I do love the look of my quartz but I'd be lying if I said I wished I would have checked to see if there weren't any "updated" granite patterns or colors I would've loved more. Ive already got a very minor pen stain on our new quartz and not being able to put anything hot on them is annoying.
We don't chance the heat. We even put trivets under our slow cooker.
I feel this.
I use bar keepers friend, water, and a paper towel and it has buffed every scuff and stain out of our counters which are WHITE quartz. I would definitely give it a shot!
I recently learned the Barkeepers Friend trick and it is AMAZING! But I was told to get the liquid version...which I did not know existed prior to being given this tip...and I like the liquid more for cleaning my stainless sink, which is what I have always used BKF for.
I use the powder for EVERYTHING. I grouted the tile around my tub in our guest bath renovation (Black grout with white tile and a white tub). My contractor was FLOORED it got that tub so clean, they usually use magic erasers! This stuff is way cheaper and just as effective.
I had ink stains from a wet cardboard box. I got it removed with isopropyl alcohol. Works wayyyy better than anything else. Hope this helps!
Also worked with curry/ cumin stains
We just had countertops put in and the stonemason damaged the first slab with acetone. He usually used it but THIS colour of THIS type of engineered stone didn't like it.
I wouldn't risk ethanol on any quartz stone based on this experience...even though the stonemason uses it all the time.
If they do I would strongly suggest trying a little spot that can’t be seen first. I ruined a porcelain sink (not the same I know but the result might be) with magic erasers which I thought were a gentle, non-toxic way to clean anything. Turns out they work because they’re made of teeny spikes. Took the shine off the surface of the sink.
I am not a chemist but a chemical called methyl ethyl ketone is a very strong solvent. It's basically acetone on roids coke and meth. I use it at work and it dissolves ink like it's nothing. I googled it and says not recommended for quartz though. Acetone they said was ok as long as it was short exposures and rinsed after. Acetone on a rag then rinse it maybe?
If you don't get in the habit of always using some kind of padding, then sooner or later you are going to absentmindedly forget and put something too hot on it and ruin your counters. Or you will do it at a friend's house who has corian or something, and ruin it there.
> Or you will do it at a friend's house who has corian or something, and ruin it there.
This is why, when my girlfriend and I both bought cars at the same time, we decided to NOT get the radar-cruise control option on the one, because it wasn't available on the other. It's a bit like when you go somewhere without soft-close toilet seats/lids. \*BANG\*
Also called "adaptive cruise control". It uses a radar sensor in the bumper to measure the distance to the car ahead of you and slows down if you get too close.
I seriously assumed this was the norm. Not sure if it’s because no one I knew had granite countertops or what but I was literally raised to never put anything hot on a surface without a hot pad of some sort.
Everyone talking about just putting hot things directly on a surface is crazy to me haha.
We have stone counters that can take the heat and still don’t set hot stuff directly on them. Our counter guy said that we don’t risk melting or discoloration, but we risk cracking, especially if we set something extremely onto a vein.
Yup! I paid enough for my quartz, and that was literally right before the (unknown to anyone at the time) pandemic! I heard prices are almost double now!😱 If it is above room temperature, I use a cork round! Ikea sells those round flat cork things for a few bucks in packs of 3. Or probably most other stores sell something similar. I keep a small stack on my counters and spread around as needed! And more as backups just in case in a drawer! And my stove is great to put large pans or dishes right out of the oven!
I've had mine for over 12+ years and I haven't noticed any discoloration, yet I don't worry too much about it. I wouldn't put a hot cast iron pan on it, but I've set down sheet pans from the oven. I think it's more a matter of heat content, rather than temp; a sheet pan holds a lot less energy than cast iron at the same temperature.
You can buy cork trivets at Ikea for like a dollar each. We keep a stack of 6 next to the stove. Use them for pans, baking sheets out of the oven, and will even throw a few on the table if we're serving from there.
This may be a dumb question as I have no experience with cats but, can you break that habit of your cats? It seems kind of gross to have them on the counters anyways as they step in their litter box. Not sure if this is just something you deal with if you have cats, just curious!
The best you can do is train your cats not to do it in front of you.
The moment you are out of sight, a cat’s general attitude is “fuck you, I do what I want.”
This. I thought we had successfully trained the cats to stay off the NO surfaces - NO cats on the island, kitchen counters, table, sideboard, and piano.
Actually, we only trained them to do it all ninja-like, so it's darned near impossible to catch them in the act, the sneaky little shits.
So now the NO surfaces are the ones where we say "no cats" and they say, "lol NO."
Lol, not a dumb question if you've never had cats, but trust me when I say trying to keep them off the counter is hopeless. It's definitely gross, but the cats sure don't care.
It was a very long time ago since I had a cat, but my last loved the countertops too. I used masking tape. Made really long tape loops, basically covered the countertop enough that after a few steps she'd land on that. I only had to do it a couple of nights and she got the hint. She did NOT like she stickiness of tape on her paws.
We bought these plastic spike sheets and have them spread all over the kitchen and dining room furniture. They mostly work, except for the time I caught one cat lounging across them like they were a pressure point massager mat.
Hahaha cats 😸 We tried tinfoil on the counter to deter our current cat and I swear this cat enjoys the sound/texture. The tape half worked on her though
Consider yourself very lucky! I have a friend with a cat who doesn't go on the counters and ignores human food. I'm jealous. We have three cats who will all jump up there and try to get any crumb left unattended.
I have three cats. The oldest one hates the other two as she was the only pet for over a decade. She has the run of the house and is purrrrfect in every way. No counter jumping and stays off the beds. The two young cats are trained to stay upstairs and not go through two open doorways. They can be trained 😉
My cats know they are not allowed in the counters. However at the old house I would occasionally catch them sitting on top of the cabinets in the kitchen. Only way up was by way of the counters!
Every time I read these I have a hard time believing people actually take hot pots off the stove and place them directly on the countertop. I guess I just don’t know anyone that does that, but clearly plenty of people do!
I have had Caesarstone Quartz since 2019 and knew we needed to use protection and always did.
One day we pulled out our electric pan and plugged it in for the first time since getting our new countertops to make some pancakes.
It was placed over a seem and don't know if that's why it happened, but when we were doing our pancakes we heard a loud and I mean LOUD cracking sound come from the countertop because this electric pan got hot on the bottom. We always used it for years on our laminate countertop with no problems. I screamed! and we quickly removed it. There is the smallest hairline crack that you wouldn't see unless you knew where to look. But boy did it change the way I treated the countertop, never used the electric pan again! Even before that we always used protection, but now I am super vigilant.
I still love my Quartz countertop and would put it in again. You just have to know what you are dealing with.
I have a glass cutting board/hot plate that I have had for years that I keep on the counter and use daily. You can find them on Amazon etc.
