Most practical kitchen work surface please!

[WellTidy]

I am in the planning stages of a new kitchen. Ours gets more use than the average, and DS and DH are less careful than average, shall we say!

So I am looking for a work surface that will stay looking good despite heavy use and having hot things laid on it, sometimes water spilled on it etc. I also don’t want to spend any time buffing it so that it looks good.

Any suggestions please? I understand that there are pros and cons to every worksurface, but I would like to make the best choice given how I know we will use it.

Has anybody had worktops from TopShapes?
www.topshapeworktops.co.uk/

I've had various kitchens with laminate and it's always looked well worn as it gets older, the edges in particular start looking tatty. No idea if you can get more expensive stuff that lasts as I've never had it installed. We have a mottled tan brown granite which so far has been amazing - great at hiding marks including water marks.

So you take it off and put a new one on.

i do the same with the tyres on my car.

@newyeardelurker

I am seriously considering stainless steel.
Love the look, any suggestions for brand very welcome. Do you have welded sinks?

What drawer fronts have you gone with. I love the idea of a strongly textured wood, not seen any I really love yet.

I love our granite worktop and it is fairly indestructible. You can definitely put hot pans directly on it. However DH spends ages buffing it so it looks good.

I love Piglet John's idea of changing the laminate when it gets old. You could probably get 10 laminate worktops for the price we paid for our granite one.

@FinallyHere

I have ikea udden, its freestanding, no longer available in the UK and cheap and cheerful. We put it in after pulling out the old fitted kitchen as there was a big mould problem when we moved in. Its supposed to be a temporary solution its been 7 years so far . I'd definitely get stainless steel worktops again though.

Thank you, that's good to know.

This is so informative, thank you. I have worked in kitchens as a student, and associate the stainless steel worksurface with that (and they're not fond memories!) so I wouldn't go for stainless steel, even though I see the benefits.

I think I am favouring laminate, which I never thought I would. I was also thinking that a higher end kitchen 'should' have a more expensive worksurface. But maybe I have my answer!

I absolutely love the sit on/lay on sink. I've made a note of it as I am settled on that being part of the kitchen. Looks really easy to clean, which is an absolute must (I am practical over everything else!).

Not wood! That's what we have and it's a nightmare.

Got Silestone samples from DIYKitchens. Scratched them with a little knife and cannot remove those scratches. So definitely, Silestone is no-no.
Tried Dekton and could not make scratches on Dekton.

Have you looked at compact laminate? It's much cheaper than granite but you can still have under mount sinks and drainage grooves cut into it.

@penjo

Dekton

@penjo: Do you think Dekton would be ok with a young kid (15 months old at the moment)? I got Dekto Arga XGloss sample from DIYKitchens (this is just to show which one I mean: www.hcsupplies.co.uk/product/solid-surface-worktops/dekton-arga-xgloss-12mm-made-to-measure-worktops) and really love it. Then I came across this video www.consumerreports.org/video/view/appliances/kitchen/4276333059001/dekton-countertop-test/ and now I am worried that Dekton may not be safe with a young child. I have ordered similar colour laminate samples from hcsupplies hoping they will convvince me to install laminate.

We have a wood effect laminate in our utility room and it is great, it has a slight grain (Howdens - grey oak effect square edge laminate) which sounds a bit strange but looks amazing and is very durable. We have quartz in kitchen which I love but you have to keep on top of spills and polish it a lot!

Love my granite worktops. Seem indestructible. Any stains v easy to remove with Barkeepers Friend.

I went into a kitchen showroom and their Deckton was chipped. Not impressed. I'm having Cambria Quartz. My old house had blue pearl granite which was very good. I like the pattern on the quartz better (Levven) though a it's rather dramatic.

With granite you can choose a colour but your slabs may not be quite what you want as it's a natural product. With quartz you get what you have seen.

Laminate. It is very hardy, doesnt stain and it you do somehow manage to damage it you havent got to spend a fortune replacing it.

Granite here too, can’t believe how easy it is to maintain and how indestructible it is compared to every other one I’ve had, from quartz to laminate to wood. And it’s black, quick wipe over with method black granite cleaner and it’s job done, no smears, no marks and with the same deep sheen as the day it was installed.

I'm still going round in circles on this one! Dekton chips, granite stains and needs sealing, quartz burns...I might end up back at oak again, which at least is cheap enough to replace every few years!

My granite doesn’t stain and sealing is literally pour liquid over, wipe it over, wait an hour, Job done.

Honestly I would say good quality laminate (Axiom, Duropal etc). Have a couple of wooden chopping boards, maybe the enormous IKEA one or a granite slab (Wilko) so you always have somewhere to put a hot pan or tray down.

Don't get gloss finish, or pure white/black, get stone or wood effect with an ABS (reinforced) square edge. as seen here

There's no worktop that will withstand hot pans directly on it straight from the hob except stainless steel (commercial style) or possibly some granites.

The most practical sink is an inset stainless steel one in standard brushed finish, also buy some Barkeepers Friend.

If your laminate worktop wears out after 10 years it's not expensive to replace and by then your kitchen will probably be out of style.
A granite, quartz or other £££ worktop will have you worrying about every ding and scratch. I vote save your money for other things that make your kitchen more practical.

Also if you go for the full depth sink, make sure the worktop is fully edged on the ends and you get a fully sealed neat join.

Ours is duropal square edge and am very impressed with the quality i just spray and wipe with a microfibre cloth looked at dekton but at £2000 a length compared to £142 for laminate no competition wasnt paying more for worktops than the whole kitchen

@isseywith4vampirecats: I have read on screwfix forum that builders do not like duropal because it is too hard and breaks builders' tools.

I think I will get Dekton and if it does not last long I will replace it with laminate. But I want to give Dekton a try.
I have ordered a few samples of laminate trying to find one looking as nice as Dekton Arga XGloss but have not found one yet.

Isn't that the solid laminate type - the very thin ones? I think we are talking about normal everyday laminated chipboard worktops.