Published on November 28, 2025
When you’re planning a new kitchen, few decisions feel as defining as choosing your worktops. They set the tone of the room, they dictate the overall look, and they become one of the most used surfaces in your entire home. And naturally, two materials come up more than anything else: Granite and Quartz.
Both are incredibly popular, both look stunning in real kitchens, and both have loyal fans who swear theirs is the superior choice. But they’re very different materials, in terms of look, feel, maintenance, and practicality. Understanding those differences is the key to choosing the right surface for your home.
Before diving into the details, it’s worth quickly grounding ourselves in what each material actually is.
Quartz has become one of the UK’s most in-demand worktop materials, thanks to its ability to mimic natural stone while being predictably consistent and easy to live with. It’s an engineered stone made from natural quartz crystals, resin and pigments, a combination that creates a durable, non-porous slab with a vast range of colours and patterns.
Modern Quartz can look like marble, Granite, concrete, solid matt colours, warm neutrals, dramatic veining… pretty much anything. And because it’s manufactured, each slab is uniform, perfect for people who want their kitchen to look exactly like the showroom image.
Granite, on the other hand, is 100% natural. It’s cut directly from the earth as a slab, polished, and installed in your home. Every piece of Granite has its own personality, its own movement, mineral patterns, veins and colour tones. No two slabs ever look the same, which is part of its charm.
Granite ranges from soft greys and whites to deep blacks, shimmering silver tones and exotic colours full of natural drama. It’s a brilliant choice for people who want something unique and characterful, something that feels connected to nature.
With the introductions out of the way, let’s get into how they differ in real-world terms. Because while they can look similar from a distance, they behave very differently once they’re living in your kitchen.
Quartz is famously low-maintenance. Because it’s non-porous, it doesn’t need sealing and is naturally resistant to staining from coffee, wine, oils, spices, all the things that can panic you on a real marble or porous stone. Wipe it down, and you’re done. For busy families or anyone who cooks often, this fuss-free practicality is a huge selling point.
Granite, being a natural stone, is porous and needs to be sealed to protect it. Once sealed properly, it becomes very durable and resistant to stains, but it still needs to be maintained every so often. The benefit granite has over Quartz, however, is heat resistance. Granite can handle hot pans much better than Quartz, which contains resin and can be damaged by extreme heat.
In short:
Quartz is easier to live with day to day. Granite is more heat-robust.
This is where personal taste really comes into play.
People who love the clean, modern look tend to gravitate towards Quartz. It gives you complete control over the final aesthetic, the veining, the subtleness, the thickness of patterns; everything is predictable. If you’ve seen a slab in the showroom, yours will look the same. That consistency is worth its weight in gold when you want a specific look.
Granite is the opposite. It’s all about natural character and one-of-a-kind patterns. You don’t choose Granite because you want predictability, you choose it because you want a unique piece of nature in your kitchen. The veining, the flecks of minerals, the movement, it all changes most organically.
If you want originality, Granite shines. If you wish for total visual control, Quartz wins.
Quartz offers far more colour flexibility. Because it’s engineered, manufacturers can produce any shade or pattern: soft whites, warm creams, charcoal blacks, subtle flecks, dramatic Calacatta veining, concrete tones… You name it.
Granite is limited to what nature produces. The range is still extensive, especially with modern exotic granites, but you won’t find the same level of colour precision. However, natural stone offers depth and richness that engineered stone can only emulate, not perfectly replicate.
If your kitchen design is particular and needs a precise shade, Quartz is usually the safer option. If your style leans towards organic, textured materials, Granite will give you that authenticity.
Quartz requires very little ongoing care. No sealing, no special cleaning routine, no worries about spilt wine or turmeric deciding to stay forever. As long as you don’t put a scorching pan directly on it, it will keep its colour and finish for years with minimal effort.
Granite needs sealing (usually once a year, sometimes less depending on the slab). Good sealing makes Granite highly resistant to stains and moisture, and once looked after, it’s an incredibly long-lasting material. Many people love this relationship with the stone; a little maintenance for a big reward.
In terms of lifespan, both materials can easily last decades. Quartz keeps its finish consistently. Granite ages gracefully and naturally.
Heat is where Granite takes the win. It’s much more forgiving with hot pans or trays, making it a favourite for serious cooks.
Quartz, because of its resin content, should not be exposed to extreme direct heat. Trivets or heat pads are recommended.
For staining, Quartz is the winner. The non-porous nature makes it highly resistant.
Scratches are a close tie; both are hard, but neither is scratch-proof. Using chopping boards is still essential.
Quartz and granite prices have narrowed over the years, and both materials now sit in a similar range depending on colour, rarity and thickness.
Quartz often gives better value for people who want:
Granite often gives better value for those who want:
At the end of the day, both are long-term investments that add value to your kitchen.
It depends entirely on you and your kitchen.
Quartz is the “set it and forget it” option, polished, practical and very reliable.
Granite is the choice for people who want the soul and individuality of real stone.
Most kitchens could happily host either; the key is choosing the one that suits your lifestyle, your taste and how you actually use your kitchen every day.
Choosing between Granite and Quartz is much easier when you can see the slabs in real life. Colours look different under showroom lighting, veining looks different at full scale, and the textures feel completely different up close.
At our Heywood showroom, you can:
Whether you’re dreaming of clean, modern Quartz or the natural beauty of Granite, we’ll help you find the perfect worktop for your home.