We have a light Caesarstone countertop. No staining. No etching. No heat problems. Now, on heat, anything above 350F, I use trivets or mats to protect not only the material from thermal shock, but to protect people from getting burned after the hot pan is moved off the stone. This goes for any material granite, tile, quartz that can retain heat. I also avoid contact to avoid anything I can't see well on the countertop surface from sticking onto and reacting w/ the underside of the very hot pan. Also, the MFG says it can handle "brief periods" of heat up to 350F. Above that, it runs the risk of damage - either from scorch marks or perhaps cracking. I have never seen or heard of thermal damage yet. On staining, even on wine, curry, or saffron sitting overnight. One time I did spill methyl blue indicator dye (very aggressive staining agent, used in chemistry) - I'd say a whole ounce or so. It really had me scared at first as it didn't just wipe up like everything else - it spread and penetrated deeply. To my relief, I did manage to buff it out with damp paper towels after 4-5 minutes. Had it been anything else - granite, marble, tile grout - it think it would have permanently stained, even if sealed. Caesarstone, or any quartz material similar, is really a great material .

"Natural quartz is an extremely hard and dense material that can usually deal with high temperatures and pressures without damage. The surface of natural quarried quartz can be incredibly smooth, making it highly desirable for countertop use. Quartz is also just as strong as both granite and marble due to its tough internal structure. It is also far less porous than both of these surfaces, meaning less fear of stains permanently damaging the surface." Here is a link that might be useful: Info on Quartzite Countertops

It's my understanding that once you pick out your slabs, then they are "fabricated" and during the fabrication process the slabs are polished (smoothed out). So I would think either brand should come out smooth, but lets not assume anything. You should call and ask just to be sure. I have a white HanStone counter and it's perfectly smooth.

I don't think its negative, its just the facts about a product. Would you rather be an educated consumer or a bonehead that believes anything they tell you? Its no different than the drugs that are supposed to help with ABC but they very conveniently forget to tell you that there is DEFGHIJK side effects. Or you go to buy a smart phone and the monthly price they told you was just for the line and not the data part of it. Same deal. When I started shopping I knew NOTHING. All I knew was formica and tile because thats all we ever had because you could do it yourself. All these places were throwing all these terms around - solid surface, quartz, natural stone. Each had its hype "this is the best", "you don't want that, its old", "this is indestructable", "its impervious to staining", "you can't chip it or crack it", "you can put hot pots on it", on and on. Than you start to read, there is no best, no its not old, no its not indestructible, yes it does stain, chip and crack and oh yeah you can't put hot pots on ANY of it (not that we do that). I work hard for my money and I want to know exactly what I am buying. We are not talking $1.95 for this stuff. They are all in the thousands.