What's your kitchen worktop made out of? And do you like it?

[motleymop]

I am sure this subject has been done to death but please humour me!
I am buying a new kitchen and am just do not know what to do about the worktop - every time I run a search I become even more confused about durability and price etc.
It will be a white-ish worktop - what is best - Corian, Quartz, Silestone? Or wot? Obviously I should go with laminate for price but I am not sure I can bear to....
There are also these Bushboard Encore acrylic worktops - anyone got them?

Quartz similar to Fraggle. It's wearing well. We considered Black Galaxy granite but I couldn't see the price difference and the quartz is I believe harder because it's a quartz epoxy composite.

Apparently we should be careful about citrus, but beyond using a chopping board we d

Erk, don't bother and have had no issues.

We have walnut wood effect laminate, with a straight profile, against cream gloss cupboards with slate effect Karndean, fake-o-rama! We love it though. We blew the budget on a super snazzy Rangemaster. The cost from laminate to anything else was just too significant for us.

frazzle - isn't stainless steel a bit difficult re dust etc?

sorry, I meant drawohamme

motley Do you mean dust? Or rust?

Stainless steel doesn't rust, that's why we use it for cutlery, as for dust it doesn't affect it any more than any other surface.

drawohamme who did you get your steel surface from? I'm considering it, if it isn't too £££. Thanks :)

Dust mothership ! The kitchen shop people told me it is a bit of a mare to keep stainless steel looking clean?

She said they had them on display units and spent their lives dusting the things!

Think how often you wipe down your kitchen surface! I really don't see how that would be a problem in a kitchen that is being used!!!

They do get a 'patina' of very fine scratches, which I think improves the look, so they won't stay shop flawless, so probably not for anyone too anal about that sort of thing....

I have some wood surface which I will never have again, but I love my bit of stainless steel. It was from IKEA and has the hob fitted into the middle of it, great for putting hot pans on and really easy to clean cooking splatter off.

Honey-coloured granite. Love it.

I have a glossy faux marble laminate. I thought it would look like shite really quickly but it is now 8 years old and still immaculate, no scratches. I'm very pleased with it.

Mothership - ooh I didn't know Ikea did steel tops. Was that in the UK?

I have put a laminate in my current refurb first time ever usually do corian or oak. I have been living here for various reasons and am seriously impressed with it and how it looks I can scrub it and put pans on it and it's indestructible I got it from wilsonart

I have granite and I love it.
We have a light colour I wouldn't have wanted a dark colour and to be honest I don't like them when I see dark granite in other people's homes.

It was in the UK Ewan but when I looked recently I couldn't find it!

I have quite a lot of work surface, all in, but don't do an awful lot of work on it! Therefore only used areas get a look in with the quick wipe over before work! Stainless steel is definitely an option though - I like that look.

6 years ago we chose Silestone (mesopotamia range - the hand painted units pick out some of the shades in it),

We are not a neat and tidy family when cooking, but it has withstood all many of spills and hot cast iron saucepans being dumped on it. We do have one tiny chip on the edge of the basin cut out but I am sure I am the only person to notice it.

We have IKEA Oak (Hammarp) worktop in our utility room. It looks nice, but I do have to treat it with respect. Our joiner thought it was really good value.

I was quite surprised to find out yesterday that ikea do acrylic worktops - and stone, but stone are only available if you use ikea own fitters to do the whole kitchen

Anyone got Neolith? Does it chip or sound hollow?

I'm another one with granite and I love it, it's black with a very pale speckle and I think it has a depth of shine to it uou don't get on other materials, and I also looked at them all. I also think it makes the kitchen I think you can get away with lower cost units if you have good work tops. So picking carefully is important, as the opposite is true, expensive cabinets but not s great worktop can bring it down. That's why people change them, it can really change the look of a kitchen.

I also love though thick wooden worktops, I think if uou have the style of home they work in, which we don't, then worth looking at.

We wanted the look of wood without the maintenance, esp round sink.
In laws had had v realistic wood effect laminate for few years and it had held up v well to hot things, no staining etc so we got the same....
axiom Swedish oak laminate. Axiom has lots of styles and is good quality brand I think.
Love it, easy to clean /maintain, fine to put hot stuff down (ok not tried straight out of oven!)
looks really great wth our white units.

we've got a dramatic granite and i totally love it - easy to look after and work on.

Laminate. For me, kitchen worktops are not worth the price of a family holiday.

Have ordered some pricey flooring though, as that's the bit I never want to have to replace.

Solid beech. Have oiled it a few times, takes minutes. I love it. Love the feel and look of natural wood when I'm cooking. Would always chose wood for a kitchen worktop.