The Most Durable Benchtop Material

From the most modest to the most premium, all kitchen benchtop materials have their pros and cons. Our handy guide gives you all the information you need about durability, cleaning and price to make the best choice for your new kitchen.

“The short answer: engineered and sealed natural stone are the most durable overall. Both score highly for stain, abrasion, cutting and heat resistance. Natural stone needs more care in cleaning because it is porous. No single material wins every category, which is why each one is graded separately below.”

CHOICE has taken the time to study each kitchen benchtop material and provide an evaluation. We make that information easy to digest. To go back to the source, visit CHOICE to see the results: https://www.choice.com.au/home-and-living/household/everyday-items/buying-guides/kitchen-benchtops

For more information on benchtop styles and designs, see our fact sheet.

All nine materials at a glance

Material	Strongest at	Weakest at	Best suited to
Large-format porcelain	Stain, heat, cutting	Impact	Bathrooms, thin modern profiles
Sealed natural stone	Heat, stain, cutting	Cleaning, needs sealing	Feature islands where each slab is unique
Engineered stone (silica-free)	Cleaning, cutting	Chipped edges	Colour matching across a whole kitchen
Acrylic solid surface (such as Corian and Meganite)	Impact, cleaning	Abrasion	Curved shapes and seamless integrated sinks
Laminate	Stain, heat, cleaning	Abrasion, impact	Rental properties and modest budgets
Stainless steel	Heat, cleaning	Dents and scratches	Serious cooks who want a commercial feel
Timber	Warmth, repairable	Heat, cleaning	Warmth in coastal, rustic and modern kitchens
Concrete	Heat, appearance	Abrasion, brittleness	A genuinely rugged, one-off look
Sintered stone	Heat, stain, cutting	Higher price point, impact	High use kitchens and serious cooks where stain and heat resistance is paramount

1. Engineered stone/Quartz

This is one of the most popular choices in bathroom and kitchen benchtop materials. It is very durable and comes in a huge range of colours to suit any colour scheme. The low grade for impact resistance relates to the ability to easily chip the edges of this product (for example by dropping a heavy can of food from an upper cabinet) if care is not taken.

Unlike natural stone, kneading dough does not pose a staining problem.

Please note: since 1 July 2024, engineered stone containing crystalline silica has been prohibited in Australia, following its link to silicosis in stonemasons. Engineered stone benchtops supplied today are silica-free products, and the grading below refers to that current generation. We have written separately about silica-free benchtop alternatives and what has replaced traditional engineered stone.

Looks clean	Easy to clean	Stain resistance	Impact resistance	Abrasion resistance	Cutting resistance	Heat resistance	Cost
A+	A+	A	D	B	A+	A	$$-$$$

2. Corian

Corian is the first choice for those who want a cutting-edge benchtop design featuring seamless angles, curves and of course Corian’s signature integrated sink. Due to the translucent properties of the product, it can also be backlit to create a show-stopping feature.

Corian is easy to maintain and relatively tough. If it does happen to become badly scratched, Corian can be repaired by the manufacturer.

Benchtop material: Corian in a bespoke curve.

Looks clean	Easy to clean	Stain resistance	Impact resistance	Abrasion resistance	Cutting resistance	Heat resistance	Cost
A	A+	A	A+	D	A	B	$$-$$$$

3. Sealed Natural Stone (Marble or Granite)

Natural stone is the clear winner in some areas, only dropping a little in the cleaning department. As natural stone is a porous product, it does have some limitations. Exposure to acid (such as citrus and some cleaning solutions) can eat away the product leaving an unsightly, uneven, pocked surface. If you are a keen cook and like to knead dough or pastry directly on your kitchen benchtop, it is imperative that you seal it annually or lay cling film on the bench before kneading – alternatively a dedicated kneading slab can be created from the hole cut out for the sink. Oily or cloudy flour residue from dough can leach into the product leaving a distinct patina.

Natural stone is a premium product and therefore comes at a premium price. For some, there is no substitute for natural stone due to the unique veining in each slab. Imitations don’t have the same cool touch and one-of-a-kind look of the real thing.

Looks clean	Easy to clean	Stain resistance	Impact resistance	Abrasion resistance	Cutting resistance	Heat resistance	Cost
A+	B	A+	A	A	A+	A+	$$$-$$$$

4. Laminate

While it is one of the humbler benchtop materials, laminates still score quite well on durability. This is why they have been a popular choice for kitchen benchtops for decades and will remain so for decades to come. Stains are able to be cleaned very effectively with most domestic cleaning solutions – even natural, homemade cleaning products – and it is very resistant to cutting and heat.

Laminates are available in a huge range of colours and effects ranging from those mimicking natural materials to fun bright patterns. There are many brands of laminate, all with their own colour and price ranges. There is sure to be something to suit your style, and there is a price point to suit most projects..

