cloud_swift, I remember your gorgeous counter photos! Thank you for your always clear explanations. I admit I was not thinking of quartzite when the OP mentioned quartz. You are quite right that blue quartzite (quartz is rated harder than granite, I believe?) has no issues with etching and staining as the softer blue granites do. Again, that points up the weakness in the stone industry. The names aren't consistent, and neither is the quality of the stone itself (no matter what type) nor the installers. It remains a "cottage industry" in many respects, which is why YMMV, as reported in many a discussion thread here. I think it's great that we have so many choices these days, even if it does drive one slightly crazy!

Mechanical support with sink support brackets, or some other custom metal support underneath, screwed into the wood sides, and not screwed into the countertop material anywhere. Then, the counter is not affected ever by any future adjustments happening underneath it. 2cm quartz doesn't need plywood underlay. You prefer flexibility and would like a sink installation that could be removed "without destroying the counter" and I guess that means also without cutting into the wood sides at all, not even to make room for a sink that might need a bit of shaving the wood down. Then, 28" width will be just right, and at that size, installing brackets only onto the sides will be a small challenge for whoeever does it. It IS a big sink already at 28", so you won't gain much by looking for a special sink one inch wider, and not at that price level. A wider sink would require the lip on one side to rest on a cabinet side, and then you have a small challenge putting spacers onto the other cabinet sides to match and raising your counter slightly. Not a lot gained.

My kids are 6, 4, and 2 and we opted to have quartzite countertops installed. I know a lot of people with young children who have quartz or granite countertops and they all seem to be doing fine, but i also understand the other POV that it’s crazy to spend a lot of money on something that the kids are going to beat up anyway.... but I’m not willing to wait 15 years to have a kitchen that i love. As an aside, my grandmother has always had a beautiful house. She favors very fancy decor with a lot of antiques, but was never fussy with her home and it was very well used. With 14 grandchildren and now 4 greats, she has always felt that the reason to make a house beautiful is for the people you love to enjoy it.... and I agree!!!!!

It sounds like it's the same make up like quartz. Not really sure what the diff is. Maybe they use diff blends of rock instead of the quartz alone? What is a composite granite countertop? Not to be confused with solid granite, granite composite is an engineered blend of crushed quartz, stone dust, and acrylic resins. The result is a highly durable, low-maintenance, stone-like material that is much lighter than solid granite, but still fit for the challenge of handling your everyday demands. Composite granite is manufactured with 95% natural stone and 5% resin. Resistant to heat and scratches, composite granite is incredibly durable and nearly indestructible. As it is non-porous, it does not require sealing for maintenance. ** the mix percentage is about the same, but know it's by weight. they don't actually use 95% natural stone. ** Sounds exactly like Quartz countertops. What is the price on these 'composite granite' countertops? If they are more than quartz, I wouldn't spend the extra. With the quartz countertops, you get a lot more options and designs.