Under most conditions found in the kitchen, your countertops will be fine if you take a hot pan off the stove or a casserole out of the oven and place it on them. However, placing a very hot object directly on top of a cold surface may result in a condition referred to as thermal shock. There have been instances of countertops cracking when the conditions are just right. For this reason, we always recommend the usage of a trivet or thermal pad between the pot and countertop.