There are so many counter materials out there. I would recommend doing some searches on this site (use the search box at the bottom of the forum) and in general on the Internet. As billl mentioned, there are numerous varieties of granite and several finishes (polished, honed, flamed, etc). So saying "granite is common" is like saying "wood cabinets are common". Yes, they certainly are, but that doesn't mean that every application looks the same as the others. It's certainly ok to choose another material, but I wouldn't discount an entire material just because many people are aware of it or use it. Some other options might be the following. quartzite quartz (Silestone, Caesarstone, etc) glass composite (IceStone, etc) paper composite (Paperstone, etc) metal and resin (Alkemi, etc) stainless steel copper zinc solid surface (Corian, etc) soapstone slate marble wood

If granite really caused cancer, you'd hear it all over and not just from some guy at work! The many other options are lovely and you should consider everything before you decide what feels right. Luckily, you can see good examples of almost every kind of counter in the finished kitchens blog. You can also find out info about any surface by reading here and asking. Try the search function to see other threads like this. I am sure you will be busy reading for a while, lol...

There is no perfect countertop material! you can cut on it, put hot pots on it, etc Those two attributes tend to be mutually exclusive. But first, what do you mean by "can" -- as in "can cut on it" or "can put hot pots on it"? You can cut on granite, but you won't want to, as it will dull your knives. Can cut on it: Wood Can put hot pots on it: soapstone ceramic tile stainless steel lava$tone granite and concrete: Maybe; depends on sealer and if the heat does not crack the granite! You may consider using wood, but dying it black using india ink. There have been some nice examples here on GW. Here is a link that might be useful: India-ink-dyed countertops

@kel_kat5 - It is a mistake to think that Dayana’s situation is representative of granite counters. Most importantly, the Bahamas White granite she pictured looks like it’s in the family of the Imperial White or Kashmir granites, which is notorious for behaving more like marble and staining easily because it is more absorptive than other granites, I.e. porous. If one is looking for a granite with a white background, check out the granites in the family of Alaska White, White Springs, Bianco Delicatus, and Lennon, which are pretty bullet-proof. I’ve had different granites in different homes, and none even needed sealing, and were carefree, and we didn’t baby them. There are a thousand granites out there, and they should not all be lumped under the same umbrella. Quartz is a great choice if you want a more uniform appearance to your counters. There are stories on this forum of Quartz staining, scorching and chipping, and having resin pools. I actually think Quartz is a wonderful choice for counters. But get it for its appearance and beauty, not because you think it is more durable than granite.