Best Kitchen Worktop: How to Choose the Right Material for Your Kitchen
The very best kitchen worktop is one that will be practical, functional and assist the general look and theme of your kitchen so it's worthwhile considering what will look good in your kitchen design early on.
As well as the functional aspect, budget will obviously enter into play when selecting the most effective kitchen worktop for the space. And with plenty of kitchen worktop materials on the market it can be quite a small minefield picking the proper one. Kitchen worktops could be a real focal point, plus you'll be looking at it every single day so you'll need to get it right!
From pocket-friendly laminate to warm, rich wood; from industrial steel to high end marble, we've pulled together the professionals and cons of the best MARBLE WORKTOPS available.
When finding the very best kitchen worktop for your room it's recommended to begin by wondering a few pre-determined questions about how precisely you utilize your kitchen. It'll help you gauge which kind of worktop materials to take into account that'll complement both how you employ your kitchen and the style of it.
How often can you cook and prepare food?
Do you use plenty of pans when cooking and desire a worktop that'll cope with hot pans?
Who uses your kitchen? Is it a family space? Do you entertain a whole lot?
Do you like easy to wash materials, with little upkeep?
Wooden kitchen worktops do need far more looking after (particularly after installation), for instance, so make maintenance a key consideration.
And, if you like to pop your hot pans straight on your kitchen worktops as opposed to the hob or even a trivet then you might choose for a heat resistant, natural material like granite for the kitchen worktop (although care should still be taken to prevent thermal shock).
Glossy materials will highlight grubby marks so if you've little hands making their mark throughout the house know that you may be wiping the outer lining down a reasonable bit.
What are the several types of worktop material?
While we haven't listed every single type of worktop material below, we've highlighted the most typical you'll find in modern kitchens, so you can make an informed decision on the best ones to consider for the kitchen.
Hardwood – Hardwood is just a beautiful kitchen worktop material that's less costly to purchase than natural stone and some acrylic. You can find wood worktops in all kinds of striking colours and grain styles, and no two pieces are ever the same. The largest downside is that natural wood stains and scratches easily. In addition it requires maintenance at the least twice a year to keep it in a great condition.
Laminate – This really is probably the most versatile worktop material, as it can certainly be manufactured to look like other materials but doesn't cost as much. Laminate can be easy to maintain and clean and is antibacterial, provided that it's not badly damaged. The main downside is that the buying price of laminate can vary. The less spent, the less natural your worktop will look. Moreover, laminate never quite feels the same as a natural or composite worktop.
Composite/quartz/acrylic – Man-made composite materials are crafted from natural ground minerals that are mixed with resin or acrylic for a tough, non-porous finish. The most effective composite and acrylic worktops offer most of the charm and unique appearance of natural material without the maintenance. Acrylic worktops, sometimes called by the manufacturer Fenix or Corian, may not always be as expensive as quartz blends, so are an improved choice if you're looking to spend less.