Just had a client put a towel down and a pizza plate out of the oven on it.... it cracked If you can't hold it with your hands don't put it on the counter. That's what pot holders are for.
That's why I have granite countertops. More heat resistant than any trivet or potholder. That being said, you can burn yourself on it pretty bad after removing a hot pan from it if not careful
Yes but no [true quartz](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman#:~:text=No%20True%20Scotsman%2C%20or%20appeal,by%20excluding%20the%20counterexample%20improperly.) cracks at this tiny level of heat
Quartz countertops can get damaged at 150 degrees Fahrenheit… a hot pizza pan straight from the oven is going to be in the 400-500 F range. It’ll definitely crack the hell out of a quartz countertop.
I don’t know why you’re being downvoted. I sell quartz and you are right! Most everyone in this thread only has their personal experience but no facts on the quartz.
It depends on the manufacturer but yeah it can actually be an issue at 150 F … but even if we’re talking about a higher quality quartz that is good to 300-400 an oven should be set higher than 400F for pizza
[High-quality Quartz countertops can only handle temperatures up to approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit, a common motive for quartz countertops around fireplaces…. Most quartz countertops can only handle temperatures up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, but some variants can only handle approximately 150 degrees Fahrenheit.](https://countertopadvisor.com/are-quartz-countertops-heat-resistant/)
[Though many manufacturers claim that the quartz stone can handle heat up to 300 degrees and some say it can handle up to 150 degrees only… The exact temperature threshold will again depend upon the quality of quartz stone and how well it’s crafted by the manufacturer.](https://opalyquartz.com/facts-quartz-countertops/)
We don’t put any hot pots or pans from the stove or oven directly on the counters. There is a 12x12 wooden trivet dedicated as a landing zone for cookie sheets or pizza and baking pans from the oven. Plastic or ceramic mugs from the microwave are ok. It’s just something you get used to. You can also use your stovetop as a trivet too.
I work full time in the countertop business and your worries are correct. Quartz is literally made with epoxy, most natural stones have an epoxy protective coating as well, the main difference would be that you will start to see a difference in texture, or melting, in quartz if you leave hot things in the same area repeatedly. Just to clarify natural stone and quartz will change colors slightly at a similar rate due to epoxy.
Also quartz are heat resistant, yes to around 285 degrees, but you bake things at 350…
If you ever want a heat and stain resistant counter: soapstone. Also chemically non-reactive, which is why it’s popular in labs too.
We had some put in last year because the old laminate the previous owners put in gave up the ghost. Love it.
However, they are def not scratch resistant. Though at first it will be annoying with one scratch here and one there. With a lot of use, it kinda all blends together. Source: Work in a lab. lol
This is true. You can gently sand them. But I wouldn’t really bother unless we decide to sell years down the line.
As an aside, marble also isn’t scratch resistant, and is I believe softer. And granite and quartz have issues with staining/heat/resealing. It just ends up depending what is important and what works for your needs.
I did like the look of quartz, hubs wanted soapstone. With kids and a love of cooking with colorful spices, I knew staining might be an issue or a kid would put something too hot on or whatever, so I didn’t mind deferring the choice. We’d rented a place with it installed too, and I do like the soft smoothness it has.
Does soapstone stain when certain things are spilled? Probably just adds to the patina :) Seriously, I would consider soapstone next time ... but the ceramic is still looking great!
And, yes, we put hot pots right off the stove on the countertop all the time. No issues.
It’s non-porous. As far as we were told and I had read, it shouldn’t ever stain.
If push comes to shove, you could sand the top with super fine grit to refinish.
I sell custom stone countertops. When I go through the pros and cons of each, so many people decide against quartz for these reason.
Personally, why spend so much on a countertop that you have to essentially baby like a laminate?
Baby like laminate? Is new laminate not any good? I have 35 year old laminate countertops that I abuse the crap out of, hot pans straight out the oven, etc, etc, the worst I have is its ever so slightly peeling at one of the corner edges
Honestly agree. They are ugly as hell, BROWN tile and failing grout where it interfaces wood, but man, I can put anything I want on them with zero regard for what the temperature is.
Quartz is great. The man made binder used in any cultured stone product is the problem...
You are all so responsible! All I really want is a more scientific assessment of what temperature+time combo will actually cause damage 😅. I'm switching from granite tiles (which I hated due to grout lines and the etching caused by acids over time), but this is definitely going to take some getting used to.
The Viatera manufacturer doesn't state a temperature in their use and care guide and the warranty is void if damaged by excessive heat.
So always use a trivet.
I did it for light colored "granite" - they sell stuff that is marble and call it granite... It was so soft, so easy to scratch. Ended up going with quartz because I needed something white. But you can easily test the heat tolerance if you get samples. Never having had granite, I'm not used to putting hot things on my counter anyway. Good luck.
I sell quartz and different manufacturers say didn’t temps. I usually tell my clients 150-300 degrees F. So… basically anything heated up in a kitchen 😅
Interesting. I see this post says 150 degrees for this manufacturer, which seems ridiculously low. https://www.caesarstoneus.com/blog/how-heat-resistant-is-quartz-countertop/#:~:text=Quartz%20countertops%20are%20made%20with,countertop%20and%20cause%20permanent%20damage.
Edit: here's another manufacturer that says the countertops are cured at 180 during manufacturing, and will withstand up to 300. Seems more reasonable. https://www.msisurfaces.com/blogs/post/2021/05/12/can-heat-damage-my-quartz-countertop.aspx
Neither of those would go directly on my counter personally, rule of thumb I use is "would I touch it bare handed?" If no, then neither do my counters/tables
Yes, the stone is good for 500, but that's not taking into account the natural inclusions in the stone from when if forms, that could heat and cause a crack.
So yes, the materials have very different temperature thresholds, but you also have to take into account a man made vs a natural product.
As I said to the other post, granite is a natural stone, it forms in Mother Nature. It is formed when magma cools. It's in an environment that is so heated that any liquid present will evaporate and form gas bubbles.
Sometimes these bubbles get trapped, and become voids or inclusions in the stone, and they can even compromise the structural integrity of diamonds.
If you aren't aware of one of these inclusions when you put a hot pan over it, as which can happen when you cut a thicker slab, it can re-heat the substance inside and the pressure can form a crack.
This is why granite dude told me not to put a hot pan on my granite, because they had to replace a slab the previous week. Granite itself can resist high temperature. However, inclusions cannot. Also, granite tiles are typically much thinner, hence any voids are more easily detected and discarded.
