By Lorna Gentry People are paying big bucks to install kitchen work surfaces that would make Wilma Flintstone feel right at home. But the type of stone you choose will determine just how useful it will be in your kitchen. Granite is gorgeous and tough. Granite can stain, however, and it's among the most expensive countertop materials. Marble is a classic furniture and architectural stone, and it looks great in vintage kitchens.
Marble can be a high-maintenance choice for a stone countertop.
Slate is tough and it's right at home near the kitchen sink. Like marble, slate can scratch and stain, but it's relatively heat resistant. Soapstone, the softest of the contenders listed here, is gaining popularity in the kitchen. Soapstone darkens over time, and it can darken unevenly if you don't seal it properly. Soapstone's easy workability helps keep its cost down.