and loves to rub dry every wet patch around the sink. Its just a bad idea.

We had Lunastone Quartz installed in our house last year in white and I love it. It does stain with tea/dark stuff but it comes out with a coarse scrubber and some elbow grease. Its smooth, shiny and lovely.

Never would suggest wood, its very hard work! We've always wanted wood, seen how hard it is to maintain in other houses, and, on the advice of builder/fitter/kitchen co went for good quality laminate from Benchmarx, much much more hardwearing and looks lovely. Have pics but cant put them on.
If you're ok with high maintenance, no chopping/hot things on it etc etc, go for it.