Granite Countertops: Tell me about yours and if it's worth it to get them

[Anonymous]

And do they require a lot of cleaning?

Do they stain easily?

We're considering getting them, I love the way they look, but I'm wondering how much work they are to maintain clean/stain free...

[Anonymous]

Lighter granites may stain - you should get a sample and experiment at home. I find them easy to maintain, they clean up easily with Windex or just water. Stay away from very dark colors, they should dust and fingerprints more.

[Anonymous]

We like ours, but I had one counter top that stained every single time I left a bottle on it. It took me eight hours of labor to remove each stain, and even then some stains would not come out. The big problems came when you forget to clean up something (a ring from a salad dressing bottle, a spill or splash) and don't see it until the next day.

Our new house has counter tops that do not seem to stain. They are darker, seem less permeable, and they are sealed very well.

Definitely do your research to pick a counter top that will not stain and make sure it is sealed. Also reseal it annually.

[Anonymous]

We got permanently sealed granite about 4-5 years ago. They do not require annual sealing like some do. We got a dark patterned variety and it is very easy to keep them clean. All I do is wipe down with wet sponge. No stains at all. To get them looking shiny, I periodically use a granite cleaner (Method - Daily Granite or the stuff from Home Depot) and they look like new. The one thing that will really damage granite is acid/citrus, and I am very careful about not getting lemon, etc. on them.

[Anonymous]

We have black granite in our kitchen. It is beautiful when it is clean, problem is, I have a 5 yo (and a husband who cannot "see" dirt) and keeping it clean requires constant attention - so basically my counters always look dirty.

[Anonymous]

we have black granite. it doesnt stain...but it def has chipped around the sink area - and it is expensive to get chips fixed. i dont know the quality of our granite becuase it was installed by previouys owners.

[Anonymous]

Never had granite - but if you're looking at all options, we have had Silestone in two separate houses, and we couldn't be happier. I think it looks great, doesn't stain, and is easy to clean.

[Anonymous]

I love my granite. Very easy to maintain and haven't seen any stains whatsoever so far (almost 2 years) and I cook almost every night. Our color is one of the most popular ones (black pearl, or something like that) and it's pretty dark but with a lot of variation, which I imagine hides a lot. What I love about it is being able to put hot pots/pans on it right off the stove or right out of the oven. I just wipe down with a sponge with a little soap and then wipe down immediatly after with a wet Viva paper towel (I don't think you're supposed to use harsh soaps on it).

[Anonymous]

One negative to having dark granite is that it is difficult to see dirt and spills. I am constantly wiping mine down to make sure that it is clean. Otherwise, I love it.

[Anonymous]

We've had it for 10+ years, no problems with staining, chipping, etc. We haven't done any maintenance of it, just clean it with one of the spray granite cleaners. Just got new counters as part of a renovation and got the same countertops but with a different finish. We used to have polished and now we have honed. the honed is little harder to keep looking good. Looks great but not sure I would do it again.

[Anonymous]

Second the recommendation for Silestone. We love ours, and it doesn't stain.

[Anonymous]

Also, Silestone can be more environmentally friendly, if your thinking about that kind of thing.

[Anonymous]

I have granite, and I think it looks great (browns and tan with a touch of bluish). My problem is that it always looks clean, even when it isn't. I would prefer some light silestone that shows the dirt more so that I would have an easier time cleaning it. I want my kitchen to be clean, not look clean.

[Anonymous]

LOVE our Silestone.

[Anonymous]

I have black quartz counters. They never need to be sealed. You can cut veggies and fruits directly on them, and they won't scratch -- it's the hardest substance available for counters right now. They don't chip. They are not at all porous, so they don't absorb liquids or foods and therefore don't stain. I am in love with these counters and can't rave about them enough. Best thing is -- they're beautiful.