Pete - having read the blurb I think this is a similar product to the Silestone we have. I’m very pleased with it although (like Nollie) mine is essentially shiny black with ‘bits’ in and does require regular buffing or it look streaky. The colour you’re looking at will be lower maintenance.
We’ve had no issues with liquid soaking into the worktop and keep it clean with an eco kitchen cleaner and soft cloth buffing. About 4 times a year I clean and polish with a stone counter top cleaner.
You really shouldn’t put any very hot pans directly on the surface as you risk stress cracking it (it’s the same for all stone style worktops) - but you can put hottish pans on it without problems.
Our worktop is very thin (about 2cm). We chose this to help reduce the height of the working area as I’m short. I was advised not to put my full weight on the worktop in the areas near cutouts for the sink and hob (or where there is no support underneath from cupboard walls) because the stone could crack under the strain.
This has been an issue for me when it came to painting the walls and windows as I struggle to reach without resting on the worktop. Have to use a long board to spread the weight. There would have been less of an issue with a thicker worktop.
We have a deeper than normal worktop (ie back to front measurement is more). It’s amazing the difference the extra few centimetres makesto the working area. Recommend doing it if you can.🙂
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Thank you Topbird - that's very helpful. It's good to hear from people who actually have the stuff and know how easy it is to work with and maintain. Silstone is quartz (as far as I can tell), and I have read that very hot pans are the main source of marks, I'll just get a trivet or 2. I'm getting a wide induction hob and wok burner and was concerned about splashes of curry sauce etc on the worktop while I'm cooking - good to hear that shouldn't be a problem. The worktop I'm planning on is 30mm thick - a good point as I'm often clambering onto mine to clean windows or retrieve something from the back of a cupboard, and despite weighing barely 10st I don't want to be falling through it!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
We do stir fry and curry all the time and neither of those has caused an issue with marking or staining. We also have a wide (900mm) induction hob. Love it. So easy to clean, more controllable than gas, and our has flexi zones so you can put large roasting pans on it for making gravy and more than one pan in one zone if necessary. You won’t regret having an over-sized one. Best bit of kit in the kitchen!
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Our ceramic worktop is only 1cm thick. Doesn't scratch. Hasn't stained so far and I do a lot of Asian cooking with spices like turmeric. Is easy to wipe clean.
Made to measure for our U shaped kitchen so 2 joins which are almost invisible and certainly not noticeable. Counter and cooker splashback in the same material.
Cupboard heights chosen to suit my height and walls painted before it went in.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Hampshire Hog am soooh jealous and bringing round the coffee cake! We had one granite worktop on one cupboard by our cooker in our last house, brother in law, (whose whole house is a dump, but picks holes in others) said why didnt we have all our worktops like this, er, because it was (then, nearly 20 years ago) £250 a metre.Its also very heavy, we have had to install our own kitchens because of cost.
Good to hear yours hasn't scratched or stained Tb. I'm going for an AEG Domino wok burner and an AEG Multibridge hob, so pans can be placed anywhere on the hob. I've also been persuaded to go for a steam oven with sous-vide..... I was steered clear of Neff (surprisingly). Apparently Neff are now made in China since when they're having all sorts of problems, and this seems to be reflected by customer comments on their website.
The company I'm buying from have said the 2 joins will be almost invisible, so pleased to hear you echo that comment Obelixx
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Glad you are reassured and are happy with your choice, but if you think choosing one is stressful, wait till you have it fitted! We have a large single piece, 3mx1.2m (units back to back) that a deep, wide chunk was cut out of for a new stainless steel range cooker to slot into. It was a bit nerve-wracking re cutting, but they managed that fine, only to smash the glass door of the cooker when manoeuvring it into place. Caused a few fine arguments, but we accepted a new glass instead of a new cooker and another free granite worktop for OH’s baking area - this section was made shorter as the standard height was too high for kneading, apparently...so consider working heights too.
btw, quartz isn’t ceramic - both manufactured but different material.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Our work top is 50mm thick the two ends are 2mt x 2mt and the centre run 3.5mt x 2mt Gas hob with central wok burner all Mieleappliances the dark area at the back is the wine store 🍷🍷🥴 and leads through to the utility room where we have a warming /steam oven plus cool prep area.
