Quartz vs granite worktops
Both are premium, both are hard-wearing, and they cost about the same. The real choice comes down to maintenance, heat and whether you want a natural stone or an engineered one. Here is the honest comparison.
Quartz is an engineered stone, made from crushed quartz bound with resin: it is non-porous so it never needs sealing, is very stain and scratch resistant, and comes in consistent colours, but it is less heat tolerant than natural stone, so you should use trivets, and strong direct sun can discolour some colours over time. Granite is 100% natural stone: very hard, genuinely heat resistant so it will take a hot pan, and unique slab to slab, but it is porous and needs periodic sealing to stay stain resistant. On cost they overlap, with quartz usually a little dearer: about £380 to £550 per m² supplied and fitted against £340 to £520 for granite. Choose quartz for low maintenance, stain resistance and consistent colour; choose granite for heat tolerance, natural character and the ability to put a hot pan down. (Indicative UK costs: BestBuilders, Checkatrade and MyJobQuote, June 2026.)
At a glance
| Quartz | Granite | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per m² (supplied and fitted) | About £380 to £550 | About £340 to £520 |
| Natural or engineered | Engineered (crushed quartz and resin) | 100% natural stone |
| Heat resistance | Good, use trivets | Excellent |
| Scratch resistance | Very good | Very good |
| Sealing | Non-porous, never needs sealing | Porous, needs periodic sealing |
| Colour and pattern | Consistent, very wide range | Unique, natural variation |
| Strong direct sunlight | Can discolour some colours over time | Unaffected |
| Maintenance | Very low | Periodic sealing |
| Best for | Low-maintenance, consistent premium | Heat tolerance and natural character |
The real difference
Granite is quarried natural stone, cut into slabs, so every piece is unique and no two kitchens are quite the same. Quartz is engineered: crushed natural quartz, around 90 percent, is bound with resin and pigment, which gives a consistent colour and pattern and lets it be made in shades natural stone cannot match. That single difference, natural versus engineered, drives almost everything else: how each behaves with heat, whether it needs sealing, and how predictable the look is.
Maintenance, heat and stains
This is where most people decide. Quartz is non-porous, so it never needs sealing and shrugs off stains, which makes it the lower-maintenance choice day to day. Its weakness is heat: the resin can scorch or mark under a very hot pan, so trivets are essential. Granite is the opposite: as natural stone it takes heat far better and will tolerate a hot pan, but it is porous, so it needs sealing periodically to stay stain resistant. Both are very hard and scratch resistant in normal use.
Cost and look
On price they overlap, with quartz usually a fraction dearer: roughly £380 to £550 per m² supplied and fitted against £340 to £520 for granite, before cut-outs, upstands and edge profiles. The bigger driver of cost is the specific colour and slab you choose. On looks, quartz gives you consistency and a wider palette, including pale and uniform colours; granite gives you natural depth, movement and a one-off slab no one else has. Those figures are indicative UK ranges for budgeting, from BestBuilders, Checkatrade and MyJobQuote, reviewed June 2026.
Which should you choose?
Choose quartz if…
You want the lowest maintenance, never want to seal a worktop, prefer a consistent colour or a pale uniform finish, and are happy to use trivets for hot pans.
Choose granite if…
You want a genuine natural stone with one-off character, you value real heat resistance and the freedom to put a hot pan down, and you do not mind sealing it periodically.
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Find a vetted kitchen specialistQuartz vs granite: common questions
Is quartz or granite better for a kitchen worktop?
Both are excellent; the right one depends on your priorities. Quartz is non-porous so it never needs sealing, is very stain resistant and comes in consistent colours, but it is less heat tolerant, so you should use trivets. Granite is a natural stone, more heat resistant and unique slab to slab, but it needs periodic sealing. Choose quartz for low maintenance and consistency, granite for heat tolerance and natural character.
Which is more heat resistant, quartz or granite?
Granite. As a natural stone it will take a hot pan straight from the hob, though using a trivet is still wise to protect any surface long term. Quartz is hard-wearing but contains resin, which can scorch or mark under a very hot pan, so trivets matter more with quartz than with granite.
Does quartz or granite need sealing?
Granite needs periodic sealing because it is porous, to keep it stain resistant; how often depends on the stone and the sealer, from roughly once a year to every few years, and some dense granites need very little. Quartz is non-porous and never needs sealing, which is one of its main practical advantages and why it is lower maintenance day to day.
Is quartz or granite more expensive?
They overlap, with quartz usually a little dearer on average. Supplied and fitted in the UK, quartz typically runs about £380 to £550 per m² and granite about £340 to £520, before cut-outs, upstands and edge profiles. The final cost depends more on the specific colour, slab and fabrication than on which material you pick.
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