Best options for benchtops in 2025?

Australia took a significant step towards ensuring the health and safety of stone benchtop workers by implementing a ban on engineered stone kitchen benchtops containing silica from 1st July 2024.

Given it was previously used in >60% of kitchen installations in Australia you might be wondering what alternatives to engineered stone benchtops have taken their place. Let’s look at the reasons for the ban and what your options are now in 2025.

Why were engineered stone silica benchtops banned?

The ban on silica-containing kitchen benchtops stems from a growing awareness of the health risks associated with silica exposure. Silica, a common component in certain engineered benchtop materials, poses respiratory hazards when the dust is inhaled during the installation process, sometimes leading to the potentially fatal Silicosis disease.

What are the alternative products to engineered stone benchtop in Australia?

Natural stone

Nothing beats the beauty of natural stone, which is why engineered products have emulated the look since they were first created. Every piece is unique and they come in a huge variety of stones and looks. Prices and properties vary dramatically depending on the type of stone selected. Stones like Dolomite and Quartzite come in an incredible variety of patterns and are extremely robust and more affordable. Popular looks like Calacatta Marble can be very expensive and are susceptible to etching in contact with acid due to its porosity. This is poses a high risk if you are an avid cook or baker.

Use natural stone if you:

Love the unique look of each individual piece of stone as a work of art.
Are willing to seal and maintain your stone and be very careful to clean up spills, especially anything acidic (e.g. lemon juice and tomatoes.)
Want to see the veining through the body (e.g. the cut edges) of your benchtop.

Don't use natural stone if you:

Are after a low maintenance option.

Porcelain

Porcelain is an excellent alternative to engineered stone, though about 30% more expensive. It is very hard but more brittle than engineered stone and needs a substrate underneath as it is usually 12mm thick. Porcelain is printed directly on top with no through-body colour or veining, so you may notice it’s not real stone where you see edges such as around an undermounted sink which are typically just one uniform colour. Even where you use a drop face 40mm mitred edge for your benchtop, be aware that you may still get a solid coloured line at the connection point. This may or may not bother you, but it's something to be aware of before a considerable investment!

Porcelain cannot tolerate rapid temperature changes such as hot pans being placed directly on the surface – can crack in these circumstances. It is also UV stable, so perfect to use indoors and outdoors.

Use porcelain if you:

Need a UV stable surface for indoor and outdoor use.
Want a beautiful print on top, and don't mind that this veining won't be visible on the side cuts of your benchtop.

Don't use porcelain if you:

Want the most cost effective benchtop.
Want to be able to put hot plates straight on the bench.
Are a bit rough with your benches and are concerned about chipping corners.
Want your benchtop to have through-biscuit veining to closely replicate natural stone.

Sintered stone

Sintered stone is a already a popular option in other parts of the world and will soon become popular in Australia. It contains no resins, no silica and is extremely hard and durable, stronger than porcelain and non-porous, so won’t stain. Though it can be somewhat brittle if knocked hard, it is highly heat resistant and can tolerate rapid temperature changes, so you can put your hot pots straight on the benchtop!

It’s UV stable and resistant to yellowing, so ideal for indoor and outdoor use. Sintered stone can also be manufactured with through-body colour or veining to match the surface. Sintered stone is extremely heavy, so this may need to be factored in during installation.

Given its extreme strength and the absence of resins, sintered stone is a challenging product to cut, so while prices for purchasing the stone are similar to engineered stone, you will need to factor in more budget for cutting.

Use sintered stone if you:

Prioritise the highest durability and the ability to put hot plates straight on your bench.
Want to use the same product for an indoor and outdoor space.
Are willing to pay a little more for it.

Don't use sintered stone if you:

Want to keep your kitchen costs as low as possible.
Want to curve faces of stone around your kitchen island.

Silica-free Mineral surfaces

Mineral surfaces such as those by Caesarstone or Talostone's MinQ Zero collection eliminate the silica while using resins as the 'glue' to form the product into a single surface. These products have achieved the same stunning looks as previous engineered stone products and have similar properties.

It's worth noting that these products are not UV stable and therefore not suitable for outdoor use. The higher resin content may also make them somewhat more susceptible to discolouration or yellowing over time.

