Quartz is a man-made, engineered stone countertop, formed by combining 90% ground quartz (a natural hard mineral) with 8-10% resins, polymers, and pigments. This forms a very hard, granite-like surface and the appearance depends upon how the quartz was ground (coarse grind give a flecked look and fine grind provides a smooth look).

The many benefits to quartz include: glossy sheen, non-porous, stain and crack-resistant, no sealing required, wide range of colors, and it is easy to clean. The minor downsides are that quartz is not extremely heat tolerant and seams can be inevitable with larger countertop designs.