Quartz vs Granite vs Solid Surface: I Spilled Curry on All Three (For Science)

"Quartz cannot stain one!" the salesman promised. Three days later, my $3,000 countertop had a permanent yellow shadow where my mother-in-law spilled her fish curry.

So I turned my kitchen into a science lab. Three countertop samples. Every Singaporean stain possible. Six months of testing. The results will shock you—and save you thousands.

The Real Story

My Woodlands kitchen renovation hit a wall at countertop selection. Every supplier claimed theirs was best:

• Quartz seller: "Stain-proof, scratch-proof, everything-proof!"
• Granite uncle: "Natural stone lasts forever, quartz is fake!"
• Solid surface rep: "Can repair any damage, others cannot!"

Price quotes ranged from $1,800 to $4,500 for the same kitchen size. Nobody gave straight answers. So I bought samples of each and declared war on them.

The testing arsenal:

• Turmeric paste (the ultimate test)
• Fish curry (my MIL's nuclear version)
• Coffee (kopi-o, maximum darkness)
• Red wine (or Ribena for science)
• Sambal belacan
• Dark soy sauce
• Hot pot directly from stove
• Knife scratches
• House keys scratching

Each sample got tortured identically. Stains sat for 24 hours (worst case scenario). Heat exposure for 5 minutes. Scratching with same pressure. Then I tried every cleaning method possible.

The results destroyed everything salespeople told me.

What Most People Don't Know

After 6 months of daily abuse, here's the brutal truth about each material:

QUARTZ (Caesarstone sample - $3,200 quote)

The Good:

• Survived soy sauce, coffee, wine without staining
• Hot pot (150°C) for 1 minute—no damage
• Scratches only from deliberate knife cutting
• Looks consistent, no random patterns

The Surprise Failures:

• Turmeric stained within 2 hours (permanent yellow)
• Curry stained if left overnight
• Hot pot over 3 minutes left white mark (permanent)
• Bleach cleaner caused discoloration

Verdict: Great for Western cooking, struggles with Asian spices. Not as indestructible as claimed.

GRANITE (Black Galaxy - $2,800 quote)

The Good:

• NOTHING stained it (even turmeric gave up)
• Hot pot directly from fire—no effect
• Looks premium, unique patterns
• Actually gets better looking with age

The Hidden Problems:

• Needs resealing every year ($200)
• Without sealing, curry penetrates within hours
• Chipped from dropped ceramic bowl
• Cannot repair chips—permanent damage
• Bacteria can grow in natural pores

Verdict: Best for staining IF you maintain it. Worst for damage repair.

SOLID SURFACE (Corian sample - $2,200 quote)

The Good:

• Every stain removed with sandpaper
• Every scratch buffed out easily
• Can be repaired infinite times
• Seamless joints (hygienic)
• Cheapest option

The Disasters:

• Hot pot = immediate permanent burn mark
• Turmeric stained badly (but removable)
• Scratches from everything (keys, plates, etc)
• Looks plastic-y, not premium
• Shows every fingerprint

Verdict: Best for messy cooks who don't mind maintenance. Worst for heat and aesthetics.

THE DARK HORSE: SINTERED STONE

Nobody mentioned this option. Found it by accident at Hafary. Decided to test.

Results:

• NOTHING affected it
• Curry, turmeric, bleach—all failed
• Direct flame from torch—no damage
• Hammered it (for science)—survived
• Thinner than others (12mm vs 20mm)

The Catch:

• $4,500 (most expensive)
• Can chip if heavy items dropped at edge
• Limited design options
• Installation needs specialist

Verdict: The Toyota Hilux of countertops. Overkill but bulletproof.

The HDB Block 524 Test Kitchen

My neighbor runs a home baking business. She let me survey her baking group—32 home bakers across Singapore. Their long-term experiences:

Quartz Owners (18 bakers):

• 12 had turmeric stains
• 8 had heat marks from hot trays
• 3 cracked from heavy mixer dropping
• Overall satisfaction: 6/10

Granite Owners (8 bakers):

• 2 had staining (forgot to reseal)
• 5 had minor chips
• 1 had major crack (from dropped pot)
• Overall satisfaction: 7/10

Solid Surface (4 bakers):

• All had scratches
• All had heat marks
• But all damage was repaired
• Overall satisfaction: 8/10

Surprising Discovery: The happiest owner had $800 ceramic tiles with $50 epoxy coating. Three years, heavy use, looked brand new. "Everyone pays thousands for countertops. I paid hundreds and got same result."

Your Action Plan

• First call: Ask suppliers for samples, not brochures. Real testing beats any salesman promise.
• This weekend: Visit HDB showflat in Toa Payoh. They have all materials for comparison. Free and unbiased.
• Before contractors arrive: Order samples from Taobao ($5 each). Test yourself with your actual cooking style.
• Red flag to watch: Supplier who won't give samples or claims "no need to test." They're hiding something.
• Budget hack: Porcelain slabs from tile shops. Same look as quartz, fraction of price, better heat resistance.

The Singapore Kitchen Reality Check

Based on your cooking style, here's what actually works:

Heavy Asian Cooking (curry, sambal, frying):

• 1st choice: Sintered stone (if budget allows)
• 2nd choice: Granite (if you'll maintain)
• Avoid: Solid surface (too much heat damage)

Light Cooking (sandwiches, salads):

• 1st choice: Quartz (beautiful, low maintenance)
• 2nd choice: Solid surface (cheap, repairable)
• Avoid: Granite (overkill)

Baking/Heavy Use:

• 1st choice: Solid surface (infinitely repairable)
• 2nd choice: Sintered stone (indestructible)
• Avoid: Quartz (heat marks from trays)

Rental/Investment Property:

• Only choice: Solid surface
• Why: Tenants will damage. You can repair. Others cannot.

The Bottom Line

No countertop is perfect. Salespeople lie. Your curry doesn't care about marketing claims. Pick based on your actual cooking, not showroom beauty. And remember: a $50 bottle of sealer or sandpaper can fix what $3,000 can't replace.

Conversation Starters

What stained your "stain-proof" countertop?

Team Quartz, Granite, or Something Else—what's your experience?

Any creative countertop solutions we missed?