Depends on what you like and what you will use it for. If you like "movement", granite is your stone. If you like a quieter stone, a granite may be harder to find.

Quartz is bulletproof, or at least it feels that way. It is shiny, mostly, although you can get honed (some recommend against it). Many quieter patterns, less organic. I have found a drop of hair dye on my Silestone bathroom counters several hours after I colored my hair, and it just wipes off.

I have a friend whose husband (and friends) left chinese food on their granite counter in their basement bar during and after poker night. She found it a day or so later (yuck!). The grease seeped into her granite and she has a permanent spot. This wouldn't have happened with quartz.

I will use quartz in my new house in the kids baths for sure - maybe honed but I might deal with the shine and do regular too. Okite has some pretty ones which simulate marble :)

I have quartz and really like it. Quartz does not polish up as glossy as granite, more of a satin finish. I used to suggest it to people but not any more as it is quite expensive. Mine is DuPont Zodiaq. Also it seems that even though mine acts in the advertised "bullet-proof" fashion, other brands/owners have had problems with chipping edges.

My impression is that over time more granite dealers opened up, and more different kinds of granite became available. This made the cost of granite today in many places much less than quartz. If granite is cheaper, might as well get that. Quartz doesn't have to be sealed, but neither do some granites.

Some will say it's an engineered product and compare it to corian, but it functions and feels and looks (at least mine does) like stone. In fact I'm having some issues with how cold the darn thing is right now and have devised elaborate plans to keep xmas dinner foods HOT. (Didn't think to put chafing dishes on my xmas list...)

I have black galaxy and it has been wonderful. I have teens that tend to leave things and food out (will put it away later LOL) and so far no problems. No sealing required on the dark granites and it is consistant in color.

Keep the responses coming, this is really helpful so far. I'm leaning towards quartz because of the consistency (not having to pick a particular slab), I could get Cambria which is made locally for me, and because I was told there is no upcharge for whatever edge I want, which isn't the case with granite. I do like that it is less shiny too, more like soapstone which is what I really like but I'm not sure I can deal with the uncertainties I've read about with it, lol.

But those are just initial leanings because I love granite too!

Here is a link that might be useful: The Cambria color I'm digging at the moment.

I like a Cambria black at the moment too. Less glare, no fingerprints, some variation in tone to hide crumbs, no staining, no sealing, no stone cleaner, probably no problems but I can't say for sure because the product is too new.

I think the larger chunk quartz has less problems with chipping and scratching based on Caesarstone specs on their website.

I google all of the countertops I like with words like "problems" or "cracked" etc.

Sometimes a quartz countertop color will come out and be discontinued due to problems.

Both quartz and granite countertops in general have problems like chipping, cracking, staining, scratching, etc.

Granite has movement and unique beauty while quartz has consistency and designer colors.

I have quartz in my kitchen and granite in my bathrooms. I have had the quartz since April of 2002, so almost 8 years. There are two tiny knicks in the countertop. I can see them only if I look across the counter, not straight down. The edge around the undermount sink is also knicked up a little. I can't see it, but I can feel it.

In my bathroom the granite is darker under the soap dispenser(it leaked) even though I sealed it. I have moved the dispenser but it hasn't lightened. It bugs me a little. No chips yet, but it's only a year and half old.

I like both of them. I think the granite would need to be babied a little bit more in the kitchen then the quartz, though.

threegraces, if cost is lower for quartz in your area then yes, I would recommend it. I have only one chip on the counter edge and it cannot be seen. Only felt. I believe the electrician putting in lights over the peninsula dropped a tool as it appeared right after. In 1 year there have been no more chips.

Our Zodiaq is called Black Galaxy and looks like your Cambria choice! It's a good background for the cabinets and hardware, like soapstone.

This is mine:

I've only had one quote and the price was the same for mid-level granite as for Cambria. It's more a matter of supporting a local business vs getting something brought in from somewhere else.

Now how on earth do you decide among the different quartz brands? I didn't realize there were so many - I think even LG has an engineered stone!

Verona Marble Co. quartz is much cheaper than the other brands, which I consider a "pro." However, I posted asking about it and recieved no responses. Maybe I should try again since I many buy it.

