Kitchen Benchtops Fit For 2023
As we move into 2023, there has never been a wider range of stone benchtop variations available to use for your kitchen benchtops. While a huge range of alternatives to choose from provides greater flexibility to help you achieve the aesthetic you have in mind, this also creates great complexity in determining which stone variation is best for you. Each stone has a set of unique qualities that can be compared and contrasted with their counterparts, and this puts much of the decision process down to personal preference and household requirements.
Nevertheless, to simplify the process for you and showcase some of the fantastic variations available at Made in Stone, we’ve broken down the pros and cons of three stone suppliers. Regardless of your choice, our team of expert stone fabricators and installation specialists are always available to help bring your ideas to life and install our quality stone benchtops in your kitchen.
Caesarstone Kitchen Benchtops
A composite stone mainly comprised of quartz, Caesarstone has remained the stone of choice for Australia’s leading architects for many years, and its popularity is showing no signs of slowing down.
Advantages of Caesarstone
Lauded for its immense durability and minimal maintenance requirements, Caesarstone kitchen benchtops benefit from a stain, crack, and scratch-resistant surface that maintains its quality finish without the need for a rigorous maintenance schedule. Its non-porous surface also allows for various different uses, allowing for bathroom installation for a consistent interior design, or outdoors to create a harmonious aesthetic in all areas of your home. With several pigments and colours to choose from, you’ll be able to choose a unique and timeless variation that combines great visual appeal with immense durability.
Disadvantages of Caesarstone
While Caesarstone benefits from a range of important advantages, it is not as heat resistant as its counterparts, with significant heat exposure resulting in colour changes. This means that you must be careful when cooking and always use heatproof mats and chopping boards, as otherwise the aesthetic design that you set out to achieve will be compromised. These stone benchtops are also extremely heavy, and while this does support their durability, it makes their installation a challenging task that must be undertaken by the most experienced and skilled installation experts to prevent damage from occurring.
Silestone Kitchen Benchtops
A premium choice of stone for kitchen benchtops, silestone is highly regarded for its great strength and versatility. At Made in Stone, we have two texture options and over 35 colours available to meet the great demand we experience for this fantastic stone.
Advantages of Silestone
Silestone makes for a highly versatile choice of stone benchtop, as this premium product can be installed as a kitchen benchtop, as flooring, in bathrooms, or even as wall cladding. While this stone is most preferable for those of us who particularly enjoy a natural stone aesthetic, you’ll also enjoy its great durability as a result of its quartz-based construction. Its non-porous quality allows you to enjoy your beverages without worrying about the risk of spills and stains, and its great resistance to scratches, abrasion, and even the growth of bacteria means you can prepare food in the most sanitary conditions each day, and now with all colours being under 40% silica.
Disadvantages of Silestone
Despite its high-quality design, silestone is restricted to indoor use, and this means that the creation of a consistent aesthetic flow from your kitchen benchtops to your outdoor stone benchtops cannot be achieved with silestone. Unlike certain Caesarstone variations, this stone cannot withstand high UV exposure as its colour and shading may be compromised in the long term. Silestone benchtops are also not heat resistant, and prolonged heat exposure will result in discolouration that will take away from the vibrancy of its design over time. Additionally, silestone is a premium product that requires a significant level of investment, and while these products do offer a number of luxurious benefits, they are not among the most budget-friendly stone benchtop variations.
Smartstone Benchtops
If you’re looking to combine the strong aesthetic appeal of natural stone but don’t want to miss out on the fantastic durability and lifetime provided by engineered stone, Smartstone kitchen benchtops might be just what you’ve been looking for. With a porcelain variety as well as a quartz-based alternative to choose from, you’ll be able to opt for the variety that best suits your needs without ever having to compromise on quality.
Advantages of Smartstone
Carrying a strong reputation for quality, both varieties of Smartstone offer great durability. Whether the porcelain or quartz variety is selected, these stone benchtops can be installed within the kitchen or bathroom of your home, a result of anon-porous surfaces that prevent the development of mould and mildew. A very pure product with a variety of colours to choose from, Smartstone’s quartz range offers five different price ranges to ensure everyone can enjoy its fantastic benefits, regardless of the depth of their pockets. Just as Caesarstone offers great versatility in the location of its installation, the porcelain Smartstone range also benefits from a heat-resistant surface that allows for outdoor installation.
Disadvantages of Smartstone
While there is a great range of price options available within the Smartstone quartz range, it is not recommended for these stone benchtops to be installed outdoors, preventing a seamless flow throughout your home. An inevitable disadvantage of Smartstone, among all other stone benchtop variations, is a lack of heat resistance. Excessive heat exposure within a single area of your Smartstone benchtop may expose it to thermal shock which can damage and discolour your benchtop, and that means you must always be vigilant when dealing with hot crockery. Nevertheless, Smartstone makes for a fantastic choice that can breathe new life into your kitchen.
Install Your New Stone Benchtops With Made In Stone
If you’ve been searching for a new kitchen benchtop that meets your design and durability needs, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at Made in Stone – Sydney’s leading stone fabricator! Our team is more than happy to offer their expertise and advice on which stone within our range can best suit your individual needs. Contact Made in Stone today at (02) 9756 4599 or get a FREE kitchen benchtop quote online!
With more than 25 years of experience within the industry, we ensure that you receive only the highest quality Engineered Stones, Caesarstone, Silestone, Smartstone, Dekton Stone, Natural Stones, Marble Benchtops, Porcelain Materials, and Granite kitchen benchtops in Sydney, all from Made in Stone. Contact us today and ask about our huge range of offcuts that can help minimise the costs of your renovations.
As a local Sydney stonemason, we proudly cater to any customer requirement, whether you require a stone installation for your kitchen benchtop, bathroom vanity top, bar, outdoor barbecue area, fireplace, or column. Our team will happily answer any of your questions, so don’t hesitate to reach out to the stone experts today!