Quartz Vs Granite Countertops Consumer Reports
Quartz is also among the top rated countertop materials in consumer reports tests.
Quartz vs granite countertops consumer reports. Quartz can be damaged by excessive heat so use heating pads at all times. However when considering quartz vs granite countertops it s important to note that quartz is better in terms of its resistance to acidic foods and staining which are an integral part of life in the kitchen. Granite has long reigned as the top countertop choice but as chameleons go quartz is impressive. Quartz is a manufactured composite that replicates the look of stone and is growing in popularity.
Quartz is actually harder than granite and thus more durable. Consumer reports tested more than a dozen popular types of countertops to see how well they resisted stains heat. Both countertop materials are overwhelmingly made of natural materials but granite countertops come out slightly ahead since they are made from 100 percent stone while quartz is roughly 93 percent natural materials with the remainder comprised of color pigments and polymer resins that bond the materials together. The man made stone offers an increasingly realistic look mimicking materials such as marble.
Combine those qualities with granite fatigue and you can see why quartz is gaining in popularity. Or you could easily spend 10 times that on quartz granite or recycled glass. In fact quartz is nearly indestructible and because it isn t porous like granite it s easy to keep your countertops relatively bacteria free. With certain substances including beet juice and food coloring quartz fares better in this area earning a rating in this cr test that s 2 3 points higher out of 100 than granite s.
Consumer reports tested the stain resistance of quartz and granite countertops and found quartz to be a bit better. Quartz and quartzite are two separate materials with some key distinctions.