Cambria will probably cost more than granite as it has a smaller dealer network, getting a competitive price can be more difficult. I'm not sure why you think it will look cheap but I don't think it would and as a quartz surface it has some benefits granite doesn't.

and what might those benefits be?

I'm guessing that caryscott is referring to the sealing that some granites require. Each counter surface has it's benefits and compromises. Even though I want and will get granite the next time; the engineered surface I have had for 7 years has been bullet proof. Nothing has scratched it, burnt it, or marred it in any manner. And I've done EVERYTHING wrong at one point or another. I've place hot items on it, cut directly on it, spilled just about everything on it. It's been a great workhorse. However, for me; nothing beats the beauty of natural stone and this time out I want less uniformity and God created natural movement. Quartz is in many cases more expensive then granite so I would suggest just finding what you love most that fits into your budget. Both these surfaces will serve a kitchen really well.

I do not wish to assume what benefits to which they was referring.

Black absolute is a stone that does not require sealing and is probably very family friendly.

The primary complaint I see here regularly is that as a black, it shows everything. Hand prints and smudges. Doesn't a solid surface material have the same issues?

From my friends' experience with absolute black, I'd say that that is one granite you really don't want to bother with, because as vrjames said, it shows *everything*. Whichever you choose, if you want black I'd try to look for *some* kind of patterning, veining, something on the surface to break up the completely even look.

The primary complaint I see here regularly is that as a black, it shows everything. Hand prints and smudges. Doesn't a solid surface material have the same issues?

Yes, if you were to choose a quartz counter with the same color and patterning as absolute black you would have the same problem. If you want to minimize fingerprints and smudges, etc. try looking for lighter colors and busier patterns and especially plenty of color variation.

- Jim

Hey! Didn't mean to be cryptic. I wasn't referring to any material difference in terms of appearance but as remodeltla suggest the surface is a harder, doesn't require sealing and is non-porous.

Here is a link that might be useful: Benefits of Cambria

Just FYI, pricewise, my kitchen quote has Cambria about 20% higher than granite. The big 4 quartz brands (Caesarstone, Zodiaq, Silestone, Cambria) are roughly the same price as each other (all but Cambria have different price groups). FWIW, for my own kitchen, I have always preferred quartz and never personally considered granite so I did not pick out the granite quoted - my point being, my quote may only be comparing the absolute cheapest granite against quartz.

Sooo, if you are set on black, you may not save any money by going with quartz. And as others have replied, black quartz will not save you the smudges. As far as looking cheap or boring, I have no idea why it would.

Having a black countertop (or appliances!) is like owning a black car. It looks really fabulous just after you take it through the car wash. But, by the time it's fully dry and you've driven it home, it's got some dust on it and maybe some smudges. For some people, the additional cleaning maintainence to keep it in "showroom sparkle" condition is worth it because they just love the look. For some, they can't wait to get rid of it!

I have Cambria and it actually was a bit cheaper than granite. My counter guy steered me to the Cambria when he noticed that the granite I liked was flecked. I did not choose any granite that showed 'movement'. He pointed out to me that if I was not looking for 'movement' then I might want to consider Cambria as it would be a bit cheaper. We liked it and ended up with Wiltshire Red. It is black with overall flecks that are redish (not a bright red at all).

Because of the flecking, it hides crumbs and water spots quite well - a big plus to me. The overall look from a distance is black .

I'm very happy with it. Very easy to care for. It's not any different than the laminate I used to have except that it is 1000 times prettier. :-)

Hope that helps somewhat.

Hey, Ma: I like the sound of that. Got any photos??

Dear Kiwihouse, here you have some considerations about choosing the best option cambria or granite, Cambria surfaces are twice as strong as granite. Cambria is a surface that is truly everlasting,Cambria is created from pure natural quartz, an extremely hard stone. Then I think that a cambria kitchen will add value to your home.here you could find more info about these topics

Here is a link that might be useful: home design and ideas

My Cambria bristol blue turned out to cost almost the same as the Pietra Cardosa my GC was trying to talk me into having. I just wanted the Cambria, all along, and I haven't been disappointed.

In some lights, the Bristol Blue looks almost black. It has speckles all over, evenly, which I love. Crumbs don't show, and you have to look really closely to find watermarks, if I haven't wiped them up before they dried.

It meets everything I wanted, and I LOVE the look. I didn't see a single granite I cared to own. We're all different!

TWICE as strong, HOGWASH....

kiwihouse, I don't know why this is centering around Cambria so much, those 4 companies have pretty much the same product, the only difference is color choice.

ma-bookreader made a point that I accidentally edited out of my earlier post - if you don't want granite because you like movement (abs black sounds like no?), than quartz and granite are pretty similar. (though quartz is less maintenance compared to some granites, no sealing required for example)

I looked up the abs black granite and thought Caesarstone had its own version - Absolute Noir.

I'm blanking on the username but someone here used the Raven color (a softer black/dark gray) as a soapstone alternative - it looked amazing and I thought she said it didn't show smudges.

Here is a link that might be useful: Caesarstone colors

At the moment, I am sorry to say that I only have one kitchen photo. It was taken to show off the flooring that we chose and was posted in the flooring section of GW. I need my son's help in getting more photos posted to Flicker so I can post them here also.

This photo shows my kitchen and you will see that from a distance, my counter top looks black.

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen photo

Here is a link to the Cambria site. You will see a nice large sample of this color. Personally, I think the word 'red' is misleading since it's not a true red color at all.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cambria Wiltshire Red