Our Mississauga kitchen had black granite countertops from 2008 — still structurally sound but badly etched near the sink from years of citrus and cleaning products. We replaced with quartz, having looked seriously at Dekton first.
Why we considered Dekton: We cook intensively — hot pots on the counter, regular baking with sheet pans straight from the oven. We have burned trivets. We know the quartz limitation around heat. Dekton is genuinely heat-proof and has excellent scratch resistance. The look we wanted (white with subtle veining, matte finish) is available in both materials.
The quotes:
Quartz (Caesarstone 5131 Calacatta Nuvo, 2cm, standard edge): $4,800 fabricated and installed (52 sqft). That is $92/sqft.
Dekton (Keranium 4 cm thick, matte): $7,200 fabricated and installed (same area). $138/sqft. The 4cm thickness adds cost but eliminates the need for a mitred laminated edge — it looks better with thick slabs.
What we chose: Quartz. Reasoning: we do not actually put hot pans directly on the counter — we told ourselves we might but the habit with trivets is ingrained. The $2,400 savings funded new hardware and a new faucet. The Caesarstone has a 25-year warranty including heat damage within limits.
Install notes: Our kitchen has an island with an overhanging bar section — 14-inch cantilever on one side. Quartz requires corbels or brackets at cantilevers over 8 inches. Fabricator installed two decorative steel corbels. Looks good.
18-month update: No issues with the quartz. Cleaned with mild soap and water. No etching, no staining. The white-with-veining looks great and has not yellowed (this is a common concern with white quartz — ours faces east, no direct afternoon sun).
Total project: $4,800 countertops + $840 hardware + $380 faucet + $280 install miscellaneous = $6,300.