Quartz vs granite vs marble vs porcelain
Twenty years of templating and fitting all four materials has taught us exactly where each one shines — and where it doesn't. Here's the truth, plus how to look after whichever you choose.
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- Written by fitters
- Aftercare included
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At a glance
| Quartz | Granite | Marble | Porcelain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat resistance | Good (use trivets) | Excellent | Good | Excellent |
| Stain resistance | Excellent | Good (when sealed) | Fair | Excellent |
| UV / outdoor use | No | Yes | Not advised | Yes |
| Maintenance | None | Seal every 1–2 yrs | Seal every 6–12 months | None |
| Scratch resistance | Very good | Excellent | Fair | Excellent |
Quartz
Best for: Busy family kitchens that need to look perfect with minimal fuss.
The good
- Non-porous — never needs sealing and resists staining from wine, coffee and oils
- Extremely consistent colours and patterns, so what you see is what you get
- Very hard-wearing against scratches, chips and everyday knocks
- Hygienic surface that bacteria can't penetrate — just wipe clean
- Huge choice of colours across Classic Quartz, Caesarstone and Silestone
The honest drawbacks
- Not fully heatproof — very hot pans straight from the hob can scorch the resin, so use trivets
- Not suitable for outdoor kitchens — prolonged UV can fade or yellow the resin
- Veined marble-look designs are printed, so purists may prefer the real thing
Aftercare — how to keep quartz looking new
Daily cleaning
Warm water, a drop of washing-up liquid and a soft cloth. Dry with a microfibre cloth to avoid water marks on polished finishes.
Stubborn marks
Use a non-abrasive cream cleaner or a little isopropyl alcohol. Avoid bleach, oven cleaner and anything highly acidic or alkaline.
Heat protection
Always use trivets or heat mats under hot pans, air fryers and slow cookers — thermal shock is the one thing quartz can't shrug off.
No sealing, ever
Unlike natural stone, quartz never needs sealing. That's the whole point — enjoy it.
Granite
Best for: Cooks who want a natural worktop that can take serious heat and daily abuse.
The good
- Genuinely heat resistant — hot pans are far less of a worry than with quartz
- Every slab is unique, with natural movement and depth no factory can copy
- Extremely scratch and chip resistant — one of the hardest worktop materials
- Adds real value and character to a kitchen; timeless rather than trend-led
- Suitable for outdoor kitchens in the UK climate
The honest drawbacks
- Porous — needs sealing on installation and re-sealing every year or two
- Natural variation means the fitted worktop won't exactly match a small sample
- Lighter granites can stain if oil or wine sits unsealed for long periods
- Heavy — units must be solid and level before installation
Aftercare — how to keep granite looking new
Sealing
Re-seal every 12–24 months. The water-drop test tells you when: if water stops beading and darkens the stone, it's time. We can re-seal for you.
Daily cleaning
Warm water and mild washing-up liquid, or a pH-neutral stone cleaner. Wipe spills — especially oils, wine and citrus — promptly.
What to avoid
No vinegar, lemon juice, bleach or abrasive pads — they strip the sealer and can dull the polish.
Heat
Granite copes well with heat, but trivets are still good habits — sudden extreme temperature changes can stress any stone.
Marble
Best for: Statement islands, baking stations and homes where patina is part of the charm.
The good
- The most beautiful natural veining available — nothing else looks like real marble
- Naturally cool surface, prized by bakers for pastry and chocolate work
- Adds unmistakable luxury and prestige to any kitchen
- Can be re-polished and refinished decades later to look new again
The honest drawbacks
- Soft and porous — etches from acids (lemon, vinegar, wine) and scratches more easily
- Stains if spills aren't wiped quickly, even when sealed
- Highest maintenance of all worktop materials — it rewards care, punishes neglect
- Premium pricing, and it will develop a lived-in patina whether you like it or not
Aftercare — how to keep marble looking new
Seal regularly
Seal on installation and every 6–12 months depending on use. High-use kitchens lean toward the shorter interval.
Wipe acids immediately
Lemon juice, vinegar, wine and tomato will etch the surface within minutes. Blot — don't wipe — and clean with pH-neutral stone soap.
Protection habits
Chopping boards, coasters and trivets always. Marble is a material you work with, not on.
Living with etching
Light etch marks are part of marble's story. If you want it perfect again, professional re-polishing restores it — ask us about our repair service.
Porcelain & Dekton
Best for: Indoor-outdoor kitchens, waterfall islands and anyone who wants zero maintenance.
The good
- Virtually indestructible — the highest heat, scratch and stain resistance of any worktop
- UV stable, so it can run from your indoor kitchen straight onto the patio without fading
- Completely non-porous — never seals, never stains, nothing penetrates it
- Ultra-thin profiles (12mm+) and huge slab sizes for sleek, minimal designs
- Hygienic and food-safe with almost no maintenance at all
The honest drawbacks
- Edges are the weak point — a heavy knock on a corner can chip it, and repairs are harder to hide
- The pattern is on the surface only, so edge profiles show the body colour unless mitred
- Demands specialist fabrication — fewer workshops can cut it properly (we can)
- Premium pricing, comparable to high-end quartz
Aftercare — how to keep porcelain & dekton looking new
Daily cleaning
The easiest surface to live with: warm water and a cloth, or any household multi-surface cleaner. Nothing needs to be avoided.
Tough stains
Even dried-on limescale, rust or marker comes off with a cream cleaner or descaler — porcelain's surface is chemically inert.
Mind the edges
The surface is nearly impossible to damage, but don't swing heavy pans or cast iron into exposed edges and corners.
No sealing, no fading
Indoors or outdoors, it will look the same in 25 years as the day we fit it.
Tell us how you use your kitchen — we'll tell you the right material
Send us a message with a photo of your kitchen and we'll give you a straight answer and a free quote, with warranties up to 25 years on installation.