Granite and marble have long been the reigning high-end countertop material of choice — but if you've browsed a kitchen showroom recently, you may have noticed that these swanky stones are being usurped by quartz. According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association [1], manufactured quartz is now the leading countertop material — and with good reason.

Durability

• Unlike high-maintenance granite and marble (they're beautiful but fragile!), quartz is naturally stain repellent and impervious to acidic foods.
• It's resistant to scratches and chips. Translation: you don't have to worry about your countertops looking trashed from normal wear and tear.
• Quartz doesn't require any sealing, whereas granite and marble require at least yearly treatments.

Style

• The biggest reason for the recent surge in quartz's popularity can likely be traced to advances in the man-made stone's aesthetic.
• Manufacturers have figured out how to remove the overly flecked and unnaturally uniform patterns and create the organic-looking swirls and variations of natural stone.

Affordability

• Quartz falls right between granite and marble at about $80 per square foot, compared to granite's approximate $75 per foot average and marble's $85.

With its reasonable price point, newly improved form, and superior function, we think the quartz trend is here to stay.