When picking the right countertop material for your kitchen, there are several factors that you have to consider. You need to think about its aesthetic appeal, resistance to stains, scratches, and impacts, its price, and the material’s ability to tolerate heat from hot pans and pots without ruining the surface.
While some materials meet all of these criteria, others excel in some categories but fail in others. If you plan on doing a lot of cooking, having heat resistant countertops is extremely important. But with so many options out there, it’s important to know what the similarities and differences are between the types of countertops.
Interested in learning more? Continue reading and we’ll walk you through the top heat resistant countertops that you need to know about.
Here are the top 7 Countertops
1. Laminate, Engineered Stone and Solid-Surface
Laminate countertops themselves are not heat resistant at all. You could leave a cup of hot tea on the counter and the material will crack or change color.
Solid-surface countertops, however, are usually made from layers of fused acrylic. These countertops are more heat resistant than regular laminate but not a whole lot more.
Countertops that are of the engineered stone quartz variety are made from quartz that’s been combined with other stones. These countertops vary in terms of their heat resistance and it really depends on the manufacturer.
2. Granite and Other Natural Stones
Perhaps the best countertop material around when it comes to heat resistance, granite is a classic and classy material to get. The natural formation of granite depends on extremely high pressure combined with very hot temperatures. You can take a scalding hot pan and leave it on a granite countertop and it won’t even leave a stain or mark.
When it comes to figuring out the cost for granite countertops, that’s going to be determined by the size and type of project you’re trying to accomplish.
While a quartz countertop isn’t as heat resistant as a granite countertop, it could still get the job done. Other natural stones such as limestone, slate, and marble hold mild resistance to heat. If you’re working with one of these stones, then you want to use hot pads or trivets under your pots if you pull them from a hot oven or stove-top.
3. Soapstone – An Alternative to Granite
A soapstone countertop is going to be a lot softer than a granite one. Because of this, the wear and tear on this material is going to be more apparent.
However, soapstone is also extremely resistant to high temperatures.
Soapstone is a natural stone and it usually feels silky and smooth. It tends to be dark gray in color. It’s seen a recent resurgence as an alternative to granite.
Soapstone, over time, takes on a vintage-like patina that can be extremely appealing depending on the style of your kitchen. Even though it can scratch easily, some people feel that it adds character to its vintage aesthetic.
4. Recycled Glass and Terrazzo
Terrazzo and recycled glass are just as durable as granite in practically every single way except one – heat resistance. While these materials can withstand some amount of heat, they can crack or glaze if you put an extremely hot pan on them.
They’re also sensitive to sudden changes between cold and hot temperatures. Recycled glass has a particular heat resistance that depends greatly on the kind of glass that was used during the recycling process.
5. Aluminum, Copper and Stainless Steel
Aluminum, copper, and stainless steel countertops are able to withstand some very high temperatures. Also, they’re extremely easy to clean. It’s important to point out that high heat can sometimes lead to discoloration.
However, these blemishes can usually be buffed out with special metal-cleaning solutions or even just mild abrasive. A metal countertop is great at retaining heat so be careful to not put cold foods on areas that recently had hot materials on them.
This can spoil your food and also allow the growth of harmful bacterial.
6. Concrete Countertops
Concrete isn’t just for your driveway. Concrete can now be used for kitchen countertops and they’re becoming extremely trendy these days. They’re also very resistant to high temperatures so you can put hot pans and pots on them without any worry.
And don’t worry, You’re counter isn’t going to like a car is about to park on it. These countertops come in a variety of fun colors and designs so that they can match whatever style you’ve already got going on in your kitchen.
7. Other Countertop Materials
Wile tiles that are made from materials like porcelain or ceramic usually won’t crack from high heat, they can still become discolored. And while butcher-block countertops are certainly becoming more popular these days, they’re only mildly resistant to high temperatures. So if you put a hot pot on a butcher-block countertop, you could end up with a big burn mark.
The Importance of Knowing About the Different Heat Resistant Countertops
The kitchen is a special area. Because it’s where you make your food, it’s important that this area of the house receives special attention. So make sure that you’re using high-quality materials and definitely consider getting heat resistant countertops.
You can likely find materials that are within your budget, even if you won’t get the dream style that you were originally going for. And by getting good quality products, you can protect your kitchen, your home, and your food.
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