Tips for choosing a kitchen countertop material

Q: I'm shopping for a kitchen counter. What are the main differences between the materials?

A: With a growing number of kitchen countertops for every style and budget, choosing one can feel overwhelming. To narrow the options, first consider your spending plan.

Low-cost materials — in the range of $2 to $10 per square foot — include ceramic or porcelain tiles and laminate.

Corian, engineered quartz and butcher block wood are all midrange options that can cost $40 to $75 per square foot.

The most expensive materials are granite, stainless steel and concrete, which typically cost $50 to $150 per square foot but can also increase the resale value of your home.

While stainless steel and concrete have the biggest price tags, there are disadvantages to each. Often, you trade practicality for a luxe finish. See below for the pros and cons of common countertop materials, from least to most costly.

• Inexpensive

• Available in many colors and patterns

• Seams show at the edges

• Water can seep through seams

• Scratches and nicks easily

• Tiles resist staining

• Inexpensive

• Relatively easy to replace damaged tiles

• The grout can stain even when sealed, so maintenance is high

• You can cut right on it, so it's often used on islands as a prep area

•Easy to install, sand and repair

• Easily damaged by heat, cuts and impact

• Available in different thicknesses

• Pieces can be joined to look seamless

• Stands up to heat and impact

• Scratches easily

• Very strong – it stands up to heavy and hot pots, spills and knives

• Comes in lots of colors and variations

• Needs to be sealed periodically

• Full slabs can look different from the store samples and vary from piece to piece

• Stands up to heat and resists stains

• Dents and scratches easily

• Shows fingerprints

• Best not to use for day-to-day food preparation

• Tints and textures offer a custom counter

• Stone shards can be incorporated