The type of counter top that you have in your kitchen has a major impact on everything from how you prepare food to how you clean up after meals. The style and color of your counter tops also enhances the appearance of your kitchen and puts the finishing touches on the overall style. Because high quality counter tops are designed to last for decades, it is likely you haven't shopped for new counters for awhile, and if you're completely new to shopping for counter tops, you may be unsure of where to begin.

We created our Buyers' Guide to Counter Tops to help you shop for counters in two of today's hottest styles: stainless steel and butcher block. This guide will give you shopping tips to help you in your search for the perfect stainless steel or butcher block counter tops for your space.

Stainless Steel Counter Tops

As a non-porous surface, stainless steel is incredibly resistant to bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses, helping to preserve the safety of your food. Stainless steel is also easy to clean; it can be wiped down with most mild household cleaners, and its surfaces do not allow cleaning chemicals to linger and contaminate foods. From a decor standpoint, stainless steel counter tops coordinate beautifully with stainless steel appliances and add a sleek finish in kitchens with coordinating hardware on their cabinetry.

If you choose a stainless steel counter top, you will always need to use a cutting board to protect its surface as knife blades can scratch steel. Some people prefer wood counter tops to steel because metal can become smudged and fingerprinted easily, making it look less attractive and require more frequent wiping.

As you shop for stainless steel counter tops, you'll want to look for the following:

The type of stainless steel refers to the blend of alloys that were combined with carbon and iron to create the metal. For counter tops, type 304 stainless steel is extremely popular. This type contains chromium and a large amount of nickel, which makes the steel strong and durable at temperatures that are common in household kitchens. Type 304 stainless steel is also considered to be food safe, meaning that it is safe to place food right against its surface.

The gauge of stainless steel represents the thickness of the metal. Manufacturers assign a number to all of the types of steel that they produce, with 14 to 20 being the most common numbers found in kitchens. The lower the gauge number, the thicker the steel, and in turn, the stronger your counter top will be for holding heavy pots and pans or for resisting dents if heavy items are accidentally dropped onto their surfaces. For most home kitchens, 16 or 18 gauge is of adequate thickness to offer a durable work surface.

The finish of stainless steel counter tops describes how the counters reflect light. The differences between finishes arise from how the steel is treated after it is produced. By brushing, polishing and buffing the steel, manufacturers can produce different visual effects. A standard numerical system is used to describe the different finishes found in stainless steel, with No. 3 to No. 8 being the most commonly used in home kitchens. The higher the number of the finish, the more light the piece reflects.

To minimize the appearance of fingerprints as much as possible, opt for a No. 3 finish, as its brushed surface reflects very little light, making smudges less obvious. The No. 8 finish has a mirror-like appearance, reflecting light completely across its entire surface and, as a result, making fingerprints and smudges the most evident.

Specialty Styles

For counters that are situated against a wall, you may want to consider purchasing stainless steel counter tops with backsplashes. This type of specialty counter has an extended vertical lip above the counter's flat surface. When installed against the wall, this lip protects the wall surface from becoming damaged.

Marine edges are another specialty style found in stainless steel counter tops and help keep liquid messes on your counter rather than on your floor. A counter top with a marine edge has a slightly depressed center with raised edges. If you accidentally spill a liquid, it will roll into the center thanks to the contour of the surface.

Care

Stainless steel counter tops do not require regular maintenance beyond cleaning and polishing to remove fingerprints. After food cleanup, use a cloth dipped in warm water with a mild soap to clean the surfaces. To remove fingerprints, you can buff the surface with a dry microfiber cloth or purchase a stainless steel cleaner. If minor scratches occur, you can attempt to remove them by rubbing gently with a nylon scouring pad; be sure to rub WITH the grain only. For deeper scratches, you will need professional repairs.

Butcher Block Counter Tops

Butcher block counter tops offer the ideal working surface for food preparation. With the oil finish, you can cut and chop directly on the counters without the hassle of adding a cutting board. For other cooking and baking tasks, butcher block counters have a flat, non-stick surface that is easy to work on. When butcher block counter tops with natural oil finishes become scratched, they can easily be buffed and re-oiled. You can also easily modify these types of counters if you wish to add an overhead pot rack or other accessory that requires drilling holes.

Some people shy away from butcher block counter tops because they do not want a surface in their kitchen that must be regularly maintained; however, with the right finish, these wood counters can require minimal care and upkeep to look beautiful.

As you shop for butcher block counter tops, keep the following points in mind:

Materials

When discussing butcher block counter tops, the term "materials" describes the type of wood being used. A variety of hardwood types are used for butcher block counters, including maple, which has a light brown color; cherry, which has a noticeable red hue; and walnut, which is a rich, dark brown. Butcher block counter tops are available in a variety of thicknesses. For a thin top, counters that are 1.5 to 2 inches thick are ideal. For a thicker butcher block top, choose styles that are between 3 and 7 inches thick.

Grain

The grain of butcher block counter tops refers to how the pieces of wood are combined together to create the boards that will be installed in your counters. Three primary grains are available for counter tops:

• Edge grain counter tops are made with rails, which run the length of the counter top. The rails are sanded and smoothed to create a perfectly flat surface. The configuration of the rails gives edge grain counters even coloring and markings throughout their surfaces.



• End grain counter tops are made from just the end pieces of the rails, which are placed side by side in a checkerboard fashion. End grain counters have a more unique appearance with no two counters looking exactly the same. Professional chefs tout end grain butcher blocks as being superior for chopping and cutting.



• Blended counter tops feature rails that are placed end to end across the surface. The places where the ends meet are noticeable, giving a different appearance than edge grain, but similar durability.

Finishes and Care

The finish of butcher block counter tops describes the materials used to seal and protect the wood after the counter is made. Unlike stainless steel, where the finish is purely cosmetic, the type of finish that you have on your butcher block counters greatly affects how it can be used. The three finishes of butcher block counters that are generally available are:

• Unfinished counters can be specially ordered from some retailers. While you cannot use unfinished counter tops, some people prefer to buy unfinished counters and perform the finishing themselves.



• Natural oil finish on a counter is a food-safe blend of minerals and conditioners that penetrates the outer surface of the butcher block counter to keep wood moisturized and resilient. Butcher block counters with natural oil finishes are incredibly durable and can be cut directly on without a cutting board.
  
  A natural oil finish will require re-oiling or waxing every four weeks. In addition, you must take care when you clean the counter tops to not damage the oil coating. To safely clean your natural oil finish butcher block counter tops, remove solid particles by gently scraping them away. Then, use a cloth dampened with warm water and a mild dish soap to clean the surface. To rinse, wring out your cloth and wipe the counter again using just water. Finally, pat the counter top dry, using care to remove all of the water.



• Varnique has a semi-gloss appearance that gives your counter tops a slight sheen. Although Varnique is a safe surface for food, it is not designed to withstand knife blades. Because of this, you will need to use a cutting board for chopping and other knife work.
  
  Varnique does not require monthly maintenance to remain vibrant, as it continues to protect the wood year after year. Cleaning Varnique involves just one wipe down with a rag and a mild dish soap or kitchen detergent. Although Varnique is formulated to withstand most cleaning agents, avoid using harsh or abrasive chemicals on its surface.