Silestone is the world's leading quartz surface, combining strength and beauty to create a superior choice for nearly any surface in your home or office and rapidly becoming the surfacing choice for discerning consumers. Here are the top 10 reasons why ... Natural Beauty Silestone has the sophisticated elegance and timeless beauty of stone. The natural quartz in Silestone delivers a distinctive depth, brilliant clarity, glimmering radiance and cool, solid feel unique to natural stones. Versatility Silestone can be used in virtually any indoor surfacing application, including kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, tub and shower surrounds, backsplashes, floors, walls, wet bars, tabletops, desktops, fireplace surrounds, and more. Scratch-Resistance Only three other natural minerals-diamond, sapphire and topaz-are harder than quartz, making Silestone naturally scratch-resistant. Quartz is a seven in strength on Mohs Hardness Scale (diamond is a 10). So, while a careless slip of the knife will scratch most other countertops such as laminates and some granites, it won't leave a mark on Silestone. Silestone is not scratch-proof, however, and can therefore be damaged with excessive force or pressure. Stain-Resistance Silestone's polished surface is non-porous and thus highly resistant to stains from coffee, wine, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, makeup, and many other common household products. Heat- And Scorch-Resistance Unlike solid surfaces and laminates, Silestone is heat- and scorch-resistant. It will withstand limited exposure to heat without burning or scorching. The fire of a lit match will not mar the Silestone countertop. However, as advised by crockpot and electric skillet manufacturers, do not place these items directly on any countertop. Always use trivets when placing hot items on a Silestone surface to avoid thermal shock. Maintenance-Free Because it is non-porous, Silestone's polished surface doesn't need to be sealed. Cleaning Silestone is easy with soapy water or a mild household cleaner such as Formula 409®, Fantastik® or Windex®. No surface is indestructible, though. As with any other stone or surface, strong chemicals and solvents such as Drano®, Liquid Plummer®, oven cleaners and floor strippers will damage the surface and must not be used on Silestone.