Countertop

Hi M.. I personally do not have granite but we did just get corian. I believe it is made by Dupont and I love it. I think it's beautiful. The sink is a part of the countertop and there are no seams for crumbs etc to get lost in. And it was les expesive then granite.

Hi M.,
I went through the same dilemma when putting the upgrades in our brand new townhouse five years ago. Based on my experience, I think there are two thinks you should ponder when going for granite, Corian or any other counter top material. First, maintenance. And second, cost. Granite is a beautiful material and this is the only pro I see in it. The cons are: it is expensive, it react to acid food like tomatoes and citric food, and you have to seal it every certain time. Therefore, I' did not go for it. Corian is a Dupont product that resists high temperatures. For instance, is you put a hot pot on it for a some time, it will not leave a burning mark. Likewise, it will not stain with acid or citric food. Unlike granite. It is easy to maintain, and you do not have to seal it. On the other hand, I'd consider to go for formica. I went for one that is an upgrade of it. It is not as pretty as granite and maybe resistant as Corian, but it looks great when you have other things in the kitchen that enhance the appearance of the whole picture. I did ponder my expenses and invest in a great coffee machine and other appliances, instead. Do not regret having done it so. Everyone who has been in my house loves the counter top because it matches the dark cherry cabinets and contrast with the stainless steal appliances.It does not even look like formica. So, I hope my advice works for your decision.

I love my granite countertop but I like my friend's countertop even more. We have a black granite with browns. My friend has a white with gray and brown. You can't ruin it with hot pots or knives or anything, in other words it is husband proof. The lighter variation means it never looks smudgie. The black tends to show water marks just like black cars.

I don't personally have granite, but I've heard/read that granite countertops can be a source of radon. You may want to look into that to find out how true it is, if there are only certain types that do it, and at what levels the radon comes off. There are some beautiful concrete countertop options as well as the synthetic types (Corian).

J.

I have to disagree with the other posts. We also recently upgraded our kitchen, and we received estimates for granite and for solid surface (corian). We were surprised to see the estimate for granite actually came back slightly less than for solid surface. Upon our research, we found many people who have had trouble with solid surface especially because it scratches easily. Granite is actually more durable. We have spilled orange juice and tomato sauce, neither of which have left any stains. You can also put a hot pot on granite as well. You do have to seal the granite, but only once per year or less depending upon the type of sealant you use. We also took into consideration the fact that granite is much more valuable from a re-sell standpoint. This investment will be returned when we eventually sell our house. Personally, I have been very happy with our granite and highly recommend it. Make sure you get estimates from several places to compare costs when you are looking!

Hi M.,

We had new countertops installed last November. Corian has gone "off trademark" so you can now buy "generic" Corian. It is called "Meganite." WE LOVE IT!!!!!

If you're staying in your house forever, granite might be worth it, but as I understand it, it can crack/chip more easily than you might think. I've also seen granite pick up water and other stains. The meganite/corian is soooo easy and maintenance free. Worth every penny!

Good luck!