You could have a granite slab behind your cooktop. You don't have to run the granite all around the kitchen backsplash, just behind the cooktop. That way, you won't have to worry about cleaning splatters out of the grout of a tile backsplash. One of my favorite kitchens is Daki's, which has granite behind the cooktop, and tile for the rest of the backsplash. I will link it. While Daki's is an elaborate kitchen, and the granite behind the cooktop has a wood surround, a granite slab behind the cooktop can look good in any kitchen, and you don't need to have the wood surround.

Here is a link that might be useful: Daki's Kitchen

My entire backsplash is granite and we love it.
Granite replaced white tile with the "aformentioned grout"

We wanted groutless, and we love the look. We have Brazillian granite, Arandis Gold, and we like the fact we can see if from the family room, dining room, etc etc, IE We don.t have to stand over our granite and peer down at it to enjoy it.

And of course cleaning it is a non issue, even better than Induction (LOL)

Had it over 5 years now, still love it, and I would not consider any other type of backsplash!!

Gary

WOW! That's really dramatic! We hadn't even considered granite (duh!), but that looks very cool! I wonder how having granite countertops on the main counters, with a complementary colored granite countertop on an island, and then the complementary colored granite color as the backsplash, would look? We'll have to look into that, although we don't want to get TOO crazy. thanks!

I think two different granite counters plus granite backsplash will be too much. Why do you want two different granites in your kitchen? Instead, you could do your island in another material like butcher block to balance it. Plus a quiet tile backplash everywhere except behind the cooktop where you'd have your granite backsplash (see Daki's tile in the link above).

We're considering two different granites because we're considering darker cherry cabinets, with two exceptions: a sage green island and matching sage green cabinetry and hood below and above the cooktop, and are considering a complementary granite for the island because we're going to have 30+ linear feet of cabinetry/island/peninsula and think we need to break things up a bit. However, we do wonder how a granite backsplash in the same granite as the island will work since the cooktop area will be close to the island. Good comment, however, and we'll definitely run that by the couple of KD's we're considering. Thanks, and keep the ideas/suggestions coming!

A smooth sheet of stainless behind a range looks professional and cleans up super easy. Just take it from the back of your range all the way to the vent and you can do anything else you like elsewhere in the kitchen without having to worry about grease spatters behind the range. Or you could do the whole backsplash in stainless. It reflects light, doesn't have grout to clean, and is a great style statement.

I have 4x12 frosted glass and we used Laticrete epoxy grout on it to eliminate stains. It was a pain to grout, but I love the function and looks of the result. No problems with staining and I cook just about everything, mostly on the cooktop, and I cook ALOT!

Thanks for all the suggestions!

I'm having the same problem! I am considering putting an image behind glass and then affixing it to the range. I HATE cleaning grout. Good luck to you!

Groutboost is the product I used for my grout. It seems to work as claimed. It is good.

Another alternative is Epoxy grout. I have a lot of experience with epoxy grout. I'm comfortable with it but I chose the Groutboost additive in regular grout.

I have some huge glass tiles and some mosaic glass tiles. All white. Groutboost additive is white too. My white grout is white.