Quartz vs Granite: Which Material Is Better

Both are exceptional materials and perform equally well in many consumer reports tests. In our battery of tests for cutting, abrasion, and heat resistance, both earn ratings of excellent.

Quartz materials and granite materials are also on equal footing in regards to impact--neither is indestructible.

"They are made of stone, so if you're not careful--say you hit the edge too hard by dropping the heavy weight on it--either material can chip," states Chris Regan, the project leader on CR's counter testing.

So which one reigns supreme? Quartz vs. granite boils down to two things: stain resistance and appearance.

Stain Resistance

"The results of our discoloration evaluation take the most weight in our evaluations," Regan says. Quartz and granite equally show resistance to stains from several foods and household products. To test, we pipe half-inch splotches of possible offenders onto each surface--warm vegetable oil, hot coffee, chocolate syrup, and lime juice, to name a few--and record consequences after 20 hours.

With specific substances--including beet juice and food coloring--the high purity Quartz materials fare much better in this region, making a score in this CR test that is 2.3 points higher (out of 100) compared to granites.

Appearance

" Quartz provides an abundance of color choices and possible for marble veining," which appeals to a lot of men and women.

Quartz and granite cost about the same (beginning at about $10 a square foot at major home improvement retailers), but in the Quartz vs. granite popularity competition, granite drops.

According to some National Kitchen & Bath Association survey, the great majority of folks installing counters these days choose Quartz. So Quartz may appeal to home hunters. Granite is a distant second, according to the same business poll. "Lots of individuals believe granite to be obsolete," H-Millar says.

Winner?

Quartz. It is easier to cut size and a fighter when it comes to color stains, it looks great, and it may make potential buyers joyful and it garners a slightly higher score overall in CR's tests.