Granite vs Corian Kitchen Worktop.....Care to share your experiences?

[TeaandCake]

Currently researching products for our new kitchen and have narrowed down the worktop choices to Corian or Granite.

They appear to be v similar in price but I would love to hear to collective MN opinion of both and get all the pros and cons from those who live with them.

TIA

I have black granite around my sink and it is great, I put hot pans straight onto it. I believe that granite doesn't stain either, not that any stain would show on black anyway. My friend has white corian and that does stain, the installers also told her not to put hot pans on it too. Looks good though.

Have only ever had granite - 10 years in my old place, not a speck on it, and inherited it here too where it is equally perfect and I think about 5-6 years old.
Wouldn't look at anything else when we come to do the kitchen next, so cannot speak for Corian, but have no negatives to share in my experience of granite.

Thank you for the replies ladies.

Hmm....two votes for granite then!

I dont want corian.

I currently have laminate due to costs and the kids. But when they are older and less messy, I will upgrade to either granite or a real oak surface.
sorry, not much help in this!

However, I had a granite surface and sink in ould old flat, and I did not like the limescale stains by the sink. I also broke a lot of glass by putting it down carelessly!

Hi I have done tons of research on this when I was putting in kitchen.I wanted Corian, hubby wanted ranite-we ended upo with granite as 5 yrs ago not so many corian fitters locally. But actually doing research even though corian sounds brill, it can stain and certainly can scratch-though scratches can be sanded down with special tool.Granite is beautiful, great for baking especially pastry and any dough making. The black colours are best as they dont need re-sealing whereas lighetr granite will probably need resealing from every 1-3yrs depending on colour. I have black nero assoluto zimbabwe granite, deep black and gorgeous.Need to wipe down water stains almost asap as can cause water marks, but once you get used to cleaning up quickly its gorgeous and I use Method granite cleaner once weekly to make it shine!Looking at Corian again I think for me it's not as good as I thought and would go for granite, even though you get integral sinks with corian which is amazing! Sorry for long post

I have dark granite round the outside of my kitchen with a cream flecked granite for the island unit and they're both gorgeous. The only thing I've heard that can stain is acidic stuff and its true- I left a pepper on the island unit and it left a grey patch. But it blends in well. No scratches. Corian comes in a wider variety of colours being synthetic but it is less hardy. The cheaper the granite, the bigger the flecks of quartz, which some prefer. I recommend Stoneworld of Newark. They sell to all the major kitchen fitters but supply direct to the customer dead cheaply and we went to their stoneyard to pick exactly which bit of granite we wanted. I hope this helps.

has anyone thought about glass?

I was in John lewis and they had these fabulous coloured glass worktops. toughened of course. Any experience with these?

I have corian, love it, would always have it.
Wanted lighter colour, it is a sandy colour. I didn't want dark colour as had it before in rented houses and it could never keep it clean.
Had it for 2 years now, no scratches or stains, and I'm not that careful!!

We have white Zodiaq

It's like a cross between Corian and granite. Only had it a month so can't really comment on well it lasts, but it looks fab, is easy to clean and fab for rolling pastry!

The black - nearly black granite looks good, paler colours look dirty to me. Not good for a kitchen. I like Corian - love the way the sinks an joints can be seamlessly molded together. We are going for creamy/white.

I do worry a bit though that for resale granite may be safer, but hoping Corian will catch on as to me Granite, although beautiful stone to look at does look a bit 90s in a kitchen.

I'm having Corian fitted shortly.It was the cost and 'seamless' aspects which swayed me.Mind you,nothing could be worse than my current,grim,formica and teak effect laminate.

Mercedes, I would love glass - definitely my favourite to look at. But it can chip, doesn't tolerate heat, so...no good for me. I want tough

Shame though, if I had no kids I think I might be tempted!

Is there a problem with heat? When we read the leaflet about the glass it was all singing all dancing. Which is why I'm asking on here.

Has any one had any experience with Granite r us? They seem ok, sourced granite from appropriate place and customer service seems good, although is this a good sales person!? Any reccommendations? we are in Scotland.

Been living with corian for two months, after having granite in our old house for four years. Liked both.
Corian does 'stain' very lightly with tea, but nothing a bit of bleach hasn't fixed so far. Occasional light scratch but not noticeable and the corian was fitted four years ago. I found that because granite was glossy, water marks showed, whereas corian seems to be more of a semi gloss.
Love granite too, but love love love minimal and hygienic 'all one piece' corian. People always comment on it too.

Love my black granite. Don't worry too much about limescale around taps as it's easy to get rid off. Still will not put hot pans on it and recently got myself le creuset silicone mats to protect worktop.

trouble
I dont know anything about that company but I dont recommend GraniteMasters in Glasgow. Too many problems (not with the granite itself) more with the service. All resolved eventually but tbh for that amount of money shouldnt have happened in the first place.

I am not a kitchen expert at all but we saw Caeserstone and thought it looked good in white. Does anyone have any experience?

I personally recommend Rocca Granite Worktops in Hillington in Glasgow. The service is very friendly and professional. It's a family run business and they really strive to make sure you're happy. I had granite kitchen worktops fitted from there as my mum's had hers done from there too. They use some sort of sealant so that the joint is really perfect. I had cheap laminate worktops before as I had thought that granite would be way out of my price range but am really pleased with the value for money that you get from Rocca. The owner of the company has done a lot of research into sealants and he's really passionate about his product being perfect. I think it's a really hygienic work surface. Don't know anything about Corian...

We have quartz - it's been in about 10 days and love it.

My parents have black granite and my mother is always polishing, wiping and making sure that there isn't any standing water - because hard water can mark it. Also anything acidic, olive oil etc.

Corian scratches really easily - according to my kitchen fitter who has it in his kitchen and said never again.

We went for the quartz because it looks identical to the granite (is not that dissimilar in price) and is far less porous so as I have four children and not enough time to be constantly polishing/cleaning it!!

Neither - like the previous poster, I have quartz simply because granite/wood is porous and quartz isn't and therefore more practical as a kitchen worktop and I didn't want laminate. Personal preference over Corian - I opted for a black quartz with mirrored flecks so it's rather blingy but I love it.

Ooh Elsa123, you might be near me, any other good recommendations locally?

Sorry to gatecrash, don't yet have my lovely granite worktop so can only offer prejudices, not experience