Here’s a countertop that’s billed as combining the best that nature and man have to offer. Engineered quartz, as its known, is made of quartz and flexible resins, a combination that has the strength of granite counters?with better impact resistance and more forgiving installation options. When Remodelista’s Izabella Simmons remodeled her kitchen, she opted for engineered quartz on her island. After two years of hard use by her young family, Izabella reports, “It still looks like new.”  Too good to be true" Here’s what we’ve learned.

Above: This Shaker-Inspired Kitchen in London has engineered quartz counters with a marble look, Silestone in Lagoon. Photograph courtesy of deVOL Kitchens. What is engineered quartz"
Engineered quartz (not to be confused with Quartzite, another appealing natural stone used as counters) is a manmade product created mostly from natural materials. It’s made of 90 to 94 percent ground quartz and 6 to 10 percent resins and pigments that are combined into durable and nonporous slabs. The strength of quartz, even in a manufactured form, makes it naturally resistant to abrasion, scratches, dents, and even acids without the need for sealants. And the environmental impact of manufactured quartz is low: Quartz is an abundant material and the finished product is nontoxic and nonallergenic, and will last a lifetime, reducing the need for replacement.
Unlike solid-surface, Corian-type man...