Never had any problems with staining, or acidic fruits etc it even stands up to the grand children so cant be bad
"You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
I'm refurbishing the whole house and extending back and front too so 4-6 months of dust, noise and mayhem begins in about 3 weeks, and I'll be living here throughout (or maybe I'll move into the greenhouse) - I'm looking forward to Christmas
Glad you find the quartz easy to live with in your fab kitchen too HH
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Have a good think NOW about exactly where you’d like sockets and lights to be placed. If you like symmetry it’ll bug you forever if one socket is 6” to the right of the window and another is 10” to the left. Ditto for positioning of downlighters and the height of the extractor fan. (Oh - and you nearly can’t have too many sockets but you can easily have too few!)
If you don’t think about it all now the fitters will be expecting instant decisions on the day - never the best plan. Good luck with all the work - it’ll be fab when it’s finished🙂
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
Posts
We’ve had no issues with liquid soaking into the worktop and keep it clean with an eco kitchen cleaner and soft cloth buffing. About 4 times a year I clean and polish with a stone counter top cleaner.
You really shouldn’t put any very hot pans directly on the surface as you risk stress cracking it (it’s the same for all stone style worktops) - but you can put hottish pans on it without problems.
Our worktop is very thin (about 2cm). We chose this to help reduce the height of the working area as I’m short. I was advised not to put my full weight on the worktop in the areas near cutouts for the sink and hob (or where there is no support underneath from cupboard walls) because the stone could crack under the strain.
This has been an issue for me when it came to painting the walls and windows as I struggle to reach without resting on the worktop. Have to use a long board to spread the weight. There would have been less of an issue with a thicker worktop.
We have a deeper than normal worktop (ie back to front measurement is more). It’s amazing the difference the extra few centimetres makesto the working area. Recommend doing it if you can.🙂
It's good to hear from people who actually have the stuff and know how easy it is to work with and maintain.
Silstone is quartz (as far as I can tell), and I have read that very hot pans are the main source of marks, I'll just get a trivet or 2.
I'm getting a wide induction hob and wok burner and was concerned about splashes of curry sauce etc on the worktop while I'm cooking - good to hear that shouldn't be a problem.
The worktop I'm planning on is 30mm thick - a good point as I'm often clambering onto mine to clean windows or retrieve something from the back of a cupboard, and despite weighing barely 10st I don't want to be falling through it!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
We also have a wide (900mm) induction hob. Love it. So easy to clean, more controllable than gas, and our has flexi zones so you can put large roasting pans on it for making gravy and more than one pan in one zone if necessary. You won’t regret having an over-sized one. Best bit of kit in the kitchen!
Made to measure for our U shaped kitchen so 2 joins which are almost invisible and certainly not noticeable. Counter and cooker splashback in the same material.
Cupboard heights chosen to suit my height and walls painted before it went in.
I'm going for an AEG Domino wok burner and an AEG Multibridge hob, so pans can be placed anywhere on the hob. I've also been persuaded to go for a steam oven with sous-vide.....
I was steered clear of Neff (surprisingly). Apparently Neff are now made in China since when they're having all sorts of problems, and this seems to be reflected by customer comments on their website.
The company I'm buying from have said the 2 joins will be almost invisible, so pleased to hear you echo that comment Obelixx
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
btw, quartz isn’t ceramic - both manufactured but different material.
Never had any problems with staining, or acidic fruits etc it even stands up to the grand children so cant be bad
"You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
Glad you find the quartz easy to live with in your fab kitchen too HH
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Have a good think NOW about exactly where you’d like sockets and lights to be placed. If you like symmetry it’ll bug you forever if one socket is 6” to the right of the window and another is 10” to the left. Ditto for positioning of downlighters and the height of the extractor fan. (Oh - and you nearly can’t have too many sockets but you can easily have too few!)
If you don’t think about it all now the fitters will be expecting instant decisions on the day - never the best plan. Good luck with all the work - it’ll be fab when it’s finished🙂