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Original poster

Quartz worktops...any pros and cons?

31 replies

FuzzyPuffling · 12/07/2021 06:59

I'm having a kitchen refit and am looking at ( Howdens) quartz worktops.
Anyone got any pros and cons before I sell my soul and buy them?
Hot pans? Cleaning? Water? All that sort of stuff.

OP posts:

lollypoppi · 12/07/2021 07:33

I love mine but u do have to be careful it can stain. That's my only bad point I love how shines and modern it looks.

Example re stains: Like if I dropped a bit of curry on it. U need to wipe it right away and sometimes there's a feint mark left. I've found the pink stuff can help take it out but I'm wary of using it much incase it takes the shine out.

Try find a local supplier direct will be much cheaper than Howdens. They usually supply and fit.

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 12/07/2021 07:36

I have it-is great for being able to put pans straight down on. It does stain but easily removed with cif and a bit of elbow grease.

Russell19 · 12/07/2021 07:38

Make sure you wipe anything off it quickly or it can stain.
We had a howdens kitchen and were going to get the quartz worktop but they only did it super thin, we wanted a thicker worktop so found a supplier locally.

Hothammock · 12/07/2021 07:39

I have it and I love it. I am careful with hot pans but have an induction hob so that provides a huge glassy surface for hot stuff to sit in. If I drop curry on the work top it can soak in and leave a mark if I'm not quick enough but it lifts out fine with a marble cleaner. Highly recommended.
I used a local supplier and fitter and it was much more reasonable than the prices from big companies.

AGreatUsername · 12/07/2021 07:40

You should never ever put a hot pan on quartz! It can cause the surface to crack or discolour. It may not, but sometimes it will, and it’d void any type of warranty on the tops if you caused it. I love quartz. We’re going for composite this time purely for price but having worked in a high end kitchen company fir many years the only issues we ever had with quartz was someone who had damaged using a hot pan, and a couple who chose cheaper fitters who cut the sink holes incorrectly and caused the tops to snap.

Wearethetwirl · 12/07/2021 07:43

We have black quartz, it’s obviously tough but smear marks are so evident and make it a pain to clean.

EverythingDelegated · 12/07/2021 07:46

Worth shopping around, we haven't had ours fitted yet (it's on order) but we found there were several independents locally, prices varied a lot, as did the choice of colours, however they were all very busy and needed booking a couple of months ahead.

Muststopeating · 12/07/2021 07:50

@AGreatUsername stupid question but what is composite?

We're probably going for quartz but at 4.5k at the end of an extension we could do with saving some cash, but wood (though beautiful) is out cos I don't want to be that precious. Laminate is out cos I want an undermount sink. Not a fan of granite (and wouldn't save me anything). Looked at compact laminate but read quite a few horror stories. Read that acrylic stains? Ceramic seems to be similar in price or even more. But never heard of composite?

Livingintheclouds · 12/07/2021 07:56

Quartz worktops are composite- they are made of mainly quartz and resin.

Twizbe · 12/07/2021 08:00

We've just got quartz. We have a Howdens kitchen but went with a local supplier for the worktops. We got an excellent deal and they could do a solid piece for our island which Howdens couldn't.

Try to go for Italian over Chinese. The Chinese is cheaper but has a lot more resin / composite material in.

No staining on ours but we're careful about using coasters and hot mats.

I have some method stone cleaner which is amazing as well.

Kitkat151 · 12/07/2021 08:02

Definately source a local supplier ( and fitter) you will save loads

Twizbe · 12/07/2021 08:02

Just to add, if looking at local suppliers look at what they have in stock. Ours were essentially left overs from a huge commercial job they had. Meant it was tons cheaper than if we'd ordered a slab for ourselves.

bellsbuss · 12/07/2021 08:04

I use bar keepers friend on mine to get out stains. One of my children left a tango ice blast on the worktop once and it stained really badly and bar keepers got it out , will also remove curry. A friend put a hot pain on her quartz once and it popped from the heat. I do find it hard wearing though.

