after countless hours of research, you finally came to the decision that you’re going with quartz in your remodel – you’ve done your research, know all the ins-and-outs of all the countertop materials, and your mind is set – congratulations, and good choice! but now’s the hard part; what brand, design, and finish are you going to go with? with so many different name brands and options on the market today, it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference without really digging into the fine print. the delight of design has done that digging for you, and has broken the quartz brand leaders out into an easy-to-follow comparison guide.
the market leaders in quartz are cambria, caesarstone, silestone, and lg viatera/hausys. secondary brands also include corian, hanstone, dupont and zodiaq, amongst many others. for this guide, we’ll just explore the main brands you’ll encounter. secondary are marginally different, with extremely similar offerings.
cambria
designs
156+; designs of all types: heavily veined, loose particles, light veining, solids; a beautiful offering for any space; natural looking
finishes
matte and polished
warranty
lifetime
manufacture
made in the us (minnesota), owned by cambria, an american company
what we love about it
cambria is the most natural looking quartz on the market; it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference between it and a natural stone. the design resources (aug. reality) on their website are top-of-the-line, and as a highly added bonus, it’s also a product that is completely american made; from quartz quarried in the us, to minnesota manufacture. buy american!
…and what we don’t
cambria, in our opinion, is the best quartz on the market with close to the widest offerings. as such, it’s also one of the most expensive at ~$110/sqft, which puts it out of reach for many consumers. it’s also not commercially available at big-box-stores, so you may encounter a markup from your dealer.
silestone
designs
designs: largest selection of designs of all manufacturers at 160+; natural stone, solids, heavy veins, light veins, patterns, etc. – an offering for any space
finishes
volcano, suede, polished
warranty
25 year limited
manufacture
made in spain, owned by consentino, a spanish company
what we love about it
silestone offers many prefab quartz products that create a one-of-a-kind, cohesive look to your space that other manufacturers don’t, like shower bases and sinks. we love how easy it is to carry the look throughout. they’re really flippin cool.
…and what we don’t
almost all of the silestone designs appear manufactured and granulated, especially in the suede finish; quartz particles shine through and it’s easily identifiable as a man-made product.
caesarstone
designs
~56 designs: emphasis on their concrete quartz, but offers standard designs as well
finishes
polished, honed, concrete, rough
warrany
lifetime
manufacture
made in israel, owned by caesarstone ltd., an israeli company
what we love about it
if you’re looking for a concrete look with quartz durability, caesarstone is the industry leader with looks virtually unidentifiable as quartz. it’s also offered at a decent (~$70/sqft) price point. as a big plus, caesarstone has the widest offering of finishes of any brand.
…and what we don’t
asides from the concrete colors, caesarstone has yet to master the non-manufactured appearance of their designs, and their design offerings are limited relative to other manufacturers.
lg viatera
designs
~57 designs: primarily loose particles (1/8″) with granite-like appearances – some solid, limited patterns
finishes
polished
warranty
15 year limited
manufacture
made in the us (georgia), owned by lg, a south korean company
what we love about it
viatera has the lowest average price point of the major quartz manufacturers. hey, you can’t argue with that.
…and what we don’t
lg is a huge company, known for their electronics. though viatera is your standard quartz product, the customer service and knowledge of lg on their quartz isn’t as high of quality as a quartz-only manufacturer. asides from their new line of veined designs, the majority of their quartz has a granite-like look with minimal veining; lots of large particles and little design throughout. viatera is a favorite of contractors, builders, and is big in commercial work. think: home depot.
overall, we’re pretty enamored with cambria, but all brands have their pros and cons. is there a particular quartz that you use as a go-to, or have fallen in love with? let us know in the comments!
x – mk