I picked Cambria, because it's made in the US. I believe all the others are made elsewhere. But they all use the same process.
I have Cambria's Bristol Blue, which is a dark blue but very close to the look of the one you've picked. Everyone loves its look, and we're thrilled with how easy it is to care for.

My girlfriend and I were in the middle of our renos at the
same time. We both Caged Fought. No of course not. But
we did go different countertop paths.

K chose Cambira an I chose Granite.

I love her counters. K wanted something she could leave
a mess in late at night after a party at her house. K wants
to be able to go to bed and not worry about the mess in
the kitchen until the next day. Who cares if someone
spilled red wine on the counter, or lemon juice, vinegar
or any substance... She wants to come home from work and
not notice the crumbs from the toast, crackers or chocolate
chip cookies some teenager cooked. The sticky mess that
some kid never bothered to wipe clean. K chose a pattern
that looks like cookie crumbs.

Now I wanted art. I wanted a peice of stone that is unique.
That no one else has. I wanted movement, action, and
something to really inspire the theme of my kitchen but
not overwhelm. I thought about the clean and kid
proff issues but most granites if sealed can do okay.
I am not a clean freak but I do tend to baby my kitchen.
I clean my kitchen every night before I go to bed. I am
weird this way. I used to mop my floors every night but
have slowed to just swiffering them. When I have guests
I tend not to socalize as much as clean up as we go. I
like my kids out of the kitchen and LOOOse it if someone
left crumbs or sticky oil on the counter. My kids know
how I am am put stuff in the dw or sink. Although they
are human. I love my counters they are beautiful and I
would not change to Cambria. I do not like the uniform
almost machine made look of the Cambria. However K has
beautiful counters. Just not my style.

This probably just confused you more. : )
I only wanted to say that either is going to work great.
Find out what you love. Visit in person to get a feel
for what is your style.

~boxerpups

Like Boxerpups, I wanted a unique piece of art for my countertop. On paper Cambria looked just right. But when I saw it in person alongside granite, there was just one obvious choice. Cambria, silestone, and all the quartz materials looked like they were sliced off of the same loaf. But the granites looked unique. If you like a consistent pattern, choose quartz, if you like uniqe, choose granite. There's no wrong choice it is a preference.

BTW, The sealing issues I feared turned out to be nothing. Sealing is like spraying something similar to windex on it and wiping it in once a year. I have light granite and I love it.

For me, the bling in my kitchen is all about the backsplash tile. I don't particularly care for all that movement in granite, either, so the choice for me is quartz. It's a good, neutral counterpoint to gorgeous tile.

I had Zodiaq for several years before moving and still miss it's Zero Maintenance. Wish I had gone that route in this house. (I have Icestone...but that's a whole 'nother story!)

We have Blue PearlGT granite. I was going to go the engineered route until I saw this stone. I love the blue stones that look like periwinkle or soft blue or even silver, depending on how the light hits it. The best part is it's pretty near bulletproof. My kids are slobs, and I cannot see the filth on these counters, but occasionally, I will caress the top only to be greeted by peanut butter and jelly, ketchup, butter, and syrup--sometimes all at once. That you cannot see the dirt is a good thing and a bad thing. LOL. My granite does not have to be sealed. I love to polish her up and make her all pretty.

My folks have Silestone. I don't know which it is, but it is a deeper brown. It is very pretty, but it does have a few chips that really irritate my *my-home-must-always-be-ready-for-the-Better-Homes-and-Garden-photographers* mother.

Another point to add...Yes, quartz offers more consistency than granite. However, it also offers a nearly unlimited variety of color options (including royal blues, bright yellows, oranges, and crisp solid whites, etc. that you cannot get from natural stone slabs.) Whether you find this frightening or not is a matter of personal taste.

I like to know exactly where I have a chunk of chicken, a spill of grease, and bread crumbs. I can't clean up what I can't readily see. For me, a kitchen counter should be a blank page on which I do my cooking. So I'm attracted to a clean white or off white surface. I don't want "movement" under my food. (Hopefully the food is dead before it gets to my kitchen.)

Granite is art, the slabs formed by amazing natural phenomena. There is no doubt that it can add a beauty and dimension to a kitchen that cannot be replicated by a synthetic process.