Use mineral surfaces if you:

Want to achieve a look as close to stone as possible in the most economical way.
Would like to incorporate curved surfaces into your design and need the flexibility that resins offer.
Don't need to continue this surface to an outdoor kitchen.
Have only soft or filtered light come in your kitchen (e.g. south facing windows or light from under a verandah.)

Don't use mineral surfaces if you:

Are concerned about discolouration or yellowing over time.
Have windows exposing your benchtop to strong sunlight that may lead to discolouration.

How are key manufacturers in Australia responding?

With the ban implemented July 2024, Australian manufacturers have embraced the change and invested in developing high quality replacement products.

Smartstone new Sintered Stone Collection

A key player in the engineered stone space, Smart Stone has launched their next generation Silica free stone solution called ‘Sintered Stone’. The new range performs even better than engineered stone and is manufactured by the fusion of raw natural materials under extreme pressures and high heat. The result is an ultra-dense benchtop that can be used both indoors and out. Its high density, low porosity and absence of resins means that the Smartstone Sintered Collection is highly resistant to yellowing, stains, heat, chemicals, chips, scratches, mould and bacteria making it one of the most durable and hard-wearing products available today.

The Sintered stone collection has three ranges:

· Pure contains the purest white and black, and versatile neutrals.

· Classic and Deluxe veined ranges, which includes recreations of luxurious stones.

Sintered Collection surfaces come in either matt or suede finishes and a choice of edge profiles. All surfaces offer through-body 'biscuit' that perfectly matches the surface colour. (That means the veined surface runs through the body of the material, so that cut edges such as around the sink show the vein rather than a plain edge you see with regular porcelain.) Book matching is available for selected surfaces. Pricing is closely aligned to Smartstone's previous engineered stone products.

See more information here: https://www.smartstone.com.au/sintered-collection/

A key manufacturer of engineered quartz surfaces for over 40 years, Caesarstone has responded proactively to the recent ban on silica-containing kitchen benchtops in Australia. In 2024 Caesarstone® has introduced a new Silica free formulation benchtop called Caesarstone Mineral™ which retains the same ease of fabrication and functional performance as previous products, using minerals, glass and resins. The new range of benchtops have now launched.

Visit Caesarstone

Caesarstone® also has their porcelain collection which is both beautiful, stain resistant and good for both indoor and outdoor applications. For more information see Caesarstone's Porcelain collection here.

WK Stone is a family owned stone distributor of Quantum Zero along with Porcelain and natural stone options, established in 1989.

Quantum Zero replaces the previous Quantum Quartz range and comprises 79-90% recycled glass and up to 15% high grade resin. The new product has similar properties to the last, with notable differences being a water absorption increase from 0.01% to 0.05%, a flexural strength increase from 42.2MPa to 99MPa. The chemical resistance rating has remained the same at C4.

Quantum Zero provides a stunning collection of cost effective, environmentally friendly and attractive design options for your new kitchen.

Upholding their dedication to excellence and Safety, Talostone have also detailed their upcoming Silica free benchtop solution called MinQ Zero technology. Slated to be launched in the first half of 2024. Currently undergoing testing for strength, stain, scratch and heat resistance, Talostone has said some stock should be available by March 2024 in very limited colours/ranges.

Good news is the MinQ Zero range still offers all the colours from the existing range of Talostone products with only a small number of colours being discontinued.

See more information on the new MinQ Zero technology here: https://talostone.com.au/minq-zero

Corian benchtops offer a great affordable, non-silica option for kitchens creating the look of stone with incredible flexibility and hygiene. This non-porous surface is highly resistant to staining, is UV stable and easily able to be moulded into curves or seam-free edges. The only notable downside is its low heat resistance and propensity to crack with rapid temperature change or scratch if used as a cutting surface. Corian is not ideal for use with a gas stove due to the radiating heat. Corian is easily repaired on-site though, which mitigates some of this risk.

Should I delay my kitchen renovation in light of the silica ban?

With each of these manufactures having now released high-quality alternatives to engineered stone, with stock levels plentiful and ready to go, there is no reason to delay your kitchen renovation.

At Shire Build, we are committed to using safe and compliant materials in all our construction projects, so if you have any questions or need assistance with your building or renovation needs, feel free to reach out. We are here to ensure your project is finished with the best quality materials and creating a look you love.

If you have any questions or want to start your dream kitchen renovation please contact us today!