Kitchen Worktop Buying Guide

Laminate is a cost-effective, versatile worktop material. With a choice of finishes that mimic real stone and wood, it’s easy to find a worktop that matches your colour scheme and style. Laminate is easy to clean, durable, and budget-friendly. Though it is hard-wearing, laminate is not heat-proof, so ensure you use a trivet or pot stand to put down your hot pans and oven trays.

Timber worktops offer warmth that pairs just as well with traditional as contemporary kitchen designs. Cheaper than granite but more expensive than laminate, timber is a hard-wearing, solid worktop material that improves with age. Choose solid oak worktops with Shaker-style cabinets for a rustic look that combines sophisticated style with durability. To maintain its condition, timber worktops require sealing twice a year.

Corian is a blend of natural quartz minerals and acrylic polymers that combine to create an ultra-compact worktop material. With options to suit a variety of styles, Corian comes in a range of colours and patterns that mimic real stone. This hardwearing worktop material is non-porous, making it easy to clean, as well as heat and scratch-resistant. Cut from a single piece, Corian is entirely seamless. 

Quartz countertops are made from 90-95% crushed natural quartz crystals mixed with resins and pigments. Like Corian, it’s designed to mimic natural stone and marble in a wide range of colours and patterns. These ultra-compact work surfaces are easy to clean with natural antibacterial properties. Quartz is a premium worktop material with a price tag to match, but it’s also tough enough to withstand heavy use, as well as being naturally stain-resistant and heat-proof. 

Ceramic worktops have a glossy or clay-like texture that suits modern kitchen designs. An ultra-compact stone, ceramic rivals quartz in strength and durability. Resilient enough to withstand stains and scratches, it can also cope with extreme heat. Ceramic worktops are considered an affordable alternative to marble and porcelain, though they are still at the pricier end of the scale.  

Granite is a classic luxury worktop material with unique colouring well-suited to high-end kitchen design. A naturally strong material, granite is heat-resistant, hard-wearing and easy to clean. A wipe with a damp cloth is all that’s required to keep it looking pristine; although this compact stone material will need resealing every two years.