So the decision really comes down to what's most important. If you are a messy cook and have concerns about the long term appearance of your counters, then quartz is probably your best bet. If you want a pure white counter, brightly colored counter, or other highly consistent pattern, then again quartz is the choice.

However if having something that truly looks natural and/or dramatic and you can live with the inevitable occasional stains, then granite is the way to go.

As for pricing, that's another story. Granite has really come down in price because homebuilding is slowed. There is a surplus of slabs, thus the lowered prices. Quartz products are manufactured. When demand slows, production slows, thus prices stay up where they always were. As for "no upcharge for whatever edge I want"....that has nothing to do with the makers of the quartz slabs. That has everything to do with the fabricator and the specials/promotions they offer. There wholesale price differences between the various brands of quartz and the color "levels" are not a huge driver in the cost of your overall project. Since a huge part of the expense is fabrication and installation, pick what you want. The specific choice you make on color/brand will not dramatically change your overall pricing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Countertop Stain Tests: Bye Bye Tiny Sad Kitchen Blog

As far as durability and price goes quartz and granite are about the same. Part of it depends on how long you are going to own your home, I've never seen an ad bragging about quartz counter tops. Choose what you love, you have to live with them every day.

Here is a link that might be useful: Artfiredearthstonetiles

The durability of quartz and granite can vary widely.

The durability of quartz and granite can vary widely.

How's that?

Granite is plutonic rock formed over the course of millions of years under high heat and formidably high pressures. It's not going to dissolve in your kitchen.

Engg. quartz is crystals/chunks of stone suspended in resin. Neither is going to decompose in a hurry.

What are we doing in our kitchens to impact the longevity of either? Except, that is, changing our fashion aesthetic to change the counters out to a new colour/pattern/material?

Monkeypuzzle, you are spinning needlessly on a futile if minor problem. If you are looking for a family of material to come down on the side of, you've got suggestions above:

• Do you want uniformity and regularity? Default to quartz although there are some subsets of granite that fit here, too, but still, default quartz.

• Do you want a non-sealing white (or light) counter? Default to quartz since most lighter natural stones will warrant sealing - which, it seems, is a scary step for you.

• Do you want movement / unique (although this is a loaded word) / drama or whatever? Default to natural stone.

All that said, I will tell you that I wanted a no-movement, fairly uniform dark counter and I whittled my leading candidates down to: (a) a couple of granites, (b) a DuPont Zodiac engg. quartz, (c) and a Schist (which was a local MA stone), and (d) also a white marble (which fit none of my wants but it is so pretty!).
I went with a granite. It is quiet but with its fluorescent cobalt blue inclusions, it gives me all the bling I may possibly want. Not always visible so in broad daylight, it just appears as a quiet black material with some clear quartz spots here and there. At night, with the halogens on, the cobalt blue inclusions pop up here and there depending on where one stands. And I love it.

But the key is to identify what you need from your counter top. You are spinning like a top because you are wanting to conduct this futile academic exercise on what everyone else thinks is the best material. There is no such thing. You need to define what considerations matter to you, what you want, and then search to fit that bill because there is such a diversity of properties when it comes to natural materials that any universal law you pop up with, there will be a natural rock that contravenes that.

That said, either quartz or granite will still be standing when any of us here are turning in our graves.

We've chosen quartz for almost all of our work surfaces in our remodel. We'll be using Caesarstone in the kitchen, and Okite in the master bath. But for our DR hutch we've chosen Bluestone, which is a gray basalt with very subtle movement. We don't happen to like the sparkle and flash of granite too much.

On the other hand, we've been to stoneyards where we see some incredibly beautiful slabs. Drama central! If I had more time (and $$$) on my hands I'd probably fall in love with a slab and design the room around it. Unfortunately, we are remodelling under the gun and there is no time for that.

I look forward to a maintenance free countertop with my Caesarstone and Okite. In fact, while selecting tiles for the master bath I have pushed hard against a travertine for fear of the hard water stains that are likely to set. We are not people who spend a lot of effort cleaning, and we found a ceramic tile that has a good color match to Bottocino, so that is what we will use.

Mindstorm,

I had one sample of quartz that I could make scratches in with my fingernail.

My favorite granite is so soft you can scratch it and pull pieces off.

The durability of granite and quartz vary widely.