Looks clean	Easy to clean	Stain resistance	Impact resistance	Abrasion resistance	Cutting resistance	Heat resistance	Cost
Colour dependent	A+	A+	C	E	A	A+*	$-$$

* While the Laminex brand performed extremely well, the Formica brand received an F for heat resistance.

Benchtop Material: TImber in a sharp modern style.

5. Timber

Timber is a chameleon. Timber benchtops can be rustic, coastal, modern and many things in between. Being a natural product, it will never be out of fashion. There are a great many timbers to choose from – from light to dark, heavily featured to fine-grained. The edging can be a highly decorative double bullnose with bow ends to a modern square or shark nose.

While it does not score as well in durability as other products, it can wear exceptionally well if care is taken. Timber is also repairable to a certain degree – if marks are sustained in an oiled benchtop it may be sanded back and re-oiled.

Timber (Oiled)

Looks clean	Easy to clean	Stain resistance	Impact resistance	Abrasion resistance	Cutting resistance	Heat resistance	Cost
A+	C	B	B	D	B	F	$$-$$$$

Timber (Polyurethane coated)

Looks clean	Easy to clean	Stain resistance	Impact resistance	Abrasion resistance	Cutting resistance	Heat resistance	Cost
B	A+	A+	C	D	B	F	$$-$$$$

6. Stainless Steel

Made popular by commercial kitchens, stainless steel benchtops are a great choice for those looking for a hygienic, heat resistant surface. They do have their limitations in that they will dent and scratch, however, some people enjoy the patina that is achieved over time.

Looks clean	Easy to clean	Stain resistance	Impact resistance	Abrasion resistance	Cutting resistance	Heat resistance	Cost
C	A+	B	C	D	A	A	$$$

7. Large-Format Porcelain

Large-format porcelain is a new kid on the kitchen benchtop material block. It performs extremely well in all areas except for impact resistance, where it may shatter if a hefty object is dropped from a considerable height. Large-format porcelain is great for achieving a high fashion ultra-thin – almost floating – effect. It comes in a great range of metal, stone and other effects; predominantly colours from a natural pallet.

Looks clean	Easy to clean	Stain resistance	Impact resistance	Abrasion resistance	Cutting resistance	Heat resistance	Cost
A+	A+	A+	E	A	A+	A+	$$$-$$$$

8. Concrete

Concrete has become such a fashionable material to feature in kitchens and bathrooms that concrete-effect is available from a variety of engineered stone, laminate and large format porcelain manufacturers.

While concrete may seem to be a cost-effective option, the expense comes in with the extra care required in laying the concrete to the specifications of your benchtop followed by food-grade sealing and polishing. Because it is a fairly brittle material, the imitations crafted by manufacturers of engineered stone, laminate and large format porcelain provide a more durable end result that is designed specifically for use as a kitchen benchtop. That said, only true concrete gives the rugged, nuanced effect of true concrete.

Benchtop Material: Concrete effect large format porcelain.

Looks clean	Easy to clean	Stain resistance	Impact resistance	Abrasion resistance	Cutting resistance	Heat resistance	Cost
A+	B	A	D	E	A	A+	$$-$$$$

9. Sintered Stone

Sintered stone is the newest arrival and is often confused with large-format porcelain, which it closely resembles. It is made by compressing natural minerals under heat and pressure without resins or binders, which is why it contains no crystalline silica and performs so well against heat and staining. Like porcelain, it is vulnerable to a heavy impact on an edge or corner, and it needs an experienced fabricator, but for a kitchen that is cooked in hard every day it is among the most resilient surfaces available.

Looks clean	Easy to clean	Stain resistance	Impact resistance	Abrasion resistance	Cutting resistance	Heat resistance	Cost
A+	A+	A+	D	A+	A+	A+	$$$-$$$$

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the most durable kitchen benchtop material?

Sintered stone performs best across the widest range of conditions, scoring top marks for stain, heat, abrasion and cutting resistance. It can chip if something heavy strikes an edge. Sealed natural stone is close behind and is the most durable of the natural materials.

Which benchtop material is most scratch resistant?

Large-format porcelain, sintered stone and sealed natural stone all score highly for abrasion. Laminate is the weakest in this respect, and Corian scratches relatively easily, although it can be repaired by the manufacturer.

Which benchtop material handles heat best?

Natural stone, porcelain, sintered stone, concrete and stainless steel all handle heat well. Timber is the poorest performer and both oiled and coated timber will mark if a hot pan is placed directly on it. Always use a trivet regardless of the material.

What is the best benchtop for a busy family kitchen?

Sintered stone suits households that cook often, because they resist staining and heat without needing sealing. If small children are around and things get dropped, silica-free engineered stone or acrylic solid surface handle impact better, though they mark more easily in other ways.

Still deciding? Our benchtops page covers the finishes, edge profiles and thicknesses available, and you are welcome to see and handle samples at either our Rowville or Doncaster showroom.