6 Most Popular Kitchen Countertops: Pros & Cons
If you’re thinking of remodeling your kitchen, one of the first things we discuss with a client is what type of countertop they’re going to want. With such a wide variety of options for kitchen countertops, we need to know what you like so we can price them accordingly to get you the most accurate kitchen remodeling estimate possible. Below are the most popular kitchen countertops that we get asked about and install in our customer’s homes.
Granite Countertops: Granite has been a signal of high end kitchens for a couple of decades now, which just goes to show how wise of an investment it is for your kitchen countertops. It’s not likely to go out of style anytime soon, plus the durability of this natural stone countertop is hard to compete with.
Pros:
- Timeless
- Scratch resistant
- Easy to clean
- Heat resistant
- Lots of options
- Low end is very reasonably priced & why we don’t usually even recommend any laminates or anything ‘below’ a T1 granite
- Higher tier granite are works of art and can easily be the focal point of your kitchen
Cons:
- Seal 1-2 times a year
- Wide price range depending on your taste
Butcher Block Countertop: Although butcher top isn’t the most popular option, it’s still a classic style that many of our clients ask about. Admittedly, not many actually install it in their homes after doing some research, but since we get so many inquiries about it we thought we should include the pros and cons of butcher block countertops in your kitchen.
Pros:
- Timeless
- Warms up any kitchen
- Don’t have to use a cutting board
- Easily sand out scratches or stains
Cons:
- Seal with mineral oil every couple of weeks
- Sanitation issues due to the soft, porous material
Stainless Steel Countertops: Stainless steel countertops are used in a lot of commercial ktichens due to the sanitary qualities. This doesn’t mean that it’s the best material for your ktichen.
Pros:
- Sanitary
- Easy to clean
Cons:
- Fairly easy to scratch and they show- anyone who has stainless steel appliances knows stainless shows water spots and fingerprints so it’s not the easiet to keep clean
Concrete Countertops: Concrete has gained some popularity in the last 10 years or so because of the beautiful dyes and stamps that can be used to create virtually any look you desire. The issue with concrete is that it is so heavy and is usually installed on-site so it is a lot harder to change down the road.
Pros:
- Can be dyed and stamped to fit practically any look
Cons:
- Since it’s porous you have to seal it and wax it every 2-3 months
Soapstone Countertops: Soapstones is popular in England and was fairly popular in the earlier 1900’s in America. We traditionally use soapstone countertops in homes from this era when the owners want to design their kitchens to stay true to the period of when their home was built.
Pros:
- Natural beauty
- Color can change easily based on oiling
Cons:
- Scratches easier than granite but they can be sanded out with fine grade sandpaper
- Have to apply mineral oil or wax (depending on how dark you want them to be) about once a month
Cambria Countertops: We not only support Cambria because it’s a Minnesota company, but it’s also the creme de la creme when it comes to kitchen countertops because of the natural stone look without the maintenance.
Pros:
- No maintenance and that’s why it’s used in so many restaurants and bars – and why it’s considered very top of the line
Cons:
- Expensive
- Don’t get as much ‘movement’ as you do with natural stone