For a new kitchen counter in India, the choice usually comes down to quartz or granite. We make quartz and we sell granite, so we have no reason to push one over the other. Each suits a different kind of kitchen, and the decision rests mostly on how you cook and how much upkeep you want.

How each one is made

Granite is quarried. A block is cut from the earth, sliced into slabs and polished, and each kitchen granite slab carries the mineral pattern it formed with over millions of years. No two are the same.

Quartz engineered stone countertops start with natural quartz, crushed and mixed with a small amount of resin and pigment. A Pacific slab is about 93% quartz. The mix is pressed under vacuum on Bretonstone lines at our plant in Hosur, which pushes out the air and packs the grains tightly together. That process is behind most of the differences below.

Stains and everyday spills

This is where the two differ most. Granite has tiny natural pores, so oil, turmeric and lemon can work their way in if they sit too long. That is why granite kitchen countertops are usually sealed when they are fitted and resealed from time to time.

Quartz kitchen countertops have no pores at all. Pacific quartz does not stain: haldi, ghee, tea and tamarind stay on the surface until you wipe them away, and the slab never needs sealing.

Heat

Granite wins here. It copes well with hot pans. Quartz is fine with ordinary cooking warmth, but the resin that binds it doesn't like direct, sustained heat, so a kadai or pressure cooker straight off the flame should go on a trivet. If you often put hot vessels down without thinking, granite is the more forgiving choice.

Scratches and chips

Neither scratches easily in daily use. Quartz is one of the hardest minerals in nature, and at 93% of the slab it makes the surface very scratch resistant. On either material the weak point is the edge, where a heavy pot dropped on a sharp corner can chip it. A rounded or bevelled edge lowers that risk.

Looks

Granite's appeal is that every slab is unique. The pattern shifts across the stone, and deep colours like Black Galaxy or warm ones like Tan Brown are hard to copy. Our granite collection has 116 natural designs. Because each slab differs, see the actual slabs for your kitchen before they are cut.

Quartz gives you control. The pattern is consistent across the slab and from one slab to the next, and the palette is wider at the pale end. White quartz countertops and marble-look designs, such as those in our Eclipse collection, are where quartz has a clear edge. Quartz slabs from Pacific also run up to 3,480 × 2,007 mm, so a long kitchen or island needs fewer joints.

Care and hygiene

Quartz kitchen worktops need a few drops of neutral soap, a damp microfiber cloth and a dry wipe, and that is the whole routine. Granite needs the same daily cleaning plus periodic sealing, and harsh or acidic cleaners can wear that seal down faster. Our care guides for quartz and granite go into detail.

A non-porous surface is also easier to keep hygienic. Pacific quartz is certified to NSF/ANSI 51 for food contact, so you can knead dough or roll rotis directly on the counter.

Cost

There is no single answer. Some granites cost less than most quartz, and some rare granites cost more. For both, the price depends on the design, the thickness, the edge profile, cut-outs for the sink and hob, and installation. Over time, quartz saves the cost of resealing. Send us your layout for a quote on either.

Which one suits your kitchen?

Choose kitchen quartz countertops if you cook with a lot of turmeric and oil and don't want to think about stains or sealing. It also suits a white or marble-look kitchen, and a long platform where the pattern has to match from end to end. In a quartz kitchen, an Integra sink is made from the same material, so there is no rim between sink and counter.

Choose granite if you want a slab no one else has, or prefer deep natural colours. It is also more forgiving if you tend to put hot pans straight down, and it suits anyone happy to reseal now and then in exchange for natural stone.

Many homes use both: granite on a busy cooking platform, and kitchen top quartz on an island or breakfast counter where looks come first.

Whichever you pick, buy from a quartz company or stone supplier that will show you full slabs, explain the warranty and tell you where the material comes from. Pacific quartz carries a lifetime warranty. To try a quartz or granite design in your own kitchen, upload a photo to our Visualizer, or request samples of both and compare them at home.