Here’s the thing about choosing kitchen worktops: everyone tells you it’s a huge decision, but nobody actually explains why one material might work better for you than another.
You’ll see plenty of showroom photos with perfect lighting. What you won’t see? Someone’s actual Tuesday morning when the kids spilt Coco Pops, the coffee pot left a ring, and there’s pasta sauce everywhere.
We’ve installed kitchen worktops across Dublin and Ireland for years, and we’ve learnt this: the “best” kitchen worktop doesn’t exist. There’s only the best one for how you actually live.
What Actually Matters When Choosing Kitchen Countertops
Before diving into specific materials, think about how much mess happens in your kitchen and what solution works best. Do you cook every day, or is your kitchen mostly for reheating? A surface perfect for meal prep won’t work for someone whose kitchen is more decorative.
What annoys you about your current worktop? Stains that won’t come out? Scratches? Whatever drives you mad now, make sure your new worktop fixes that problem.
How much maintenance will you actually do? Be honest. If you’re not going to oil wood every few months, don’t get wood; consider a laminate kitchen instead.
What’s your budget? Kitchen worktops in Ireland typically cost €2,500 to €6,000 for a quality kitchen from a huge range of laminate options.
Quartz Worktops: The Practical Choice
Quartz is what about 60% of our clients choose for their kitchen worktop installation.
What it is: Ground quartz stone mixed with resin and colour. Part natural stone, part manufactured—like engineered wood flooring.
Why do people choose quartz worktops?
- They don’t stain. Red wine, turmeric, beetroot—we’ve never seen a stain that didn’t wipe off
- You never have to seal them. Granite and marble need sealing every 6-12 months. Quartz doesn’t
- They look consistent across large kitchens with islands and perimeter worktops
- They’re properly hard-wearing from normal kitchen use
The downsides:
- Heat damages the resin. You need trivets for hot pans
- Seams can be visible in larger kitchens
- The finish looks manufactured, not organic
Price: €300-600 per square metre (€2,400-4,800 for a typical Dublin kitchen)
Choose quartz if: You cook a lot, want low maintenance, have young kids, or prefer knowing exactly what surface for your kitchen you’re getting.
Granite Kitchen Worktops: Proper Natural Stone
Granite is the traditional choice, earned its place in thousands of Irish kitchens as a quality kitchen surface.
What it is: Natural stone cut straight from quarries. Completely natural, every piece is unique.
Why people choose granite worktops: Genuinely heat-proof. Put hot pans directly on the surface. Each piece is unique with different patterns and colours. They’ve proved themselves in kitchens for decades. They’re repairable, and minor chips can be fixed easily on laminate kitchen surfaces.
The downsides: Need sealing once a year. Acidic things can etch the surface. Your piece might not match the showroom sample exactly.
Price: €250 to €500 per square metre, which works out to €3,000 to €5,000 for an average kitchen.
Choose granite if you want natural stone with character, don’t mind annual maintenance, and put hot pans down frequently.
Marble Kitchen Countertops: Beautiful But High-Maintenance
Let’s be upfront: marble in a kitchen is a commitment.
Why people choose marble: It’s genuinely stunning in a way that stops people. It develops character with age, a lived-in patina. It feels luxurious.
The downsides (they’re significant): Stains and etches easily. Lemon juice, red wine, and tomato sauce will leave marks on any surface for your kitchen. Needs sealing every 3 to 6 months and constant attention. Expensive to buy and maintain.
Price: €400 to €800 per square metre, which works out to €4,000 to €8,000 and up for a full kitchen.
Choose marble if you’ve wanted it your entire life, you’re okay with imperfection, and you’re genuinely committed to maintenance. Consider it for an island only.
Avoid marble if you have young kids, cook with acidic ingredients constantly, or permanent stains make you anxious.
Dekton Worktops: Maximum Performance
Dekton is the newest option, genuinely impressive from a performance standpoint.