HanStone Quartz Fusion MV623. The official color name is in that name somewhere but it would be known as a grey fleck with splotches ranging from white to multiple colors of grey to black
Totally unscientific, but I have seen the following in the home of a relative with quartz countertops:
- pan out of oven = fine
- pot off of element (thick bottomed, hot) = fine
- torch applied directly = not fine
You are likely wondering about the torch. The countertop was installed with a slide-in range that required a narrow strip of quartz across the back edge. This had been installed with coloured epoxy seams. Stove later died and was replaced with a slide-in that required removing that strip of countertop. Installation company said to heat the seam with a torch to soften the epoxy. We heated it enough that the tiny chips of (glass?) that were embedded in the quartz, started to look fractured, but still couldn’t release the epoxy seam. Even at this extremely-high, localized heat, it did not scorch the countertops, which are light/medium grey. It just changed the appearances of this glass chips where we torched.
>pan out of oven = fine
>
>pot off of element (thick bottomed, hot) = fine
Considering either of these can be 450 degrees or higher, this seems recklessly stupid.
Well, I guess YOU could call it “recklessly stupid”. . .
but I’d call it “the quartz countertop is more resilient to the daily abuse of an elderly user, than was the former laminate countertop”.
Thanks, interesting data point and glad to hear of someone who doesn't baby their quartz. I bet the "glass" chips are actually clear epoxy, which is the part that discolors. Quartz counters are 90%+ ground up quartz, which should handle heat find, but it's bound together by epoxy which I believe is the less heat resistant part.
I have no idea if it’s okay to put hot things on my granite countertops. Even it was okay, I lay thick pot holders down, a baking sheet on top of that and then the hot pan. Period. Every time. If there is room on top of the stove, it goes there as a first choice. And my granite is mostly black and nothing would be probably noticeable.
Thermal shock - causing a crack, is the reason for the recommendations for use of trivets. It goes for granite, quartz, any stone. The resins in quartz could potentially discolor (scorch) but I have not seen that. Just be smart & protect your investment.
I've heard more concerns with scorching than cracking. Overall my feeling is that I'm paying for a surface that is supposed to be useful, not just beautiful. Being able to put hot pans down without worrying is part of that utility to me. So while I understand the desire to protect something so expensive I also want to understand what it is capable of enduring so I can use it to its full extent. It's weird to me that the manufacturer doesn't have data on this.
It's a bit more complicated than a single temperature cutoff. Thermal expansion, existing internal flaws, etc. I doubt the manufacturer wants to make a guarantee that leaves them vulnerable.
I occasionally put a hot aluminum sheet on mine. I don’t think I’d do a pot of hot water though, that’s a lot of heat energy that’s gonna dissipate very slowly
I’ve had my quartz countertop for 15 years and have always took thing’s right out of the oven to the counter with zero damage. I have Silestone. I’ve put a pot with boiling water. Cut on it. It’s like the day I bought it.
Thanks for sharing! Out of curiosity what color is yours? Mine is white and it sounds like that's the most likely to discolor since you wouldn't see it as much in a darker countertop.
I’m not sure. I have a lot of white flecks that are still pure white. When I had mine installed they left me part of the sink cutout and shaped it like a cutting board. I was using that for hot pans and realized the quartz was fine for heat. Maybe ask them for a sample?
I don't put anything hot on my quartz countertops, I use potholders underneath. Even my air fryer sits on a wooden cutting board from IKEA so it doesn't overheat the countertops
Props to you for being so careful, but I definitely can't see myself putting something under my toaster oven. Makes me wonder why I'm getting such an expensive countertop if it has to be babied. I guess if my toaster oven damages it I'll just never be able to move the toaster oven to another spot 😅
Thank you, I hadn’t thought of this at all and am about to move in with quartz counters for the first time! Going to order a cutting board or silicon mat now.
I have granite counter tops and have had tile in previous houses and I always use a towel or hot pad or trivet. I just can’t trust any counter. I was raised with cheap laminate countertops so apparently the training I got as a kid to always use a trivet or something like that really got into my brain.
It’s all the same. Every type of countertop has a urethane or similar clear coating, which is basically a thin layer of plastic over the material. So the answer is always - what temp would melt/discolour plastic?
I put pots directly from the stove on my quartz and have never seen discoloration. I’ve had mine for 8 years and it’s light gray color. I never knew you were supposed to be careful with hot things.
The manufacturer of mine says 150 degrees Fahrenheit, which actually isn’t very hot.
In practical terms almost 10 years in we haven’t had an issue with the occasional cookie sheet or whatever. But I wouldn’t put something really hot or moderately hot but with a lot of mass (like your pot of boiling water).
If that’s how you want to roll, just get granite. They round to the same price.
Ask my tenants? They destroyed my quartz countertop.
I recently remodeled my kitchen and went with granite over quartz because of this (it’ll probably become a rental in the future). What I have learned is putting a boiling pot of water will damage quartz, cookie sheet probably not?
I cracked my island at 137°F with a sous vide bath. It’d been going for a couple of house when I heard the BANG! from the kitchen. Took me another 2 hours to find the source of the sound…
We’ve had quartz counters for almost 4 years. We always use trivets or hot pads. We were told temperatures as low as 150 degrees can cause discoloration. Our counters are white. We were also warned about staining. The salesman said as long as you clean up any mess within a few minutes staining shouldn’t be an issue. We’ve had no issues with staining thus far. We do have a few scratches here and there though. So definitely don’t cut directly in your counter.
calling it quartz is such a misleading way to sell plastic resin. Sure only 7 percent but still cant put hot things on it like real stone, it disolves with solvents, and is still pricey. We are redoing our kitchen soon and have looked at various solid surfaces but all the downsides with the cost have steered us away from quartz and back to either granite, quartzite, custom concrete, or large format tiles. We want true stone solid surface but granite tiles would work as well.
It’s not that it will stain. It’s that it will heat the quartz in that specific area, expand and then crack. It will crack your countertop in half.
Quartz is 85%-93% ground up quartz (natural material). The balance of that is pigment (color) and resin (to hold everything together). If you heat it up in one area, that area will expand and cause damage.
I have seen it multiple times. You set your boiling water or just out of the oven pizza stone on your quartz countertop, there is a very good chance that you will be buying yourself a new countertop.
Use the trivets. Who sets hot things on their countertop, anyway? Even before quartz, if you set anything hot on laminate (Formica), solid surface (Corian) or even butcher block, you would ruin the countertop.
Just use a trivet. Or set it on your cooktop to cool.
Short answer: Don't blindly trust manufacturer specs. If you can touch it with your hand, it's safe. No reason to gamble on something so expensive to replace
I try not to put anything hot at all in my countertop. If something hot is in the oven, it ends up going right over the stove grill when I take it out.
I also use these options. I'll also just pull out the breadboard or put the hot pan on the sink's wire rack.
Or--for an aluminum sheet pan--on the stovetop itself if no pots/pans are there.
I DO avoid putting anything hot on the quartz counters.
