One of the top selling points when considering granite countertops is the fact that you can place hot items right on the counter without the need for a trivet or other protective product. The advantage to the chef is obvious – pull something out of the oven, and set it safely on the counter without a worry. This is a far better proposition than having to hunt down a place to put your hot pan, but is it true? In other words, is a granite countertop actually heat proof?
Yes, Mostly
When you are doing typical cooking in your kitchen, you should be able to place hot items down on your granite countertop without damage to the counter itself. Granite is a natural rock, and it was actually formed by heat originally in nature. It isn’t going to melt or anything like that, so you can set your hot items on the counter with confidence. However, some granite surfaces are comprised of some soft, thin strips of granite. These thin strips lack enough surface area to absorb all the heat from the piping hot pots and pans, thereby resulting into chipping and scratching of the lustrous surface. Use caution when applying hot items to your granite. If you’re unsure – use a trivet!
One Caveat
Granite countertops are typically sealed in order to protect them from bacteria and from stains. When you consistently place hot items on your granite – especially if you place those items in the same spot over and over – you might wear away the sealant that had been put there to protect the counter. Therefore, if a spill were to occur somewhere down the line in that location, the counter may be susceptible to staining due to the lack of sealant. If you are going to regularly use your counter to hold hot items, a periodic refreshing of the sealant may be advised in order to maintain protection on your investment.
Another Consideration
While your granite countertop should be able to take any heat that you can throw at it, you want to be careful that you keep track of what is hot as you are working your way around the kitchen preparing a meal. When you don’t have natural stone counters, you generally will use either a trivet or the stovetop to hold hot items. Therefore, you remember those things are hot because they are in a specific place. However, if your whole granite countertop is safe for hot items, you may forget that they are hot and reach for them with a bare hand. Obviously, that is a mistake with painful consequences.
Of course, the risk of burning yourself on a hot pan is not a good reason to avoid granite. Stone countertops are great for a long list of reasons, but you might want to think about having some kind of system in your kitchen to remind yourself of what is hot, and what is safe to touch. For example, you could set hot items to the right of the stove, and everything else to the left or in another location.
To find out all about granite countertops, please contact Stone World TN today. In addition to holding up to heat, there are a number of other advantages that will cause you to strongly consider granite for your next kitchen countertop. Thank you for stopping by!
