Quartz vs Granite Countertops: Maintenance Reality

Quartz marketing claims zero maintenance. Real-world use in PNW kitchens tells a more nuanced story.

Granite is natural stone — every slab is unique, harder than steel, and resistant to scratches and heat. The downside is it's porous and needs sealing once a year to resist staining (red wine, oil, citrus). A 10-minute job per year with a $20 spray sealer.

Quartz is engineered: roughly 90% crushed natural quartz bound in resin. It's non-porous out of the box, so no sealing ever. Stain resistance is excellent. The catch nobody mentions: the resin binder can scorch or yellow under direct heat. A 400°F cast-iron pan straight from the oven can leave a permanent mark — always use a trivet.

For appearance, quartz wins on consistency (you can see your exact slab pattern in a sample) and offers white/marble looks that pure white granite can't match. Granite wins for those who want true natural variation.

Price is now similar at mid-grade — both around $50–80/sq ft installed in the Seattle area. I'd choose quartz for heavy daily-use kitchens with kids, granite for cooks who don't mind sealing and want true heat resistance.