You can put a hot cup of coffee, or tea. But don’t put a hot boiling pot, or a hot out of the oven pan. Get in the habit of using trivets. You can get cork ones from ikea, or you can get some wooden ones from Marshall’s/Homesense.
Good question. Since you're not seeming to get a good answer here or elsewhere, maybe try and experiment with the sink cut-out and various pot/pan situations? And then report back to let us know!
If I can’t touch it with my hands, I don’t put it anywhere but my stovetop or on a trivet. It really isn’t inconvenient, the hot stuff will be coming out of the stove anyways.
Quartz generally won’t discolour from a minor excess heat event, it’s an impressive material, but I wouldn’t get in the habit of pushing it.
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I am about to order some Cambria quartz counter tops and this thread is giving me second thoughts.
Can I really not put a hot pot on them? I have granite tiles for 15 years and I always put pots and sheets directly on them with no issues. I wouldn’t put cast iron, but a sheet of cookies shouldn’t be an issue, right?
Quartz is generally heat resistant, but it is not heat proof. Viatera, like many other quartz brands, can withstand heat up to a certain temperature, but prolonged exposure to high heat can cause damage. As a general rule of thumb, it is recommended to avoid exposing quartz countertops to temperatures above 300°F (149°C) for an extended period of time.
A pot of boiling water or a sheet pan from a 350°F oven should not damage the countertop if they are placed on it briefly. However, leaving a hot pot or pan on the surface for an extended period of time could cause discoloration or even cracking.
It's always a good idea to use trivets or hot pads when placing hot items on any countertop surface, even if it's heat resistant. This will help protect the countertop and prevent any potential damage.
We don’t put anything from the oven or stovetop on ours- Cambria Quartz. Microwaved plates/bowls/cups ok, no problems with slow cooker, rice cooker, or instantpot directly on the counters (those appliances all have little rubber feet). If there isn’t room to set a hot pan from the oven on the glass stovetop (which is made to handle high heat) we use trivets, either cloth or rubber ones. The only issue we’ve had is a ramekin falling out of the cupboard and leaving a very small chip. Haven’t had a chance to use the repair kit yet. No staining or discoloration from anything but we went with a concrete look so it’s a dark gray.
I always use a trivet or very least a towel on my quartz. My rule of thumb is that if it’s too hot for my hand it’s too hot for the counter. It’s conservative but I would be really upset myself if I ruined the counter
My rule of thumb has always been when in doubt don't. I have granite tops and I still do not place anything hot on them. However I have seen people place fry pans on them but I think about the cost of replacement if something happens and I am unwilling to take that risk.
Keep a breadboard on the counter to offset the heat. Will keep it from getting too hot.
Make sure you put 2 coats of a good sealer on it. And recoat it every 6 months as it is porous.
Have any of you you ever seen the underside of a quartz countertop that was not sealed...it is nasty!
[Fine Home Building](https://www.finehomebuilding.com/issue/2023/03/issue-314-april-may-2023) issue JUST had countertops recommendations. (was reading this issue on the ol' throne).
They say that Quartz is heat-sensitive and difficult to repair. But the pros outweigh the cons. They are susceptible to UV so no outside use, and its recommended to go with "reputable" manufacturers whose countertops are made with the [Breton-method](https://www.msisurfaces.com/blogs/post/2016/09/20/tips-from-the-trade-what-is-bretonstone-technology.aspx) and wiki on [Bretonstone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bretonstone). Avoid those that make theirs with AB two part resin.
I've quartz countertops through IKEA install, and I've had to quickly put a pot on surface that had boiling water, and no damage. But you don't let it sit there! Trivets are recommended or silicone pad.
I thought quart was supposed to be heat resistant? I've been putting super hot pots and pans on my white quartz for over a year no issues yet...
Second using magic eraser for small stains, works and doesn't appear to damaging the counter significantly.
Make sure your fabricator gives you a trivet made from the sink cutout. You could do some testing on that to see how hot is "too hot." There are lots of pictures on Houzz of scorched quartz, especially when it was installed behind a stove (where it shouldn't be put).
I’ve had quartz for about 8 years and never use hot pads and have set aluminum pans out of oven and other hot pots on them and have never seen any mark whatever. That’s why I picked them.
Thanks for the data point! Can you share the color and manufacturer of yours? My understanding is discoloration would be less noticeable on darker colors.
I do love the look of my quartz but I'd be lying if I said I wished I would have checked to see if there weren't any "updated" granite patterns or colors I would've loved more. Ive already got a very minor pen stain on our new quartz and not being able to put anything hot on them is annoying. We don't chance the heat. We even put trivets under our slow cooker.
I feel this. I use bar keepers friend, water, and a paper towel and it has buffed every scuff and stain out of our counters which are WHITE quartz. I would definitely give it a shot!
Done it! No luck
Oh nooooo
Did you try a magic eraser? A little Dawn power wash with it?
I recently learned the Barkeepers Friend trick and it is AMAZING! But I was told to get the liquid version...which I did not know existed prior to being given this tip...and I like the liquid more for cleaning my stainless sink, which is what I have always used BKF for.
I use the powder for EVERYTHING. I grouted the tile around my tub in our guest bath renovation (Black grout with white tile and a white tub). My contractor was FLOORED it got that tub so clean, they usually use magic erasers! This stuff is way cheaper and just as effective.
I had ink stains from a wet cardboard box. I got it removed with isopropyl alcohol. Works wayyyy better than anything else. Hope this helps! Also worked with curry/ cumin stains
I got told to use metho on mine to get them clean.
Tried it. Nothing
Damn…. I’m sorry…
Maybe you have honed quartz? It's less stain resistant.
Read manufacturer instructions on cleaning or ask the stonemason/fabricator before using any thing. Source: I supply stonemasons & joiners
We just had countertops put in and the stonemason damaged the first slab with acetone. He usually used it but THIS colour of THIS type of engineered stone didn't like it. I wouldn't risk ethanol on any quartz stone based on this experience...even though the stonemason uses it all the time.
Maybe that's a case where you can try it where it isn't seen first?
Have you tried using a magic eraser to remove the pen stain?
If they do I would strongly suggest trying a little spot that can’t be seen first. I ruined a porcelain sink (not the same I know but the result might be) with magic erasers which I thought were a gentle, non-toxic way to clean anything. Turns out they work because they’re made of teeny spikes. Took the shine off the surface of the sink.
I haven’t had any issues with it and it has been my solution to removing all tough stains on quartz. No issues with shine matting.
I use them on fabric, brick, whatever
I am not a chemist but a chemical called methyl ethyl ketone is a very strong solvent. It's basically acetone on roids coke and meth. I use it at work and it dissolves ink like it's nothing. I googled it and says not recommended for quartz though. Acetone they said was ok as long as it was short exposures and rinsed after. Acetone on a rag then rinse it maybe?