What it is: Ultra-compacted particles from glass, quartz, and porcelain raw materials, created under extreme pressure.
Why people choose Dekton: Basically indestructible. Scratch, heat, and stain-resistant. Zero maintenance. No sealing, no special products are needed for a laminate kitchen. Won’t fade in sunlight, making it a great solution for your kitchen.
The downsides: Expensive. Properly expensive. Very hard surface, dropped glasses will shatter. Requires specialist installation.
Price: €500 to €900 per square metre, which works out to €5,000 to €9,000 and up for a full kitchen.
Choose Dekton if you want the absolute best performance, budget isn’t your primary concern, and you never want to think about maintenance.
Solid Wood Worktops: Warmth With Compromises
Wood brings literal warmth and organic texture that stone can’t match.
Why people choose wood worktops: Warm to the touch, doesn’t feel cold on winter mornings. Repairable, sand out scratches and refinish every few years. Softens modern kitchens. Ages beautifully, darkening over time, especially in quality kitchen materials.
The downsides: Water is the enemy. Wipe spills quickly, especially around sinks. Need oiling every 4 to 8 weeks initially, then every few months. They scratch and dent. Not heat-resistant.
Price: €200 to €450 per square metre, which works out to €2,000 to €4,500 for a full range of kitchen countertops.
Choose wood if you want natural warmth, are committed to maintenance, and view marks as character. Consider using it just for an island.
Porcelain Kitchen Worktops: The New Option
Large-format porcelain slabs are relatively new to kitchen worktops.
Why people choose porcelain worktops: Excellent performance, heat, scratch, and stain-resistant. Stunning replicas of marble or concrete. Thin profile options for sleek, minimal look.
The downsides: Hard surface, glasses will shatter. Requires specialist installation. Still relatively new with limited long-term data.
Price: €400 to €700 per square metre, which works out to €3,500 to €7,000 for a full kitchen.
Choose porcelain if you want marble’s look without marble’s maintenance, like contemporary design, and want good performance without Dekton’s price.
Laminate Worktops: The Budget Option
Why people choose laminate: Unbeatable price at €50 to €150 per square metre, which works out to €400 to €1,200 for a full kitchen. Huge range of colours and patterns. Easy DIY installation.
The downsides: Not very durable, scratches easily. Heat damages them. Looks like laminate up close.
Choose laminate worktops if you’re on a tight budget, planning to upgrade soon, or doing a rental property.
The Real Price Breakdown for Kitchen Worktops Ireland
For a typical Dublin kitchen of 8 to 10 square metres, here’s what you’re actually looking at:
Budget option with laminate worktops costs €800 to €2,000. Mid-range with basic quartz or granite costs €2,500 to €3,500. Quality option with good quartz or granite costs €3,500 to €5,500. Premium with marble or Dekton costs €6,000 to €10,000 and up.
Additional costs include templating at €100 to €200, installation at €300 to €600, cutouts for sink and hob at €50 to €100 each, and upstands at €75 to €150 per linear metre.
Kitchen Worktop Trends in Ireland
What we’re seeing more of in Dublin: Mixed materials, like stone perimeter with wood island, giving you looks where it shows and durability where you work. Matte finishes, honed or leathered surfaces feel more modern and hide fingerprints. Thinner profiles, 12mm or 8mm thick worktops look elegant and contemporary. Continuous surfaces, matching worktops and splashbacks in the same material.
Final Thought
You’ll have this kitchen worktop for 15 to 25 years. It’s worth taking time to get it right.
Visit our Dublin showroom and actually touch the materials. See them in different lights. Imagine spilling coffee on them during your morning rush.
The right choice isn’t about what’s trendy, it’s about what will make your daily life in your Irish home better.
Ready to see a collection of kitchen worktops in person? Book a Dublin showroom visit for honest advice about the best solution for your kitchen from our range of kitchen countertops.
