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I have used quite a few different types of worktop over the years, however, what I have noticed is the change in quality with the Laminate ones. I remember Formica being a bragging point, and yes, they could last for decades before even the pattern started to wear. In fact, the choice of colour or pattern tended to become an embarrassment well before the material failed. This is no longer the case with some laminate finishes starting to wear through in just a few years. Back then, most quality laminate worktops were fitted with an undecorated laminate on the underside to reduce warping.

I have had granite worktops for well over 15 years now - they still look almost as good as the day they were installed. If I ever needed new worktops, that is the way that I would go. Fitted with a stainless steel sink which seems to look better with age as the patina developed, but I suspect that a similar video regarding the merits or demerits of each type of sink  and how best to fitt them would be required.

I will only ever have a granite worktop.  It’s by far the best in terms of being scratch and heat resistant.

For timber in Australia, it's once a week for a month, once a month for a year, and once a year from then on. It's quite intensive because the air here is very dry, everything turns into driftwood quite easily.

Thanks

I'm going with solid surface countertoptops  (WilsonArt or Corian) because my mom has 18 year old Glacier White Corian countertops that still look great, so i know how they handle which have included 3 teenagers who have moved out, back in and our a couple times over the last 18 years (her now adult 3 kids), 5 grand children, 3 of which lived there for a year and 8 dogs who have ALL gotten baths in the single wide sink on the island w/ Corian counters, including the 5 grands as babies and toddlers.
We go every sunday for dinner and my mom cans her homegrown tomatoes every September, so those counters have taken a beating!!

This can also happen with a white worktop spilt curry powder on mine heck of a job to get it removed.

Thank you for info 🎉

Thanks for all the insights. Very helpful.

Expert advice: thank you.

Can you do a video about the ethical issues with Quartzite production / cutting (silicosis)? It’s beautiful but I’ve avoided it - if there’s a way to choose an ethical, safe source, I’d be interested to know about it.

I lived in France for a long time and saw lots of tiled worktops.  I even had to live with one for a few years and I can tell you they might look rustic but they are awful in terms of hygiene and drop something heavy on them and the corners crack.  I would be very interested to hear about the health and safety issues of various worktop materials.  I understand that Australia has banned quartz worktop material because of the dangers to the workers.  I am in the process of planning a new kitchen and I just don't want something that harms someone else.

Thanks for explaining difference between honed and polished marble. I had marble polished in my previous kitchen it did etch were I did most of my prep work but I always treated it as patina but ones my husband had enough of it and poured fresh milk over it overnight and the polish came back when I cleaned it the following day.
Now I want to go the same finish I had in my new kitchen but the supplier suggested honed instead but he didn’t explain the real difference. I still prefer polished :)

Thank you for the deep dive in countertop materials. A very well produced Video as always with a lot of detailed information. Well done!
Sintered Stone is probably the coolest material  around. It is highly resistant to scratches and heat with nice thickness options. Brilliant! The big problem is that we are looking at a relatively big island which would need connected slabs due to the max width of ~ 1600 mm with this material. So it seems that corian is simply the best choice for larger surfaces.

If I had the money for a quality kitchen build/remodel, I would consider sintered stone that looks like wood. In particular, Cosentino Dekton Kedar and Neolith Pasadena look very much like real woodgrain, at least from the online images. Of course, I would want to see it in person before deciding.

I am about to do my kitchen in two months and your videos have really helped me.❤

The choice with the least amount of Cons and the most Pros is Porcelain slab or Quartz (not Quartzite)

Timber/wood countertops is pretty certainly what I'm going with, even as I will include a stone segment for dough rollout, similar to the hardwood countertops- the remaining uncertainty is which hardwood species- with the top choice being black locust.

I also think it ironic, the countertop material you've highlighted for possible disability accessibility use, it's the one I've had injure me & seen the most other disabled people get injured in using or at least trying to use. It may work well for those who have paid caregivers but in those same monetary conditions a nicer material can be gotten and used just as well.

👍

My current kitchen has Caesarstone work tops. It's nice, not too expensive...however, my next kitchen refurb will have a natural stone product, because, who doesn't love natural stone?