All three make a beautiful top, but they behave very differently once you start living with them. The right choice depends less on which is "best" and more on where the stone is going and how much you want to look after it. Here's how they compare.
The short answer
- Busy family kitchen: granite or Caesarstone.
- Braai area or anything outdoors: granite.
- Bathroom vanity, table or feature wall: marble, or any of the three.
- You want an even colour with no sealing: Caesarstone.
- You want a one-of-a-kind natural pattern: granite or marble.
Side by side
| Property | Granite | Marble | Caesarstone |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Natural igneous stone | Natural metamorphic stone | Quartz bound with resin |
| Look | Speckled to flowing, every slab different | Soft, flowing veins, every slab different | Even colour and pattern |
| Heat | Handles heat well | Fair, use trivets | Always use trivets |
| Lemon, vinegar, wine | Doesn't etch | Etches (dull marks) | Wipe up, avoid harsh chemicals |
| Sealing | Yes, and reseal over time | Yes, and reseal regularly | Not needed |
| Outdoors | Yes | Not recommended | Standard range: no |
| Best for | Kitchens, braais, busy counters | Bathrooms, tables, walls | Kitchens, vanities, splashbacks |
Granite: the practical natural stone
Granite is an igneous rock made mostly of quartz, feldspar and mica. Those are hard minerals that household acids don't attack, so lemon juice, vinegar and wine won't leave dull marks on it. It handles heat well and it's fine outdoors in the sun.
What to know: most granite needs sealing to slow down staining, and resealing over time. Because it's natural, the colour and pattern change from slab to slab, so it's worth seeing the slab before it's cut.
Marble: the beautiful one that shows its life
Marble is limestone changed by heat and pressure, and it's made mostly of calcite. That gives it the soft, flowing veins people love, but calcite is softer than granite and reacts with acids. Lemon, vinegar, wine and some cleaners eat into the surface and leave dull patches called etching.
Sealing helps against stains, but it doesn't stop etching, because etching is a chemical reaction on the surface. That's why marble is at its best in bathrooms, on tables, walls and fireplaces, and in kitchens where you're happy for the top to age.
Caesarstone: even colour, easy care, indoors
Caesarstone is a brand of quartz surface: natural quartz bound with resin and pigments, pressed into slabs. The colour and pattern are even across the slab, and Caesarstone says quartz is non-porous, so it's generally not necessary to seal it. Daily cleaning is water and a mild detergent.
The resin sets the limits. Caesarstone advises always putting hot pots and pans on trivets, keeping harsh chemicals like oven cleaner and acetone off the surface, and using its standard surfaces indoors only, because UV light can change the colour.
Still not sure?
Tell us where the top is going and how you use the space, and we'll help you choose. You can pick "Not sure" in our quote builder and we'll come back to you with options.
General information only. Natural stone varies from slab to slab, so ask us about the specific stone and colour you choose. Caesarstone is a registered trademark of Caesarstone Ltd.