Kitchen Worktops Compared: Quartz, Granite, Marble, Dekton, and More

Choosing a worktop material is one of the most consequential decisions in a kitchen project, and also one of the most confusing. The sheer number of options, the technical jargon, and the fact that prices can vary enormously for what appears to be the same product all make it harder than it needs to be.

This guide covers every major worktop material available in the UK, with honest assessments of each. No "it depends on your lifestyle" hedging. Just the facts.

Laminate

Cost: £40 to £100 per linear metre (supply and fit)

Laminate gets dismissed by kitchen showrooms because the margins are slim, but modern laminate worktops are dramatically better than they were ten years ago. High-pressure laminate (HPL) from brands like Duropal and Egger is tough, water-resistant, and available in convincing stone and timber effects.

The downsides are real, though. Laminate cannot be repaired easily if it chips or burns. Joints are visible. And it does not have the depth or tactile quality of stone or solid surface. But for a kitchen where the budget is better spent elsewhere, it is a perfectly good choice.

Solid Wood

Cost: £100 to £300 per linear metre (supply and fit)

Oak is the most common choice, followed by walnut, maple, and iroko. Solid wood looks and feels beautiful, and it develops a character over time that no engineered material can replicate.

The trade-off is maintenance. Wood needs oiling regularly (every three to six months for heavily used areas) and it will mark, stain, and develop patina. Hot pans and standing water are its enemies. Many people love the way a wooden worktop ages. Others find it stressful. Be honest with yourself about which camp you fall into before committing.

One practical note: most fabricators will recommend solid wood for breakfast bars and island tops, with a more resilient material around the sink and hob areas. This is sensible advice.

Quartz (Engineered Stone)

Cost: £250 to £500 per square metre (fabricated and fitted)

Quartz is the most popular premium worktop material in the UK and for good reason. It is engineered from natural quartz crystals bound with resin, which makes it non-porous, consistent in colour, and very hard-wearing. It does not need sealing and it cleans easily.

The big names are Silestone, Caesarstone, and Compac, but there are dozens of manufacturers. Quality does vary. Budget quartz can have visible resin patterns and feel plasticky. Mid-range and premium quartz looks substantially better.

What quartz cannot do is handle heat. Placing a hot pan directly on a quartz surface can cause thermal shock and cracking. Use trivets. Always. The resin content also means quartz will discolour in direct UV light over time, so it is not ideal for outdoor kitchens or surfaces next to large south-facing windows.

When getting a quote for quartz, pay attention to the thickness (20mm vs 30mm), the edge profile (a bullnose or waterfall edge costs more than a simple square edge), and whether the price includes cutouts for sinks and hobs. These details can easily add £500 to £1,000 to the total.

Granite

Cost: £250 to £550 per square metre (fabricated and fitted)

Granite was the default premium worktop for decades before quartz took over. It is natural stone, which means every slab is unique, with variation in colour, veining, and pattern. If you like that natural character, granite offers something quartz cannot.

It is extremely heat resistant (far more so than quartz) and very hard. It does need sealing, typically once a year, to maintain its stain resistance. Some colours and varieties are more porous than others. Dark granites like Nero Assoluto are very dense and low maintenance. Lighter colours like Kashmir White need more attention.

One thing to be aware of: granite pricing varies hugely depending on the specific stone. A slab of Nero Assoluto might cost half as much as a slab of Blue Bahia. Ask your fabricator to quote on the exact stone you want, not just "granite."

Marble

Cost: £300 to £700 per square metre (fabricated and fitted)

Marble is beautiful. There is no getting around it. Carrara, Calacatta, Statuario: the veining and depth are genuinely stunning, and nothing else looks quite like it.

But marble is soft (relatively speaking) and porous. It will etch from acidic liquids like lemon juice, wine, and tomato sauce. It will stain if spills are not wiped up promptly. It scratches more easily than quartz or granite. And it requires regular sealing.

For some people, this patina is part of the appeal. A marble worktop that has been lived on for five years tells a story. For others, the first etch mark will cause genuine distress. If you are in the second group, marble is not for you, no matter how much you love the look. Consider a marble-effect quartz instead.

Dekton (Sintered Stone)

Cost: £350 to £600 per square metre (fabricated and fitted)

Dekton is a relatively new material made by Cosentino (who also make Silestone). It is produced using a process called sintering, which subjects a blend of raw materials to extreme heat and pressure. The result is a surface that is virtually non-porous, UV resistant, highly scratch resistant, and extremely heat resistant.

In practical terms, Dekton handles everything that quartz cannot. You can put hot pans on it. You can use it outdoors. It will not discolour in sunlight. It is also available in some very convincing natural stone effects, as well as more contemporary finishes.

The downsides: Dekton is brittle compared to quartz. Sharp impacts on edges or corners can cause chipping, and repairs are difficult. It also needs specialist fabrication, which limits your choice of fabricators and can affect lead times. Price-wise, it sits at the premium end.

Porcelain Slabs

Cost: £300 to £550 per square metre (fabricated and fitted)

Large-format porcelain slabs from brands like Sapien Stone, Laminam, and Neolith have become a serious worktop contender in recent years. The material is heat resistant, UV stable, scratch resistant, non-porous, and available in very thin profiles (as little as 6mm, though 12mm is more common for worktops).

The aesthetic range is impressive. Porcelain can replicate marble, concrete, wood, and metal convincingly, with a lightness that heavier stone cannot match. It is also lighter to install, which matters for large islands.

Like Dekton, porcelain can be brittle. Thin slabs in particular need careful handling and solid substrate support. And not every kitchen worktop fabricator works with porcelain, so you may need to find a specialist.

What fabricators do not always tell you

A few things worth knowing before you commit:

Templating is a separate cost. Most fabricators charge £150 to £300 for a site visit to laser-template your worktops. This is standard and necessary for a good fit.

Waste is built into the price. Natural stone slabs come in fixed sizes. If your layout is awkward, you may be paying for a larger slab than you need. Ask your fabricator how much of the slab will actually be used.

Joints are unavoidable on large kitchens. No material comes in infinite lengths. Where joints fall and how visible they are depends on the material, the colour, and the skill of the fabricator. Discuss joint placement early.

The edge profile matters. A simple pencil round or square edge is usually included in the price. Anything more elaborate (waterfall, mitred, ogee) adds to the cost and the fabrication time.

Which material should you choose?

If you want a practical, low-maintenance surface and do not want to think about it: quartz.

If you want natural character with good durability and you do not mind annual sealing: granite.

If you love the look and accept the imperfections: marble.

If you want the technical best and budget is secondary: Dekton.

If you want something modern, thin-profile, and heat-proof: porcelain.

If your budget is best spent elsewhere: laminate, without apology.

Getting worktop quotes? Our [Quote Analyser](/quote-analyser) includes a dedicated worktop comparison tool that checks pricing against UK averages by material, thickness, and region.