I got samples of soapstone when we were deciding what countertops to get. My favorite one looked just like your light gray with dramatic veins. But, the testing I did on the sample with mustards, oils, etc. made me decide that variety was not for me. I still wanted soapstone, but couldn't afford it at the $120 sf installed price here in St. Louis. And they only had one variety. We ended up with Black Pearl granite which I like and it's been easy maintenance. We went to a remnant sale in April and they had one slab of a harder variety soapstone that we bought for our island countertop at a fraction of the price. It'll be installed in two weeks. I sure hope I like it. If not, at least I didn't pay $120 sf. :-) Too bad you can't reuse it in some way; i.e., table top, fireplace surround. If not, clean it up and sell it.

Thanx everyone for your feedback. A service tech is coming out to take a look. I agree that it definitely needs more filler in spots to even out the surface and fill in gaps. There are also some chips right at the seam edge that I'm hoping can be filled in as well. And snookums2, your comment about 'the seam is a little lighter' hit the nail on the head. When I look at the seam from a distance, it's the color of the seam that stands out. It didn't even occur to me that it was the color of the seam that was the problem! I will ask the service tech if maybe they can custom mix a better matched color. I was under the impression that filler is always custom made to match the countertop color as closely as possible. Thanx again everyone!

Oldryer and Darbuka's stories, taken together, outline the problem in an effective way. As Oldryder says, this is a long-known problem with a long-known solution. There's no reason good shops and smart bosses aren't doing this. But as Darkbuka - and the article - point out, there are plenty of cases where the proper care is not being taken, and it's killing workers. One good outcome here is that consumers and KDs and everyone can be more alert about the problem, and try to work with people that are not subjecting their employees to dangerous conditions. And major props to Oldryder and Dave Scott (in the NPR interview) who are doing it right. We need more of that! These guys are leaders in the industry, and this is one of many reasons why.

“He forgot to mention granite needs to be sealed, repeatedly.” This comment indicates a lack of knowledge. I mentioned above that I have 3 different granites in 3 kitchens over about a 25-year period. I never sealed any of them. In 25 years. They looked brand new all the time. There are a thousand granites, and a person cannot make a statement like the above comment as if all the thousand behave the same. Many granites do not need sealing ever. Many granites need sealing once a year, a 5-minute process. There are a handful that need sealing several times a year, and they behave more like marble, with Kashmir White and its relatives being the most known of this type. Like any choice in your kitchen - cabinets, appliances, fixtures, flooring - a homeowner needs to do a little research before plunking down their money. As Belaria mentioned, the OP should narrow down her choices, and then do research on those choices’ maintenance needs. My granites’ only maintenance in 25 years has been to clean with some dish soap and wipe dry. A choice between Quartz and granite counters really boils down to an aesthetic one. They look and feel entirely different, and each material has a myriad of colors and patterns. You said you don’t like a busy pattern - while there are a number of granites that have little or no pattern, most do have colors and patterns. The Quartz choices definitely have many more patternless offerings, and so you should focus there.