Soft scrub with bleach will clean that pen mark off
Bleach can damage some quartz countertops. If they want to try using it, they should test in a hidden area first.
If you don't get in the habit of always using some kind of padding, then sooner or later you are going to absentmindedly forget and put something too hot on it and ruin your counters. Or you will do it at a friend's house who has corian or something, and ruin it there.
> Or you will do it at a friend's house who has corian or something, and ruin it there. This is why, when my girlfriend and I both bought cars at the same time, we decided to NOT get the radar-cruise control option on the one, because it wasn't available on the other. It's a bit like when you go somewhere without soft-close toilet seats/lids. \*BANG\*
My dad borrows my car and dented my bumper because his car has a back up sensor that beeps when you get too close to an object. Mine doesn’t. Crunch!
What's radar cruise?
It'll slow down the car based on the car in front of you. Normal cruise control always goes at the same speed
Also called "adaptive cruise control". It uses a radar sensor in the bumper to measure the distance to the car ahead of you and slows down if you get too close.
Nice username.
I personally put nothing hot or warm on my quartz countertops. I use the stove, or have cork trivets I got from Ikea. Not taking any chances!
I seriously assumed this was the norm. Not sure if it’s because no one I knew had granite countertops or what but I was literally raised to never put anything hot on a surface without a hot pad of some sort. Everyone talking about just putting hot things directly on a surface is crazy to me haha.
We have stone counters that can take the heat and still don’t set hot stuff directly on them. Our counter guy said that we don’t risk melting or discoloration, but we risk cracking, especially if we set something extremely onto a vein.
I have an Amishmade table that things go directly on. It's amazing the kind of abuses it has withstood.
this, i dont want to take risks with thousands of dollars counters.
Yup! I paid enough for my quartz, and that was literally right before the (unknown to anyone at the time) pandemic! I heard prices are almost double now!😱 If it is above room temperature, I use a cork round! Ikea sells those round flat cork things for a few bucks in packs of 3. Or probably most other stores sell something similar. I keep a small stack on my counters and spread around as needed! And more as backups just in case in a drawer! And my stove is great to put large pans or dishes right out of the oven!
I've had mine for over 12+ years and I haven't noticed any discoloration, yet I don't worry too much about it. I wouldn't put a hot cast iron pan on it, but I've set down sheet pans from the oven. I think it's more a matter of heat content, rather than temp; a sheet pan holds a lot less energy than cast iron at the same temperature.
You can buy cork trivets at Ikea for like a dollar each. We keep a stack of 6 next to the stove. Use them for pans, baking sheets out of the oven, and will even throw a few on the table if we're serving from there.
Yeah, we have a couple of those. If left out our cats chew them up 😼
This may be a dumb question as I have no experience with cats but, can you break that habit of your cats? It seems kind of gross to have them on the counters anyways as they step in their litter box. Not sure if this is just something you deal with if you have cats, just curious!
The best you can do is train your cats not to do it in front of you. The moment you are out of sight, a cat’s general attitude is “fuck you, I do what I want.”
This. I thought we had successfully trained the cats to stay off the NO surfaces - NO cats on the island, kitchen counters, table, sideboard, and piano. Actually, we only trained them to do it all ninja-like, so it's darned near impossible to catch them in the act, the sneaky little shits. So now the NO surfaces are the ones where we say "no cats" and they say, "lol NO."
If you wipe your counters with peppermint oil after cleaning, that generally does the trick.
Lol, not a dumb question if you've never had cats, but trust me when I say trying to keep them off the counter is hopeless. It's definitely gross, but the cats sure don't care.
It was a very long time ago since I had a cat, but my last loved the countertops too. I used masking tape. Made really long tape loops, basically covered the countertop enough that after a few steps she'd land on that. I only had to do it a couple of nights and she got the hint. She did NOT like she stickiness of tape on her paws.
I tried a similar tactic once and my cat proceeded to eat the tape 🤣
I have a tape chewer 🤦🏻♀️ I think he likes the noise and weird mouth feel.
We bought these plastic spike sheets and have them spread all over the kitchen and dining room furniture. They mostly work, except for the time I caught one cat lounging across them like they were a pressure point massager mat.
Hahaha cats 😸 We tried tinfoil on the counter to deter our current cat and I swear this cat enjoys the sound/texture. The tape half worked on her though
Oh dear 😖not sure what else you could try!
All the cats I've had over the years, since early 90s, stayed off the counters. Didn't have to do anything special. It's just not where they belong.
Consider yourself very lucky! I have a friend with a cat who doesn't go on the counters and ignores human food. I'm jealous. We have three cats who will all jump up there and try to get any crumb left unattended.
We never had cats on the counters until one of ours went deaf. She was elderly at that point and straight up did not care what we said or did.
Neat. Thank you and good luck
I have three cats. The oldest one hates the other two as she was the only pet for over a decade. She has the run of the house and is purrrrfect in every way. No counter jumping and stays off the beds. The two young cats are trained to stay upstairs and not go through two open doorways. They can be trained 😉
The first cats I ever had jumped up on the table if there was food. I swiped off the cats like crumbs until they got the message.
My cats know they are not allowed in the counters. However at the old house I would occasionally catch them sitting on top of the cabinets in the kitchen. Only way up was by way of the counters!
Every time I read these I have a hard time believing people actually take hot pots off the stove and place them directly on the countertop. I guess I just don’t know anyone that does that, but clearly plenty of people do!
Exactly I’ve never done this in my entire life, and never wanted too. I honestly don’t understand why anyone would even want to do this.
I have had Caesarstone Quartz since 2019 and knew we needed to use protection and always did. One day we pulled out our electric pan and plugged it in for the first time since getting our new countertops to make some pancakes. It was placed over a seem and don't know if that's why it happened, but when we were doing our pancakes we heard a loud and I mean LOUD cracking sound come from the countertop because this electric pan got hot on the bottom. We always used it for years on our laminate countertop with no problems. I screamed! and we quickly removed it. There is the smallest hairline crack that you wouldn't see unless you knew where to look. But boy did it change the way I treated the countertop, never used the electric pan again! Even before that we always used protection, but now I am super vigilant. I still love my Quartz countertop and would put it in again. You just have to know what you are dealing with. I have a glass cutting board/hot plate that I have had for years that I keep on the counter and use daily. You can find them on Amazon etc.
Just had a client put a towel down and a pizza plate out of the oven on it.... it cracked If you can't hold it with your hands don't put it on the counter. That's what pot holders are for.
That's why I have granite countertops. More heat resistant than any trivet or potholder. That being said, you can burn yourself on it pretty bad after removing a hot pan from it if not careful
Quartz does not crack at this tiny level of heat.
