I have a Swanstone vanity top in Cloud White. It's a kind of beigey-gray swirled with white. The top and bowl are all one piece and the same color. The bowl style is called Chesapeake, a large, deep oval (19"x13"). I originally wanted a white bowl, but I'm so happy with what I ended up with. The bowl stays much cleaner looking. I think it's a combination of the material and the color. I prefer the look of a bowl that's not recessed, plus it gives me a little extra counter space around the bowl.

One reason that Corian always rates highly with installers is that DuPont really does stand behind its product and they are known as the most responsive to installers/customers complaints. This is not a small thing; no matter what product you pick as a countertop, it can be ruined by poor installation and having to fight with the mfg to get satisfaction is not a pleasant thought after spending $$ of dollars. I personally chose Swanstone as we've been very satisfied with its performance and carefree maintenance, plus it has a slightly higher heat resistance than Corian. Like DuPont, Swanstone insists upon factory-trained installation for kitchen countertops. But I do think some of Corian's colors are more pleasing. One thing that might swing you either way - most solid surface mfgs, including DuPont, only offer their integral sinks in a few colors. I think Swanstone is the only one that offers their Swanstone sinks in all 38 colors, same as their countertops.

I think there are several answers to your question and I will try to tell you in detail about each of them. First, I think you should think about the coverage, because this is probably the most important factor. It's important to prevent the problem before it even occurs, but I think you already know that. I can't think of anything more so than stainless steel. And as I thought about this answer it occurred to me it must be the reason commercial prep kitchens use it so much. Solid surface countertops are synthetic and don't offer the same quality and durability as a natural stone. However, these materials are non-porous and don't stain easily. Certain chemicals and acidic foods can stain these countertops if left on the surface for long periods of time. The second is this immediate caveat: -Stop using acidic cleaners or heavy alkaline cleaning material that can strike and destroy stones. And the third is a solution to the problem. To be honest, I have never encountered such a problem, but after a little searching on the Internet I found an article that might be useful to you: how to remove stain from solid surface countertop To be honest, I do not vouch for the correctness and effectiveness of the methods described there, but personally to me it seemed the most correct and logical solution to the problem, so I recommend that you read this article and draw your own conclusions. I hope my comment was helpful and you can clean the surface without any problems.

I had an estimate from HD for quartz and Corian. The Quartz (LG or Silestone) was a little cheaper even if I added the cost of the sink. Is the estimate based on paying for a whole slab? i am still working on my decision but know I want a white marble look. Besides HD I found a place that sells some quartz by the sq foot. A remnant might work for us too as long as it is the right look. Do you think you'd be happy with the remnant? Unless a big difference in price or way out of your budget, I'd try to find something you will really be happy with.