It is the question we are asked more than any other in the showroom. Both are superb. Neither is the right answer for everyone. Here is the honest, side by side comparison to help you decide.
Request a Free Quote Call 0191 258 1540Walk into our North Shields showroom and the two materials people weigh up against each other, again and again, are quartz and granite. Both are a world away from laminate. Both will outlast the kitchen they go into. And both look stunning fitted properly. So the real question is not which is best, but which is best for you.
The short version is this. Quartz is engineered, which makes it consistent, non porous and almost maintenance free, and it is the most popular choice across the North East. Granite is natural stone, so every slab is genuinely one of a kind and it handles heat better than anything else in the kitchen category. The right pick comes down to how you cook, the look you are after and how much upkeep you want to think about.
After two decades templating, fabricating and fitting both, here is how they really compare.
The quick comparison most people want before they get into the detail.
| Quartz | Granite | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Engineered stone (natural quartz bound with resin) | 100% natural stone, quarried in slabs |
| Appearance | Consistent, predictable, huge colour range | Unique every time, natural movement and depth |
| Heat resistance | Good, but use a trivet for hot pans | Excellent, takes a hot pan straight off the hob |
| Maintenance | Non porous, never needs sealing | Benefits from periodic sealing |
| Scratch resistance | Very high | Very high |
| Best for | Busy family kitchens, modern looks, low upkeep | Keen cooks, natural character, statement slabs |
Engineered from natural quartz crystals bound under pressure, quartz gives you the beauty of stone with none of the upkeep. It is the material we fit most often, and for good reason.
Non porous, so it never needs sealing and will not absorb wine, oil or juice. A wipe with soapy water is all it asks for.
From crisp whites and Calacatta veining to bold darks, the consistent colour range makes it easy to match a precise design vision.
The non porous surface gives bacteria nowhere to hide, and the material resists scratches and chips beautifully in daily use.
What you see on the sample is what you get on the worktop. Ideal when you want a uniform look across a large run or island.
The original kitchen worktop and still one of the best. Granite is natural stone in the truest sense, formed over millions of years, and no two slabs are ever the same.
Every slab carries its own pattern, movement and mineral flecks. Choose granite and your worktop exists nowhere else on earth.
The best in the kitchen category for heat. A pan straight from the hob is no problem, which keen cooks genuinely appreciate.
Depth and character that engineered surfaces work hard to imitate. Polished or honed, granite has presence.
Incredibly durable and, with occasional sealing, every bit as low fuss as it is hard wearing. A surface you fit once.
If you want a precise, modern look with the least possible upkeep, lean quartz. If you cook hard and love natural character that is yours alone, lean granite.
When clients are torn, these are the questions we work through together. The honest answers nearly always point to one or the other.
Still not sure? Our guide on how to choose the right stone worktop for your North East home widens the lens to all four materials we supply.
A glimpse of recent worktops templated, fabricated and fitted by our own team across the North East.
There is no loser here. Both materials are superb, and the better choice is simply the one that suits how you live. Come and see full size slabs of each in our North Shields showroom, in natural light, before you decide. A photograph never does either of them justice.
Neither is better outright. Quartz is engineered, so it is non porous, low maintenance and offers a huge consistent colour range, which makes it the most popular choice across the North East. Granite is natural stone, so every slab is unique and it handles heat better. The right answer depends on your lifestyle, your look and how you use the kitchen.
No. Quartz is non porous and never needs sealing. Granite is a natural stone with tiny pores, so it benefits from periodic sealing to keep it stain resistant. Neither is difficult to live with, but quartz is the lower maintenance of the two.
Granite is more heat tolerant and will take a hot pan straight from the hob far better than quartz. Quartz contains resin that can scorch or discolour under direct heat, so we always recommend a trivet on quartz. If you cook hard and often, that difference matters.
Both are extremely durable and will outlast most kitchens. Quartz is slightly harder and more scratch resistant on the surface, while granite has the edge on heat. For day to day family use, both stand up to everything a busy home throws at them.
Yes. We template on site with digital laser equipment, fabricate in our North Shields workshop and fit with our own team across Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and County Durham. We never subcontract, so the people you meet in the showroom are the people who fit your worktops.
The full guide to engineered quartz, its colours and finishes.
View quartzNatural granite, its character and why it endures.
View graniteGranite, quartz, marble and ceramic, side by side.
View materialsHow to match material to your home, budget and lifestyle.
Read the guideWorktops, islands, splashbacks and sink cut outs, fitted by our team.
View kitchensHow to keep quartz and granite looking their best for years.
View aftercareBring a kitchen plan or some rough measurements to our North Shields showroom and compare full size slabs of both in natural light. We will give you straight advice and a clear, honest quote, with no pressure to commit.
Request a Free Quote Call 0191 258 1540