AGreatUsername · 12/07/2021 08:06

Sorry @Muststopeating that’s me using the wrong words, not enough coffee! I should say, we are going for solid surface. A typical brand may be Corian or Mirostone. It’s workable with a standard set of tools so my kitchen-maker hubby is qualified to fit it, it’s non porous and can be sanded down if needed.

It’s come on a lot since the early days, there’s some really lovely colours and finishes available now. I wasn’t keen but have had it in both my bathrooms here instead of quartz and been really impressed.

Muststopeating · 12/07/2021 08:22

@AGreatUsername ah that makes sense. Did think I've researched worktops to an inch of their life and never heard of this (as @Livingintheclouds said I thought quartz was composite).

@FuzzyPuffling

The story about hot pans popping a worktop make me twitchy. I would never put a hot pan straight on a worktop but what if someone else does? The idea of all that money and then boof gives me fear!

Several times I have thought about just getting wood and replacing it when it gets sad looking. Could do that about 4 times over for the price of quartz!

@FuzzyPuffling have a look at ceramic. Quartz is plugged as stain resistant and heat resistant whereas ceramic is plugged as heat proof and stain proof. It has a very different texture/feel to quartz but similar in price.

womanity · 12/07/2021 08:35

I would never put a hot pan straight on a worktop but what if someone else does?

I found the cost alone has worked wonders at making DH more careful than he’s ever been in his life…

Ohjustboreoff · 12/07/2021 08:36

I really regret getting our black quartz worktops. My DH is a clumsy idiot and had dropped so many cups and pans causing damage to the surface it's truly unbelievable! We've had a few quotes to get the divots filled but it happens so regularly that I can't be bothered yet.
Also we had an inbuilt drainer which is badly stained by the water. Go for something more hard wearing.

TeaAndStrumpets · 12/07/2021 08:52

Good point Ohjust, my husband works his way through our best china at a steady rate! I have wondered about iroko or Corian for our next kitchen, simply for this reason. There is also noise to think about, with a lot of hard surfaces perhaps being rather echoey?

Indigopearl · 12/07/2021 08:54

We have silestone. Be careful with hot pans and tumeric/red wine (clean stains straight away).

I also didn't realise how easy it is to chip especially on edges around the sink.

Africa2go · 12/07/2021 09:25

We've had quartz in 2 different kitchens now, plus the worktops in bathrooms, for about 4 years and its never chipped or stained (and we're not the most careful). I don't ever put hot pans on it though. It looks as good now as when it was fitted. We do have it in a very light colour, as pps have said, I think black is more problematic with smears etc.

Agree with ringing around - prices vary so much and as a pp said, you can get cut-offs from other jobs for a fraction of the price depending on the sizes you need (thats what we've used in the bathrooms)

TheDevils · 12/07/2021 09:28

I got rid of my black quartz because it showed up every crumb and smear. I worked in the kitchen during lockdown and it drove me mad!

MinniesAndMickeysNeedCounting · 12/07/2021 09:44

We had quartz in our last kitchen, we're currently planning another kitchen and won't have it again because it chipped on the edges so easily, we had 2 different colours and the darker one (grey) was a real pain for smears, always needed buffing to look good, the lighter one was much better for this.
I was disappointed because of the cost.

catfunk · 12/07/2021 10:26

I would 100% go for it.
Previously had wood and that rotted/ stained around the sink and laminate which was just dreadful and looks shite IMO. I would go for a light marbling then if you do get a Stain or cba to polish it it doesn't matter.

Turmeric and red wine comes out of mine with cif or pink stuff, you can have lovely draining board grooves cut in if you have an under mount sink. Can't stop staring at mine it's beautiful!

Bear in mind they may have to join together smaller pieces as transporting as they tend to come separately

Toomuchleopard · 12/07/2021 10:56

I have quartz and they gave me an off cut about the size of a chopping board that I use next to my hob to put hot pans on. It has got a couple of marks on so I would never put the pans direct on the surfaces.

TheWorldKickedBack · 12/07/2021 11:06

We always have tea stains on our white quartz (we are not very careful) but a quick spray of bleach, leave for a min or two brings it up looking like new again

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