Thought project-counter tops

So, I have water damage in my kitchen. A remodel will be happening. At some point. Here, I sak about counters.

What are your counters made of? What are your thoughts their pros and cons?

Our nearby Habitat for Humanity Restore keeps getting new acacia butcher block counters in stock. Looks very nice.

What kind of care would such a counter require?
Do you have butcher block counters?
Do you like them?
Is this price a bargain? It has stayed pretty consistent for many months.

I am building a new kitchen myself and figured I would just get white plastic countertop material. But I live on an island and few places deliver here.

But you can mix white paint with epoxy or polyurethane and get the same thing so I am going with that.

But I have had cedar and pine butcher block, granite and concrete countertops, and plastic laminate. I would not recommend granite or concrete countertops.

The counters in our kitchen right now are: stainless steel, sort of a faux butcher-block, and granite. I like them all. If it were left to me alone, everything would be stainless steel restaurant tables/sinks, etc. They're all pretty and except for the finish used on the wood (due to a communications mishap when they were being made), natural/safe. They can all be damaged by dropping something hard, but the granite is the least pleasant afterward. A dent in the steel or wood doesn't bother me as much as the rough ding in the stone does. The wood can be sanded and refinished. And stainless is...stainless! I wouldn't even consider any of the Formica/Corian/etc. plastic products that are more common than the stuff we use.

I watch a lot of home renovation shows and everyone says that porcelain counter tops are heat-resistant and scratch-resistant making them the most durable.

My countertops are fake granite laminate because I was looking for cheap.

I am not familiar with prices today.

Butcher block is lovely and with a marine grade finish might work for a lifetime.

Joylynn Hardesty wrote:Our nearby Habitat for Humanity Restore keeps getting new acacia butcher block counters in stock. Looks very nice.

That wood is gorgeous, and the price is great, but FOR THE LOVE OF PETE ASK TO SMELL IT FIRST.
Because it's milled and glued it might not be a problem, but I have an acacia table and for weeks we were sure the dog had peed in the living room. I've heard other people say acacia smells like poo. I have done everything and my beautiful acacia coffee table is exiled to my porch, because years later it still smells.

In my kitchen I don't have counters per se, I have a stainless sink that extends a meter around (counter-ish), and some cabinets with fake butcher block tops (they're laminate).
I have a granite countertop outside in my outdoor kitchen, and my table is granite. It is great for cooking, rolling dough and pasta, putting down hot pots, etc, but terrible for breaking everything you put down a bit too hard (or hot glass teapot when the table is cold).
If I were in the US I would probably go for butcher block. The other alternatives all have drawbacks (i don't like the plasticky countertops, the joints in tile countertops make me insane, and while those fake-stone composites are pretty they just rub me wrong, and I understand they're not great environmentally). Butcher block can just be sanded down if something terrible happens, they can be cared for with oil, and they're punk as heck. My only worry would be that someone in my house would just be chopping meat in the same place over and over, I think I would still use a cutting board, but at least with butcher block you don't have to worry about screwing up the counter when you're too lazy to get out the board when you want to cut a bagel.

That wood is gorgeous, and the price is great, but FOR THE LOVE OF PETE ASK TO SMELL IT FIRST.
Because it's milled and glued it might not be a problem, but I have an acacia table and for weeks we were sure the dog had peed in the living room....

Oh. Will do the smell test first!!!

What not plasticy counter tops don't need to be oiled or resealed, or other such maintenance?

I chose quartz for countertops near the sink and stove. I use butcher block elsewhere. The island is butcher block from a regional bakery. The others were made in Horse Cave Kentucky by AWP. Unfortunately, I don’t think the business exists any longer.  They had a good product and price.

Shipping can be a killer for countertops.  I suspect selecting a source close to home is a good idea.  Also, shop around.  Prices vary to an extreme.  As in $200 to $3000 for a similar product.  Yes, the little guy always seems to have the best price.