What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Modern Kitchen Benchtops?

Updated: Sep 11, 2023

There is always a kitchen bench top that will suit one’s requirements, be it industrial, contemporary or rustic. No doubt the look is important but the budget as well as the ease of cleaning should be kept in mind too.

There are different types of benchtops used few of modern kitchen benchtops are as follows:

#1. The Sealed Granite:

This is very hard, durable and a lifelong support in your homes. Not only for the indoor kitchen but also for the outdoor kitchen it looks great. It is strong enough to handle the heat of the sun, oil spatters etc. Granite performs very well in each test and scratch marks are only visible in the light. Granite is a natural stone that provides a natural appearance to the kitchen.

Advantages of Granite –

Hard and very durable
Natural stone texture
Great to look at
Usable in outdoor barbeques

Disadvantages of Granite –

Not very cost effective
In comparison to quartz, some are harder to work upon
Not too varied styles like marble, porcelain and quartz.

#2. Laminate:

This is for those who are working on a tight budget and want something very simple as well as easy to maintain, a laminate benchtop is worth the investment. Nowadays one can get a laminated benchtop that will suit any kind of style or texture.

Advantages of Laminate –

Cost effective
Available is a wide variety of styles as well as colors.
Easy to source and is offered by many companies.
Very easy to clean and maintain

Disadvantages of laminate –

Much lower durability than the stone benchtops.
Requires annual maintenance.

#3. Engineered Quartz:

Extremely practical, simple and very easy to clean. This is available in different colours, designs, styles and price points. This is not as expensive as the natural stone and is cheaper than porcelain. This is acid, stain and heat resistant. For those whose lives centre on food and the kitchen, it’s a very good investment for restaurants or busy kitchen.

Advantages of Engineered Quartz –

Affordable
Acid, liquid and stain resistant
Dramatic improvement of the production quality
Very popular modern kitchen benchtops you find in the market.
Good for those who cannot spend time on maintenance.

Dis-aadvantages of Engineered Quartz –

Not resistant to chipping and needs to be treated well.
Few brands are costlier, though it is identical.

#4. Porcelain:

This is a new option for modern kitchen benchtops and with its high price tags it brings about some hefty benefits. The price has dropped in the last few years and will continue with advanced technology. This is lightweight and there is no need to seal it. The same is available in the largest slab sizes. This is very versatile, and one can use the porcelain sheet for flooring, furniture as well as outdoor areas.

Advantages of Porcelain –

Fire, heat, acid, stain and scratch resistant.
Quality of prints of the surface is on the improvement
Usable in outdoor areas under the direct sunlight

Disadvantages of Porcelain –

This is equally expensive if not more in comparison to the most natural and the granite products.
Susceptible to damage based on its thickness.
If chipped or fractured, the full slab becomes useless for modern kitchen benchtops.

#5. Marble:

Traditional use of marble stone was for floors and kitchen platforms suitable for its easy cleaning and almost no maintenance durability even used in modern times. This is a very delicate piece and needs to be handled with care. The marble is very porous in comparison with granite.

Advantages of marble –