With certain substances—including beet juice and food coloring—quartz fares better in this area, earning a rating in this CR test that's 2.3 points higher (out of 100) than granite's. Appearance ...

By Anna Marie Fanelli Move over granite — there’s a new favorite in town. Quartz is quickly taking the top spot for kitchens, baths, laundry rooms countertops and even fireplace surrounds.

Quartz is made up of about 90 to 95 percent ground up quartz, mixed with about 5 to 10 percent polyester resin and polymers as a binder with pigments for color. It is one of the hardest and most ...