Kitchen top buying guide
For many, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It is the room where we entertain, relax and of course cook. No wonder then that selecting the right materials which reflect your lifestyle and kitchen usage is of utmost importance. When it comes to kitchen tops, there are a number of options from which one could choose and it’s really easy to end up confused. A good starting point is to keep functionality and style as your priority. Owen Farrugia, Sales Manager at Hal Mann Vella discusses different types of kitchen tops, to help you find a surface that is right for your lifestyle and your budget.
Top Tips
Think about how you will use your kitchen top: Will you be using the kitchen top for chopping? Do you have young children who enjoy making a mess in the kitchen? Or will you use the surface just for entertainment purposes? These factors should influence your decision, as they have an impact on how durable, stain resistant and maintenance heavy you require your kitchen top to be.
The kitchen top should complement the style of your kitchen: How do you want your kitchen to look in the end? Elegant? Warm and Traditional? Contemporary? What textures are more appealing to you? The right countertop will help you achieve just the look that you want.
Kitchen top materials overview
Quartz: Quartz has become the most popular choice of kitchen top in recent years due to its uniform appearance which goes well with current trends. Being extremely hard and durable makes it easy to keep clean and to maintain. Quartz is stain resistant and can take a certain amount of heat. This product can be cleaned with a mild soap, water and a soft cloth. There are also special cleaning products for quartz which makes it easier to remove certain marks. It is available in a wide range of colours and textures. Price range 200 euro – 500 euro per sqm
Granite: Granite kitchen tops resist wear and tear very well. They are highly durable and with proper maintenance can last a lifetime. Granite is also very hard and some types of granite are even resistant to heat so this might make it the ideal material for people who love to cook. One drawback of this material might be that if you`re looking for a modern colour you might be a bit restricted. Price range : 100 euro – 400 euro per square metre.
Marble: Marble is a beautiful choice for kitchen top material, however it can easily be damaged with wear and tear. Many still opt for a marble countertop despite knowing about the material’s fragility, embracing the signs of wear and tear as an additional part of the stone’s natural beauty and character. Once the decision to opt for marble is taken, one can choose from a wide variety of colours, veining and textures. Price range – 100 euro – 800 euro per square metre.
Ceramic Slabs: Ceramic tiled countertops are a gorgeous substitute to traditional countertops. Whilst the material is very durable it might look too artificial sometimes. Price range : 120 euro – 600 euro per square metre
Dekton : This is a new product on the market; Dekton is a sophisticated blend of raw materials used to produce the very latest in glass and porcelain as well as the highest quality quartz work surfaces. This product is highly resistant to UV, the most scratch resistant surface on the market and is completely stain proof. Dekton withstands high temperatures without burning, scorching or cracking therefore hot pots can be placed directly on this surface with no worry of any damage. Price range : 400 euro – 550 euro per square metre.