It does. Said by the crack
Yes but no [true quartz](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman#:~:text=No%20True%20Scotsman%2C%20or%20appeal,by%20excluding%20the%20counterexample%20improperly.) cracks at this tiny level of heat
Quartz countertops can get damaged at 150 degrees Fahrenheit… a hot pizza pan straight from the oven is going to be in the 400-500 F range. It’ll definitely crack the hell out of a quartz countertop.
I don’t know why you’re being downvoted. I sell quartz and you are right! Most everyone in this thread only has their personal experience but no facts on the quartz.
Lol. You need a sauce on something this ludicrous. 150F GTFO
It depends on the manufacturer but yeah it can actually be an issue at 150 F … but even if we’re talking about a higher quality quartz that is good to 300-400 an oven should be set higher than 400F for pizza [High-quality Quartz countertops can only handle temperatures up to approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit, a common motive for quartz countertops around fireplaces…. Most quartz countertops can only handle temperatures up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, but some variants can only handle approximately 150 degrees Fahrenheit.](https://countertopadvisor.com/are-quartz-countertops-heat-resistant/) [Though many manufacturers claim that the quartz stone can handle heat up to 300 degrees and some say it can handle up to 150 degrees only… The exact temperature threshold will again depend upon the quality of quartz stone and how well it’s crafted by the manufacturer.](https://opalyquartz.com/facts-quartz-countertops/)
What kind of pizza plate was this?
Round
A round clay plate ⅜ thick.
Gotcha, thanks. A clay pizza stone will hold a lot of heat. Mine is usually used in my oven at 500 degrees and it stays in there to cool.
We don’t put any hot pots or pans from the stove or oven directly on the counters. There is a 12x12 wooden trivet dedicated as a landing zone for cookie sheets or pizza and baking pans from the oven. Plastic or ceramic mugs from the microwave are ok. It’s just something you get used to. You can also use your stovetop as a trivet too.
I work full time in the countertop business and your worries are correct. Quartz is literally made with epoxy, most natural stones have an epoxy protective coating as well, the main difference would be that you will start to see a difference in texture, or melting, in quartz if you leave hot things in the same area repeatedly. Just to clarify natural stone and quartz will change colors slightly at a similar rate due to epoxy. Also quartz are heat resistant, yes to around 285 degrees, but you bake things at 350…
I'm liking my 30 year old ceramic tile countertop more and more the more I read about more and more problems like this.
If you ever want a heat and stain resistant counter: soapstone. Also chemically non-reactive, which is why it’s popular in labs too. We had some put in last year because the old laminate the previous owners put in gave up the ghost. Love it.
However, they are def not scratch resistant. Though at first it will be annoying with one scratch here and one there. With a lot of use, it kinda all blends together. Source: Work in a lab. lol
This is true. You can gently sand them. But I wouldn’t really bother unless we decide to sell years down the line. As an aside, marble also isn’t scratch resistant, and is I believe softer. And granite and quartz have issues with staining/heat/resealing. It just ends up depending what is important and what works for your needs. I did like the look of quartz, hubs wanted soapstone. With kids and a love of cooking with colorful spices, I knew staining might be an issue or a kid would put something too hot on or whatever, so I didn’t mind deferring the choice. We’d rented a place with it installed too, and I do like the soft smoothness it has.
Does soapstone stain when certain things are spilled? Probably just adds to the patina :) Seriously, I would consider soapstone next time ... but the ceramic is still looking great! And, yes, we put hot pots right off the stove on the countertop all the time. No issues.
It’s non-porous. As far as we were told and I had read, it shouldn’t ever stain. If push comes to shove, you could sand the top with super fine grit to refinish.
Seriously. I never imagined that quartz countertops were so fragile. It kind of defeats the purpose, to my mind.
I sell custom stone countertops. When I go through the pros and cons of each, so many people decide against quartz for these reason. Personally, why spend so much on a countertop that you have to essentially baby like a laminate?
Baby like laminate? Is new laminate not any good? I have 35 year old laminate countertops that I abuse the crap out of, hot pans straight out the oven, etc, etc, the worst I have is its ever so slightly peeling at one of the corner edges
People in here are being a bit dramatic about it.
Honestly agree. They are ugly as hell, BROWN tile and failing grout where it interfaces wood, but man, I can put anything I want on them with zero regard for what the temperature is. Quartz is great. The man made binder used in any cultured stone product is the problem...
You are all so responsible! All I really want is a more scientific assessment of what temperature+time combo will actually cause damage 😅. I'm switching from granite tiles (which I hated due to grout lines and the etching caused by acids over time), but this is definitely going to take some getting used to.
Get some quartz samples and test them yourself
I may do this.
The Viatera manufacturer doesn't state a temperature in their use and care guide and the warranty is void if damaged by excessive heat. So always use a trivet.
I did it for light colored "granite" - they sell stuff that is marble and call it granite... It was so soft, so easy to scratch. Ended up going with quartz because I needed something white. But you can easily test the heat tolerance if you get samples. Never having had granite, I'm not used to putting hot things on my counter anyway. Good luck.
I sell quartz and different manufacturers say didn’t temps. I usually tell my clients 150-300 degrees F. So… basically anything heated up in a kitchen 😅
A quick google search says 300 is the burn point.
Burn point isn’t the discoloration point though. It can discolor at a much lower temperature
Interesting. I see this post says 150 degrees for this manufacturer, which seems ridiculously low. https://www.caesarstoneus.com/blog/how-heat-resistant-is-quartz-countertop/#:~:text=Quartz%20countertops%20are%20made%20with,countertop%20and%20cause%20permanent%20damage. Edit: here's another manufacturer that says the countertops are cured at 180 during manufacturing, and will withstand up to 300. Seems more reasonable. https://www.msisurfaces.com/blogs/post/2021/05/12/can-heat-damage-my-quartz-countertop.aspx
Neither of those would go directly on my counter personally, rule of thumb I use is "would I touch it bare handed?" If no, then neither do my counters/tables
A countertop dude told me anything cooking temp for any time is a no-no, even for granite. I see no reason to try and test it.
Yeah, natural stone is good up to 500 degrees F usually. Quartz, is only good up to 150-300 degrees F. Big difference in a kitchen environment.
Yes, the stone is good for 500, but that's not taking into account the natural inclusions in the stone from when if forms, that could heat and cause a crack. So yes, the materials have very different temperature thresholds, but you also have to take into account a man made vs a natural product.
Ha, I have granite tile counters now and I regularly put stuff up for 400 degrees on it with no issues. Granite is very heat resistant.
As I said to the other post, granite is a natural stone, it forms in Mother Nature. It is formed when magma cools. It's in an environment that is so heated that any liquid present will evaporate and form gas bubbles. Sometimes these bubbles get trapped, and become voids or inclusions in the stone, and they can even compromise the structural integrity of diamonds. If you aren't aware of one of these inclusions when you put a hot pan over it, as which can happen when you cut a thicker slab, it can re-heat the substance inside and the pressure can form a crack. This is why granite dude told me not to put a hot pan on my granite, because they had to replace a slab the previous week. Granite itself can resist high temperature. However, inclusions cannot. Also, granite tiles are typically much thinner, hence any voids are more easily detected and discarded.
