The best stone for kitchen countertops depends on your desires and situation. If appearance is your primary concern, quartz may be the best option. Quartz is a manufactured stone countertop made up of around 93% stone chips and 7% resins and binders. This means that you can create the specific countertop color, veins, and flow that you have in mind for your kitchen or bathroom. As opposed to other natural stones like granite or marble that are limited to what is naturally occurring and thus come in whatever style or look when it was mined.

If low maintenance is your primary concern, quartz is more popular than granite. Granite is a porous stone and as such, needs to be resealed regularly every year. Quartz on the other hand, is non-porous, so it requires no sealing and needs only be wiped off with a little soap and water to clean it. It is stain resistant, heat resistant, chip and scratch resistant. (That said, it’s still a good idea to use trivets or hot pads for hot pans and to cut on a cutting board rather than directly on the counter itself.)

In terms of return on investment, where you are considering selling quickly after the work is completed on your new countertops, both can be a good option. You want to see the standard for similar houses in your market, perhaps even consulting your realtor. Granite has boomed in popularity, making it appear less luxurious than it once did. As a result, quality quartz countertops can easily set your home above the competition in the market.