Real is IMO always the best choice so no quartz and I also do not like leathering or hones real stone . A polished real stone is close to bulltet proof.

I've been stone shopping recently too. As does Patricia, I much prefer real stone to the fake stuff. However, I really like certain stones to be honed. I know in some instances much of this is all personal preference, but in certain situations honed is a better solution for durability or lack of etching. I too looked at a leathered quartzite. How much true texture does this leathering have? I started to think about trying to roll out cookie dough or a pie crust on a leathered finish and decided it would be problematic since the leathered quartzite I was thinking about wasn't perfectly smooth.

The quartzite is beautiful. The quartz is…just quartz. I’m not sure how leathered quartzite feels to the touch, however; I’d certainly want something that feels good to me. For rolling dough, etc you can use a large cutting board if needed.

julieste, in the Quartzite, you can feel the leathering in the veins, but I don't think it's enough to be too problematic for dough... and as chinacatpeekin said, if needed I can use a cutting board or cookie sheet.

My biggest concern with the Quartzite is staining. I tried to do the glass test on site, but all of the edges are sealed and since this is a clearance slab, they don't have any samples of the material I can take to do a srcatch, etch, or stain test.

Their refund policy seems good. I was told if I purchase it and decide I want something else, I can put the full amount toward another slab or get a refund minus a $25 restocking fee.

The Quartzite wins for me, with absolutely no hesitation.

The quartzite is gorgeous! It’s hands down the most beautiful option.

Go for the real stone.

Another vote for the real stone it’s really interesting and would be great.

I think the Quartzite wins. I have purchased this slab. Now I'm on the hunt for fabricators.

You are lucky to be able to just purchase the slab yourself. Where I am stone yards only sell to fabricators.

If you rummage around here just a bit, you'll quickly find out how "bulletproof" (not) many quartzites are. Natural, but completely unsuitable for countertops.

Real stone is overrated IMO. It has man-made processes applied to it to make it suitable for residential kitchens, as well as sealers, so being more ‘real’ is just marketing in my book, particularly for a surface you’re going to be cooking and eating off of.

A sterile man-made product that is easy to clean makes more sense in a kitchen environment to me personally, which is why we chose white solid surface for our remodel. Our second choice was white quartz. It’s easy to tell if it’s clean and maintenance is a breeze.

There are many many threads here on quartzite getting water ‘stains’ around the sink, seems, and stove, issues with sealing, issues with food stains and etching, poultices being applied, etc. The pale colors can be unforgiving. I personally think real stone is not a great choice for residential kitchen applications, at least not for working kitchens in the suburbs. In kitchens that see limited use where it’s all for show, or in old traditional working kitchens that utilize marble and embrace the patina, I can see the appeal more.