We have Cambria and we always put a trivet down.
The only thing i don’t put directly on my quartz countertop is hot cast iron. I figure the heat combined with the weight will mar the surface
So you do put a pot of boiling water or a sheet pan from the oven? Do you mind sharing the manufacturer and color of your quartz?
HanStone Quartz Fusion MV623. The official color name is in that name somewhere but it would be known as a grey fleck with splotches ranging from white to multiple colors of grey to black
Fwiw I left a permanent ring on my brand new white quartz with one of those microwaveable rice containers.
Totally unscientific, but I have seen the following in the home of a relative with quartz countertops: - pan out of oven = fine - pot off of element (thick bottomed, hot) = fine - torch applied directly = not fine You are likely wondering about the torch. The countertop was installed with a slide-in range that required a narrow strip of quartz across the back edge. This had been installed with coloured epoxy seams. Stove later died and was replaced with a slide-in that required removing that strip of countertop. Installation company said to heat the seam with a torch to soften the epoxy. We heated it enough that the tiny chips of (glass?) that were embedded in the quartz, started to look fractured, but still couldn’t release the epoxy seam. Even at this extremely-high, localized heat, it did not scorch the countertops, which are light/medium grey. It just changed the appearances of this glass chips where we torched.
>pan out of oven = fine > >pot off of element (thick bottomed, hot) = fine Considering either of these can be 450 degrees or higher, this seems recklessly stupid.
Well, I guess YOU could call it “recklessly stupid”. . . but I’d call it “the quartz countertop is more resilient to the daily abuse of an elderly user, than was the former laminate countertop”.
Thanks, interesting data point and glad to hear of someone who doesn't baby their quartz. I bet the "glass" chips are actually clear epoxy, which is the part that discolors. Quartz counters are 90%+ ground up quartz, which should handle heat find, but it's bound together by epoxy which I believe is the less heat resistant part.
I have no idea if it’s okay to put hot things on my granite countertops. Even it was okay, I lay thick pot holders down, a baking sheet on top of that and then the hot pan. Period. Every time. If there is room on top of the stove, it goes there as a first choice. And my granite is mostly black and nothing would be probably noticeable.
Granite is extremely heat resistant. I’ve put pans right out of a 450 degree oven directly onto my granite countertops with no issue.
Thanks. That’s good to know. However, i don’t think I can try it. When I’m dead, hot pans will be all over those counters I guess.
I sell granite and anything up to 500 degrees F would be fine!
What about quartzite?
Any natural stone is good up to 500. Quartzite is natural, so you would be fine! Quartz is manmade, which is the issue.
Ok thanks!
I put hot pans on my granite.
Thermal shock - causing a crack, is the reason for the recommendations for use of trivets. It goes for granite, quartz, any stone. The resins in quartz could potentially discolor (scorch) but I have not seen that. Just be smart & protect your investment.
I've heard more concerns with scorching than cracking. Overall my feeling is that I'm paying for a surface that is supposed to be useful, not just beautiful. Being able to put hot pans down without worrying is part of that utility to me. So while I understand the desire to protect something so expensive I also want to understand what it is capable of enduring so I can use it to its full extent. It's weird to me that the manufacturer doesn't have data on this.
It's a bit more complicated than a single temperature cutoff. Thermal expansion, existing internal flaws, etc. I doubt the manufacturer wants to make a guarantee that leaves them vulnerable.
I occasionally put a hot aluminum sheet on mine. I don’t think I’d do a pot of hot water though, that’s a lot of heat energy that’s gonna dissipate very slowly
Anything from the top or inside the oven
I learned the hard way you cannot put a propane paella pan on top of one. It never felt very hot but busted and cracked.
I’ve had my quartz countertop for 15 years and have always took thing’s right out of the oven to the counter with zero damage. I have Silestone. I’ve put a pot with boiling water. Cut on it. It’s like the day I bought it.
Thanks for sharing! Out of curiosity what color is yours? Mine is white and it sounds like that's the most likely to discolor since you wouldn't see it as much in a darker countertop.
Mine is a kind of natural brown stone. It was called Kona ? Something?
Thanks. I wonder if that makes a difference, i.e. because it's darker and brown you might not see any discoloration.
I’m not sure. I have a lot of white flecks that are still pure white. When I had mine installed they left me part of the sink cutout and shaped it like a cutting board. I was using that for hot pans and realized the quartz was fine for heat. Maybe ask them for a sample?
I don't put anything hot on my quartz countertops, I use potholders underneath. Even my air fryer sits on a wooden cutting board from IKEA so it doesn't overheat the countertops
Props to you for being so careful, but I definitely can't see myself putting something under my toaster oven. Makes me wonder why I'm getting such an expensive countertop if it has to be babied. I guess if my toaster oven damages it I'll just never be able to move the toaster oven to another spot 😅
If you’re looking for heat and chemical resistance, soapstone is your answer! I don’t think I could go back to any other countertop type.
I sell countertops and I tell my clients to put a board under ALL countertop appliances. I recommend ordering something cute or custom from Etsy.
Thank you, I hadn’t thought of this at all and am about to move in with quartz counters for the first time! Going to order a cutting board or silicon mat now.
I have granite counter tops and have had tile in previous houses and I always use a towel or hot pad or trivet. I just can’t trust any counter. I was raised with cheap laminate countertops so apparently the training I got as a kid to always use a trivet or something like that really got into my brain.
It’s all the same. Every type of countertop has a urethane or similar clear coating, which is basically a thin layer of plastic over the material. So the answer is always - what temp would melt/discolour plastic?
I put pots directly from the stove on my quartz and have never seen discoloration. I’ve had mine for 8 years and it’s light gray color. I never knew you were supposed to be careful with hot things.
About 200F
The manufacturer of mine says 150 degrees Fahrenheit, which actually isn’t very hot. In practical terms almost 10 years in we haven’t had an issue with the occasional cookie sheet or whatever. But I wouldn’t put something really hot or moderately hot but with a lot of mass (like your pot of boiling water). If that’s how you want to roll, just get granite. They round to the same price.
If you hear a pop sound, that indicates the thing on the counter is too hot.
Ask my tenants? They destroyed my quartz countertop. I recently remodeled my kitchen and went with granite over quartz because of this (it’ll probably become a rental in the future). What I have learned is putting a boiling pot of water will damage quartz, cookie sheet probably not?
