layout and cabinetry options nailed down yet? Price points w counters get so elevated and so much available, I would want my budgeted funds known : at least ball park.

Do you prefer the beauty of nature, with swirls of color and various inclusions...then pick a granite or quartzite. If you prefer the uniformity of plastic and quartz dust (engineered stone)...then get quartz.

Choose ONE element in your kitchen that you absolutely love. Then choose everything else to compliment that one element. I see too many kitchens on here where people choose the counters they love, the backsplash they love and the flooring they love but together it is a mishmash disaster. Keep it simple.

I am not a designer, but I will say how I found the countertop I love. We did a renovation of our kitchen, but kept the natural cherry cabinets. I had settle on looking for the whitest, least active granite I could find to go with a marble backsplash. I went to several granite warehouses to look at slabs and found several slabs that fit my criteria, but there was a steel gray slab with a leathered texture (not at all my design) that I just couldn’t get out of my mind. I loved the feel of it, the look of it. They even had a display with marble backsplash and it looked nice. I went with my gut and have been happy with the counter for years.

So maybe just wander a stone warehouse and see if you really love something?

Good luck!

Quartz is nearly indestructible, it’s naturally bacteria free and easy to maintain. It’s harder than granite and more durable. Granite, on the other hand is porous, stains easily and requires diligent upkeep. It requires regular resealing in order to look good.
Quartzite is harder than Granite and Quartz but less dense than Quartz so it will stain and chip easier than Quartz. Quartz and Quartzite tend to be more expensive than Granite. Quartz is an engineered countertop, whereas Granite and Quartzite are naturally occurring rocks. All are beautiful in my opinion, it’s wrong to say one is more beautiful than another, beauty is subjective. It depends on the look you prefer as well as your comfort level with maintenance and your budget.

I've had granite for over 20 years in 3 different houses and just got it again in my new build. I love the natural beauty of it, I love the variations in the stone and that every time I look at it, I notice some new cool inclusion or feature that I hadn't noticed before. I currently have Lennon granite and LOVE this particular stone.

I can also tell you that I am NOT one for high-maintenance products. In direct contradiction to a previous poster, I will say that I find granite to be pretty bullet-proof. I've never had a stain, and have only re-sealed one kitchen one time. Others have gone years and years and years without needing anything. A quick 15 min water test will tell you when it's time, and by the way, resealing is literally just wiping a particular solution over it. It's no different than spraying down your counters and wiping them off as you do every day, except it's a different product. It couldn't possibly be easier and is not time consuming at all, if it's even necessary.

Start with your budget. Do you have the 30K budget for the 3 slabs of premium honey onyx that you fall in love with? The 15K of a premium quartz with veining? The 9K of a lesser quartz? The 6K for a knockoff brand quartz? The 4K for a basic granite? The 3K for an upgraded laminate? Don’t fall in love with something that will break your heart and your wallet.

Start with function and budget, and then move on to aesthetics. Once you know what type of counter will work best for your family, and what material you can afford, you will have a lot to choose from.

Search for posts by @karin_mt. She knows her stones! And she has written some great posts on Houzz and elsewhere. Here's one I saved: How To Be Your Own Stone Sleuth And here's one that's here on Houzz, it's part 5 of a series and the first four are linked in this post (not sure if there's a part 6 or more): Countertop Geology Part 5

Choose ONE element in your kitchen that you absolutely love. Then choose everything else to compliment that one element.

Agreed.

For my husband and me, we are drawn to dark cabinetry, so that's where we start. From there, we pick counters and flooring. Backsplash is last for us. :-)

@kiffkat...please stop disseminating false information.

Quartz countertops are not “nearly indestructible“...nor is it “harder than granite.” Ever seen the multitude of threads here, bemoaning their scorched quartz counters? Or, people who have used quartz as a backsplash behind the stove/cooktop, only to find them discolored from the heat? Why haven’t we seen posts like that about granite? Because granite is not made with plastic, like engineered stone, I.e., quartz. Granite will not melt or scorch from heat. It can suffer thermal shock, but then so will any stone countertop material...except for soapstone.

If quartz counters were made solely of quartz, yes, it would be nearly as hard as granite. But, they’re not. Quartz counters are an engineered product, mixing quartz dust with plastic resins. The only material harder than granite, is a diamond.

Some granites are porous, but not all. Generally, the darker granites are not, and do not have to be sealed. “Granite is one of the most desired materials for countertops, but it is also a great material for other applications like public sculptures and fountains. Granite is ideal for outdoor stone pieces because it can handle the elements without showing wear or breakage. Granite fountains and statues can be left outside all winter long without having to be covered up like other more porous stone types.”

Some marbles are passed off as quartzite. Those will stain. A true quartzite will not stain, but it can still etch...though not all do.

@darbuka, every thing I’ve stated is a fact. You can easily look it up.

I did. You’re incorrect.

@darbuka I’m sorry that you couldn’t find the correct information. Goodbye and have a great day. 👋

Thank you for the clarification, @karin_mt! I was hoping you’d pipe in!

I got an email notification with the mention, which is very handy! Otherwise I may not have seen this. Hope the info I added is helpful.

karin_mt:

You saved me a lot of typin' girlfriend. Thanks.

"Quartz is nearly indestructible"

Except when you trap soap on it:

"It’s harder than granite"

My diamond saw blades disagree. A kinda-dull blade has no problem with engineered stone. My saw lets me know when the blades are too dull for natural stone.

Same thing drilling faucet holes.

There's a reason engineered stone can never be as glossy as natural stone. Resin doesn't polish as well.

“Granite, on the other hand is porous, stains easily and requires diligent upkeep. It requires regular resealing in order to look good.”

@kiffkat’s statements show she is ignorant. While there are a few granites that are porous, most are not. Some need to be sealed once a year—which takes 5 minutes. Some granites are so dense they don‘t need sealing at all, ever. I have granite counters I have never sealed, and I have not been careful with them, leaving spilled coffee, spaghetti sauce, and the like. They still look like the day they were installed.

The choice between granite or Quartz is solely an aesthetic one. Which look you prefer is the one you should choose. As to the third option the OP mentioned of quartzite, that is often limited by budget, as quartzite and its fabrication are more expensive than granite or Quartz. Furthermore, quartzite can be mislabeled, but really be marble. So the buyer needs to be more careful about researching her choice when looking at quartzite.