I think it would be best to get samples of the materials you are considering and test them to see if they stain with the spices, etc you use in cooking.

Quartz is definitely better for stain resistance especially to oils. The quarts will not absorb anything, granite is also pretty impervious but it will absorb oils. The other difference is that granite is becoming a dated look if that matters to you. Quartz is available in many interesting styles to meet all decor styles, but in many cases it is more expensive than granite.

There is a really big variation in granites. (In fact the stone slabs sold as granite often are not truly granite.). I don't think oil would have any impact on blue pearl for example. Certainly never did on the blue pearl granite we had. Blue pearl is quite dark though. I really suggest just testing samples of the materials you are interested in.

Given all the colorful spices, plus the oils, I think you would be better off with quartz, especially since you want a light color. Generally the darker the granite the harder -- and therefore easier to maintain. Quartz is pretty impervious no matter the color. If you want something that mimics natural stone, check out Cambria's Waterstone series. Good luck!

I did a turmeric test on 5 light coloured ceaserstone samples. The only one that had a slight mark after wiping with a towel and water was Organic White - and that came off with Method Granite cleaner.

I love Indian cuisine and prepare a fair number of dishes using all kinds of curries and spices. My Cambria quartz countertop (torquay) cleans up beautifully after exposure to the usual orange, red and brown offenders: turmeric, cayenne pepper, saffron, etc., and anything else I spill, drip or leave on it for an extended period of time. I have no experience with granite.

One of our friends who's Indian had installed Kashmir White granite in their kitchen. In a few years even after sealing the granite, there were very noticeable oil and other stains on the countertop, especially near the cooktop. After trying hard to remove the stains, they finally took out the countertop and recently installed quartz.

I tested Kashmir White after DH and I fell in love with a gorgeous slab of it at the stone yard. We were so disappointed when large, dark stains immediately appeared under each test puddle (vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, red wine and more) on my unsealed sample. I researched it and learned that it's one of the more porous light stones. It would need to be sealed regularly, as in every 6 months instead of annually. That ruled it out for us.

I did the same tests on an unsealed sample of Bianco Romano and let them sit for more than 30 minutes. Everything cleaned up without a problem.That is our island counter.

Our perimeter counters are Steel Gray (aka Silver Pearl), which is a very dense stone that passed the tests with flying colors.

As crl posted above, there is quite a bit of variability when it comes to how stain resistance a stone is. If you find one you like, get a sample and test it. Test the heck out of it. And do the same for quartz products.

sashaasha:

At least as important as your selection of material is the detailing of your kitchen. I see far too many raised bar backsplashes too close to cooking appliances. The person designing your kitchen cannot do so properly without the appliance manufacturer's installation instructions available.

If you're worried about staining, get a solid surface or sintered top, not natural stone.

Have you looked at Taj Mahal quartzite? It is light in color and indestructible.

perky_2:

Set some toilet bowl cleaner on "indestructible" Taj Mahal quartzite overnight and I'll bet it will look just like this granite:

Joseph Corlett, LLC

Well, I haven't had a need for toilet bowl cleaner in the kitchen yet but now I am curious - I will test it on a sample tonight and let you know how that works out!

That is so sad for the owner.

Treb, what counter material would stand up to toilet bowl cleaner?

Joseph Corlett - please note that there are some granites than have extremely low absorption rates and therefore will not stain. My granite counters have been in place for 10 years, and look like the day they were installed. I have used spices like turmeric on the counters, spilled lemon juice, wine, tomato sauce, and nothing shows. In fact, I was cleaning silver the other day, and spilled silver polish (an abrasive) on the counter, didn't notice, and it stayed there for several hours. Wiped up, counter showed nothing, because it did not absorb.

While there are many stone counters that will show stains, it would be ignorant and misleading to say that all the thousands of granites are that way.

As Crl_ said, I would like to see what happens to your favorite solid surface counters when toilet bowl cleaner is left on them. I once left a bit of mustard on my mother's Corian counter; I think she still hasn't forgiven me.

If the OP is interested in granite, s/he should go to a stone yard, and ask the people there which granites have low absorption rates, and then bring home samples of those and test them with home spices to see what happens.

Nothing will stand up to hydrochloric acid. Except maybe soapstone. Toilet bowl cleaner needs to be banned from your arsenal in favor of good old fashioned elbow grease.

"Treb, what counter material would stand up to toilet bowl cleaner?"

Any of the new sintered surfaces (Neolith, Dekton) aren't affected. I've had battery acid vapors lightly etch Corian. I doubt toilet bowl cleaner would have much affect on solid surface that couldn't be removed, unlike natural stone.

I'm not knocking granite. I just get tired of adjectives like "bulletproof" and "indestructible" tossed about so casually.

My light colored quartz is three years old and nothing has stained it.

I've tested light quartz samples with multiple kitchen products; i.e., mustard, Tobasco sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, etc., and on my samples the mustard was the greatest offender. Took a scrubby to get the stain out.

Joseph Corlett, LLC

I should have clarified - the Taj Mahal has not been altered by any items typically used in a kitchen, including very hot pots, mustard, Tobasco sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, red wine, lemons, red sauce, etc..

You don't want to use any type of abrasive on quartz. Read the FAQs to see what the manufacturer recommends for stains. But I'm sure I've gotten mustard and yellow curry on my quartz. I've never had to do anything but wipe it with a wet sponge.

Joseph Corlett, LLC

UPDATE - I did put Lysol liquid toilet bowl cleaner on my sample Taj Mahal for a full night - wiped it off and NOTHING! It did not stain, etch, or change the stone at all.

perky_2:

Of course it didn't. Lysol toilet bowl cleaner contains no hydrochloric acid, unlike Zep.

Good thing you're testing on your sample.