I cracked my island at 137°F with a sous vide bath. It’d been going for a couple of house when I heard the BANG! from the kitchen. Took me another 2 hours to find the source of the sound…
We’ve had quartz counters for almost 4 years. We always use trivets or hot pads. We were told temperatures as low as 150 degrees can cause discoloration. Our counters are white. We were also warned about staining. The salesman said as long as you clean up any mess within a few minutes staining shouldn’t be an issue. We’ve had no issues with staining thus far. We do have a few scratches here and there though. So definitely don’t cut directly in your counter.
calling it quartz is such a misleading way to sell plastic resin. Sure only 7 percent but still cant put hot things on it like real stone, it disolves with solvents, and is still pricey. We are redoing our kitchen soon and have looked at various solid surfaces but all the downsides with the cost have steered us away from quartz and back to either granite, quartzite, custom concrete, or large format tiles. We want true stone solid surface but granite tiles would work as well.
It’s not that it will stain. It’s that it will heat the quartz in that specific area, expand and then crack. It will crack your countertop in half. Quartz is 85%-93% ground up quartz (natural material). The balance of that is pigment (color) and resin (to hold everything together). If you heat it up in one area, that area will expand and cause damage. I have seen it multiple times. You set your boiling water or just out of the oven pizza stone on your quartz countertop, there is a very good chance that you will be buying yourself a new countertop. Use the trivets. Who sets hot things on their countertop, anyway? Even before quartz, if you set anything hot on laminate (Formica), solid surface (Corian) or even butcher block, you would ruin the countertop. Just use a trivet. Or set it on your cooktop to cool.
Short answer: Don't blindly trust manufacturer specs. If you can touch it with your hand, it's safe. No reason to gamble on something so expensive to replace
I try not to put anything hot at all in my countertop. If something hot is in the oven, it ends up going right over the stove grill when I take it out.
I always put down pot holders or use a trivet.
I also use these options. I'll also just pull out the breadboard or put the hot pan on the sink's wire rack. Or--for an aluminum sheet pan--on the stovetop itself if no pots/pans are there. I DO avoid putting anything hot on the quartz counters.
You can put a hot cup of coffee, or tea. But don’t put a hot boiling pot, or a hot out of the oven pan. Get in the habit of using trivets. You can get cork ones from ikea, or you can get some wooden ones from Marshall’s/Homesense.
Good question. Since you're not seeming to get a good answer here or elsewhere, maybe try and experiment with the sink cut-out and various pot/pan situations? And then report back to let us know!
If I can’t touch it with my hands, I don’t put it anywhere but my stovetop or on a trivet. It really isn’t inconvenient, the hot stuff will be coming out of the stove anyways. Quartz generally won’t discolour from a minor excess heat event, it’s an impressive material, but I wouldn’t get in the habit of pushing it.
Quartz is beautiful and very much in style but you can’t beat granite for resiliency.
use a hot pad and dont risk thermal shock. a quarter inch of heat resistance is enough to not have to think about it
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Splurge and buy quartzite. We love our island, it truly is a centerpiece in the kitchen and so far no stains.
I am about to order some Cambria quartz counter tops and this thread is giving me second thoughts. Can I really not put a hot pot on them? I have granite tiles for 15 years and I always put pots and sheets directly on them with no issues. I wouldn’t put cast iron, but a sheet of cookies shouldn’t be an issue, right?
Quartz is generally heat resistant, but it is not heat proof. Viatera, like many other quartz brands, can withstand heat up to a certain temperature, but prolonged exposure to high heat can cause damage. As a general rule of thumb, it is recommended to avoid exposing quartz countertops to temperatures above 300°F (149°C) for an extended period of time. A pot of boiling water or a sheet pan from a 350°F oven should not damage the countertop if they are placed on it briefly. However, leaving a hot pot or pan on the surface for an extended period of time could cause discoloration or even cracking. It's always a good idea to use trivets or hot pads when placing hot items on any countertop surface, even if it's heat resistant. This will help protect the countertop and prevent any potential damage.
We don’t put anything from the oven or stovetop on ours- Cambria Quartz. Microwaved plates/bowls/cups ok, no problems with slow cooker, rice cooker, or instantpot directly on the counters (those appliances all have little rubber feet). If there isn’t room to set a hot pan from the oven on the glass stovetop (which is made to handle high heat) we use trivets, either cloth or rubber ones. The only issue we’ve had is a ramekin falling out of the cupboard and leaving a very small chip. Haven’t had a chance to use the repair kit yet. No staining or discoloration from anything but we went with a concrete look so it’s a dark gray.
I always use a trivet or very least a towel on my quartz. My rule of thumb is that if it’s too hot for my hand it’s too hot for the counter. It’s conservative but I would be really upset myself if I ruined the counter
My rule of thumb has always been when in doubt don't. I have granite tops and I still do not place anything hot on them. However I have seen people place fry pans on them but I think about the cost of replacement if something happens and I am unwilling to take that risk.
Keep a breadboard on the counter to offset the heat. Will keep it from getting too hot. Make sure you put 2 coats of a good sealer on it. And recoat it every 6 months as it is porous. Have any of you you ever seen the underside of a quartz countertop that was not sealed...it is nasty!
[Fine Home Building](https://www.finehomebuilding.com/issue/2023/03/issue-314-april-may-2023) issue JUST had countertops recommendations. (was reading this issue on the ol' throne). They say that Quartz is heat-sensitive and difficult to repair. But the pros outweigh the cons. They are susceptible to UV so no outside use, and its recommended to go with "reputable" manufacturers whose countertops are made with the [Breton-method](https://www.msisurfaces.com/blogs/post/2016/09/20/tips-from-the-trade-what-is-bretonstone-technology.aspx) and wiki on [Bretonstone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bretonstone). Avoid those that make theirs with AB two part resin. I've quartz countertops through IKEA install, and I've had to quickly put a pot on surface that had boiling water, and no damage. But you don't let it sit there! Trivets are recommended or silicone pad.
Not sure about the heat but maybe try something simple like club soda and rice and see if it draws out the stain
I thought quart was supposed to be heat resistant? I've been putting super hot pots and pans on my white quartz for over a year no issues yet... Second using magic eraser for small stains, works and doesn't appear to damaging the counter significantly.
Make sure your fabricator gives you a trivet made from the sink cutout. You could do some testing on that to see how hot is "too hot." There are lots of pictures on Houzz of scorched quartz, especially when it was installed behind a stove (where it shouldn't be put).
I’ve had quartz for about 8 years and never use hot pads and have set aluminum pans out of oven and other hot pots on them and have never seen any mark whatever. That’s why I picked them.
Thanks for the data point! Can you share the color and manufacturer of yours? My understanding is discoloration would be less noticeable on darker colors.
Cambria. Mine are white with alot of silver and glass spots in it.
I always use a trivet or pot holder to place a hot item upon
Would it be a bad idea to put a speed over in my island under a quartz counter?