A practical comparison of quartz and granite worktops — looks, maintenance, heat resistance and cost — to help you choose the right surface.
Quartz is engineered stone: around 93% natural quartz bound with resin, giving a non-porous surface that never needs sealing and comes in consistent, predictable colours. Granite is 100% natural stone, quarried in slabs, so every piece is unique and it shrugs off heat better than almost anything. Neither is “better” — they suit different priorities, and we fit both from our Sheffield workshop.
If you want a specific, even colour — a clean white, a consistent grey, a fleck-free black — quartz delivers it reliably because it's manufactured. If you want the depth, movement and one-of-a-kind veining that only nature produces, granite gives you a worktop no one else has. With granite, always ask to see the actual slab before you commit, because two slabs of the “same” granite can look quite different.
Quartz wins here for most people. It's non-porous, so it doesn't stain and never needs sealing — a wipe with soapy water is all it asks. Granite is porous and should be sealed on installation and re-sealed periodically; done properly it's still very low-maintenance, but it's not zero-maintenance the way quartz is.
Granite is the more heat-tolerant of the two — you can take a hot pan straight onto sealed granite far more safely than onto quartz, whose resin can scorch or discolour under direct high heat. Both are hard and scratch-resistant in normal use; we'd always recommend a board and a trivet whatever you choose.
The two overlap heavily. Entry-level quartz and entry-level granite sit in a similar bracket; premium designs in either can cost considerably more. The material is only part of the price — kitchen size, number of joins, cut-outs and edge profile all matter. The only way to know is a measured quote.
Choose quartz if you want a specific consistent colour and the lowest possible upkeep. Choose granite if you love natural stone character and want maximum heat resistance. If you're still unsure, tell us how you use your kitchen and we'll point you the right way — no hard sell.
Thinking about new worktops? We supply and fit quartz, granite and marble from our Sheffield workshop, across South Yorkshire and UK-wide. Get a free quote or call 0114 278 8525.
Send a photo of your kitchen on WhatsApp and we'll price it up.