If you are anything like me then coffee is your daily ritual that is likely to never escape your indulgences. I love coffee and for that reason, I am writing this post. A lot of people are emailing me asking about a coffee maker on quartz countertops. Will it stain if spilled, will the coffee maker cause discoloration or even worse cause a crack?
Quartz countertops are supposed to be stain-resistant, waterproof, heat-resistant, durable, you name it, but you hear stories from friends who stained or burnt their quartz countertop with a coffee machine or simply spilled coffee on a quartz countertop and it caused a stain.
Don't ditch your coffee maker just for your quartz countertops. There are ways to prevent this from happening. Quartz is only stain-resistant and not stain proof however if you spill coffee on your quartz countertops you aren't going to have a stain...unless it is left for a long period. The goal here is to keep your countertops clean and free of clutter which reduces the likelihood of ever staining.
Keep reading to answer some of the most asked concerns about quartz countertops - its ability to resist coffee stains and burns.
Quartz, also known as "engineered stone," is one of the hardest minerals on earth - making it an ideal option for durable countertops. Furthermore, it's a man-made, engineered surface manufactured using magnificent quartz crystals along with other minerals and pigments along with an amalgam of resin.
Here are some of the reasons people love quartz counters:
I won't drag this much, but as we all know coffee has a rich, dark color that could stain anything. Luckily, quartz countertops are by far one of the easier types of countertops to maintain. However, it's important to bear in mind that your quartz surfaces are stain-resistant, NOT stain proof. If you do not wipe up staining coffee, it could settle and stay persistent.
But that does not mean you panic every time there is a spill. Along with occasional wipeouts of your spilled coffee, it's always a good idea to maintain the cleanliness of the surface to keep them looking brand new and flawless.
With every problem comes a solution. Regular upkeep is very simple. For daily cleaning, all you need is a microfiber cloth and warm soapy water or you can saturate your quartz counters with a glass cleaner and let it sit for a few minutes once or twice a week for a deep clean.
Now, you must have an idea of how to take care of not only your spilled coffee but regular clean-ups too. However, since quartz is a valuable crystal, it is important to avoid any harsh chemicals to increase its durability. Doing so can weaken the bonds between the resins and quartz crystals. Hence, it's highly recommended to use gentle and non-abrasive cleaners. What kind of cleaners are considered to be harsh, you ask?
Here are some must avoid chemicals and advice:
In the kitchen, you have appliances like coffee makers that can cause quartz discoloration if they're placed on top of countertops for long periods. That is if they produce a lot of heat. If you have a coffee maker on your quartz countertop that is purchased for home use then you are probably ok but it is best to prevent things from ever happening so we strongly recommend the use of silicone trivets under any of your countertop appliances that produce any heat.
Just like stains, these countertops are heat resistant but NOT heat-proof, so the counter can expect the counters to cause discoloration or even burnt stains if they are exposed to too hot appliances like coffee makers
Fortunately, a steaming mug of coffee, a warm plate of food or a coffee maker on quartz countertop surfaces isn't going to cause a problem. But the problem arises when it's kept for prolonged periods to high heat which can eventually lead to discoloration on the countertop. Quartz countertops should be safe as long as hot items don't exceed 300F, but it's better to avoid the risk. Moreover, suddenly placing something hot on the surface can also cause cracking because of the thermal shock.
Hence, it's not a bad idea to stay a step ahead and take extra precautions to protect your quartz countertop by first putting down a trivet when you put anything hot on it - and that includes coffee as well.
With that being said, check out this silicone HotSpot Large Trivet that you can keep under your coffee maker to avoid any possible damage.
Besides all this, what if you've already discolored your kitchen surfaces? Unfortunately, there is very little that you can about it. It is possible to fix discoloration in marble and granite, but sadly quartz doesn't possess the same feature. The best you can do is to hide with kitchen appliances so it doesn't ruin the whole look of your countertops.
As mentioned above, quartz is heat resistant, but if the temperature gets too high, there is a possibility you can damage the quartz countertop. To make this clear, the problem lies in the resin and not the quartz. When making countertops the natural quartz gets combined with a special resin that acts as a glue. As a result, the quartz surface is made up of nearly 93% quartz with the rest being the resin and pigments. One instance that you will want to watch out for after you become a homeowner with quartz countertops is ring stains.
That means if your hot cup of coffee exceeds that temperature you can damage the quartz in the long term. This happens mainly because the resin burns due to the high temperature of the hot cup of coffee. To avoid this, use small trivets before keeping your hot cups on the countertops. Remember, it's not just applicable for hot cups of coffee, you must use metal or silicone trivets for every hot object you place on the surface.
In general, most people aren't educated on quartz countertops. For that reason, here are top burning questions to save you from any quartz-related disaster.
Well, the answer is pretty simple. Did you notice the pattern here? Any concern related to quartz comes to a single solution - it can resist it to an extent, but there is always a limit that you need to take care of. Hence, the same applies here. If we look at the bigger picture, quartz is the most durable counter surface you can purchase primarily because it contains 5% of polymer in the manufacturing process - making it scratch resistant under normal usage. However, it is not indestructible, and let's be real, any surface can be damaged with extreme abuse. To keep its shine, it is recommended to use a cutting board when using knives and carefully move sharp and heavy appliances.
No, since quartz is made up of non-porous material, it does not require any sealing whatsoever. In simple words, you get to enjoy maintenance-free counters for the rest of your life and what else could you possibly ask for?
Quartz is an incredibly robust and durable material - which means it is highly unlikely that you will cause any harm unless you are roughly using them. Regardless of anything, daily usage will not damage them in any way. However, as with any of your other household surfaces, there are necessary precautions mentioned above that you may want to take into consideration when using your quartz countertops.
If you are anyone who only wants to enjoy a cup of coffee without having to fear regular surface maintenance then quartz countertops are without a doubt, your best bet to go. Among all the other materials like granite or marble, quartz has proven to be the most long-lasting. But to maintain its luxurious and polished look, never place your coffee maker or even a hot cup of coffee directly on the surface. However, it is understandable that taking these precautions may seem daunting at first, but all it takes is keeping trivets and you are all set to enjoying your time in the kitchen.
