I have Cambria Buckingham and have been very pleased with it.
I wanted easy maintenance and this doesn't require any special maintenance.
It does say not to put hot pans on it - I haven't tested it but there is epoxy in it so probably not a good idea.
I can't answer on Soapstone - other than some very beautiful posts on-line

the two choices are not similar at all. soapstone patinas over time - scratches, dents, and this can happen the first day you use your new kitchen. it is more of a rustic choice that goes well in homes with other such decor. I think you may be near slate territory, so that is something that may fit in this category as well.

cambria will look the same in ten years. it can go in modern, transitional, or traditional kitchens.

there are also lots of natural stones that look very similar to cambria, but may be lower cost, depending on region.

Thank you! I love hearing that you are satisfied with your Cambria! @Detroit_burb I do have décor that will go well with the Soapstone. Our hardwood floors are stained with a hint of gray so it can go rustic. As far as the Soapstone denting and scratching I've heard you can apply mineral oil to them and they aren't as noticeable. I've also heard you can actually use sand paper and sand it out yourself. I'm curious to know if anyone else has heard this or even better experienced it first hand? I was initially going with the Cambria and our quote came in at $7000. I'm now just making sure I've looked at every possibility and I know it's exactly what I want before I write that check! Thanks again for the replies!

Its the difference between a pair of blue jeans or grey flannel pants. Both are pants. Both are classics. One you don't mind getting broken in, faded or frayed a bit, as that just means it fits you better. The other gets mended a time or two, but when it reaches a certain point in age, it gets donated in favor of a newer pair. Not that quartz exactly fits that simile, because it is much more durable, but it can get the occasional chip (that can be repaired) but you will get tired of looking at it long before it will ever be worn enough to functionally consider replacement.

I have soapstone and absolutely love it. I'm very picky about most things, but the "patina" my counters is developing does not bother me in the least. It is a very beautiful stone. The patina just says that my home is lived in. It is really only noticeable if I'm looking for it. It does not have to be oiled but I do sometimes oil it to bring out the beautiful quartz streaks that are in mine. I even have a couple of spots with fools gold in it.

There are many different slabs that can be chosen from. The veining and look of each slab is characteristic of the particular mine it came from.

It will chip, ding, and scratch slightly with use. Beyond the first day of having it I stopped noticing it. You can sand it out if you like. I don't bother. Everyone that sees my soapstone loves it, and they enjoy discovering a unique vein here and there when they visit.

I also have it behind my stove from the burner height to the bottom of the exhaust hood, rather than a tile "backsplash".

My soapstone came from Creative Soapstone in Punta Gorda, Florida. They traveled to my location and did an excellent job. They were wonderful to work with. They primarily travel throughout the southeast, but have been known to travel "up north" to do specialized repairs to soapstone in historic homes. I am sure they can give you the name of someone reputable in your area. If you go the soapstone route you want to be sure to find a fabricator that is actually familiar with the characteristics and installation of soapstone.

Creative Soapstone is so good at fabricating that I do not have any seams at all in my counters, that is how good they are. My kitchen island is 4 feet wide by a little over 8 feet long, and I do not have a seam. I don't have any corner seams.....the stone was cut to transition the lazy susan cabinet with no seam. They cut the stone so the veins in the stone flowed perfectly from the counter to the backsplash to the window sill.

I have had laminate and Corian in the past. I also considered Cambria. In the end I decided I wanted something real and not man made. I cook from scratch, can and freeze foods. I use cast iron cookware. In my opinion it's a wonderful countertop material.

I have soapstone and can't imagine ever having anything else. We cook a lot, and we bang things around and even drop things on occasion. I have a harder variety--Julia. It gets scratches from time to time, but they don't bother me in the least. If they did, I can quickly wipe a bit of mineral oil across the counter and they disappear. What I really like about the soapstone is (1) it is beautiful (2) it is highly functional--we can put anything hot directly on the counter with no problem and it is simply fabulous for rolling dough, etc (3) there has been no maintenance for us with Julia (4) we have one small chip, but no one but me knows where it is except me, and even I have to look hard for it (5) it fits the 1930's character of our home (6) it looks better with each passing year.

I don't have cambria because I don't like the manufactured stone products due to the resins they use to fabricate them, I have natural stone in all of my baths and in the kitchen, this is the third kitchen I have had done in stone.

I did entertain the use of manufactured slabs, but in the end, I decided the real thing had much more personality.

I do know that the manufactured products look the same forever because they have in my work setting.

detroit burb:

All of your "natural" stone is probably resinated, that is, filled with plastic.

trebruchet, you have identified yourself as someone who is an expert in counter installation, and you have stated your preference for manufactured products. I don't fault you for this, there is an advantage to working with a product that has been tested and acts the same regardless of circumstances.

But, the stuff does not look like natural stone, and does not behave like natural stone. My countertops do not have resins in them, but there is epoxy resin in the seams. I did see some more delicate stones that had resin - it was pretty clear to see the drips on the unpolished underside.

Thank you all for the great information! I love hearing the first hand experiences with the Soapstone! I have about 2 weeks to decide which route I'm going.
irmaly-I image searched your Julia and the images that came up are stunning! I'm also curious to know whether or not the commenters that have soapstone went with white cabinetry or stained wood? Detroit_burb-what is your personal preference when it comes to choosing a natural stone? Thanks again everyone!

I have Cambria. I love mine. I think it is interesting to look at and care-free as well.

But it seems like apples and oranges as far as counter tops are concerned. It will be a tough decision!

detroit burb:

The thing I find irritating is the stoner's claim to some "natural" moral high ground. Natural stone, estone, and solid surface are ALL delivered to customers with varying degrees of plastic.

Solid surface has natural aluminum trihydrare filler, estone is made from natural quartz, and most installed granite has been resinated.

For one to make a "more natural" claim is like three thieves standing around bragging that one only took $250.00, one only took $25.00 and one only .25.

So the stoners only stole a quarter. Big deal.

We went with white cabinets with soapstone but not because of the stone, because of the floor.

We wanted wood floors and didn't want wood on wood.

I'm confused about the comments regarding plastics on natural stone. My soapstone does have a plastic mesh on the underside, but are you saying there's plastic on the top, too? I don't care about it from an environmental aspect I care about putting hot pans directly on the counter.

"I'm also curious to know whether or not the commenters that have soapstone went with white cabinetry or stained wood?"

We have cork floors, natural stained red oak cabinets and soapstone. I have some recent photos in the gallery. The stone is less than a month old so still getting the initial oiling out of the way. It dries up fast with this cold weather!

wood look porcelain tile floors, QS oak cabinets in natural with clear coat, and soapstone

We have natural maple floors and natural cherry cabinets with our soapstone countertops.

Cevemal;

An appreciable fraction of natural stones have matting and resin on the backside of the stone to reduce the risk of cracks during shipment.

Additionally, there are a number of natural stones that, when polished, have miniscule surface depressions too small to feel with a fingertip but visible when the lighting and viewing angle are correct. To make the stones more attractive to the market a process was developed where a VERY thin layer (.060") of resin is impregnated into the top surface of the unpolished slab using heat and vacuum. When the slab is then polished the surface irregularities are filled by the resin so the stone has the preferred glassy smooth finish.

This process has the additional advantage of making typical sealing of natural stone unnecessary since the pores in the stone are filled by the resin.

Regarding solid surface vs. natural vs. engineered stone all are good looking and durable countertop materials. Make sure you understand the different material properties and then pick the look you want with material properties appropriate for your application.