Silestone worktops in Tenerife

A Silestone worktop works particularly well in Tenerife flats and houses where the kitchen is indoors. It started out as engineered quartz and today combines minerals, recycled materials and resins pressed into slabs. That composition explains both its strengths and its limits compared with the other worktop materials we work with.

What Silestone is and how it is made

Silestone is Cosentino’s brand of engineered quartz, a non-porous surface made from minerals and resins. Since 2020 the manufacturer has reformulated it with its HybriQ+ technology, which includes at least 20% recycled materials and limits crystalline silica: according to Cosentino, no colour exceeds 40% and the XM range stays at or below 10%. The exact composition varies by series and colour. What matters to you as a user is that it does not absorb liquids, stands up very well to everyday scratches and keeps an even colour across the whole slab.

Colours and finishes

The Silestone colour range is wide and changes often, so the best approach is to see samples in your hand and in the light of your own kitchen. It is grouped into families:

• Whites and creams, the most common choice in white and Scandinavian-style kitchens.
• Greys and concrete effects, forgiving and easy to pair with oak or graphite.
• Marble effects, with veining that imitates stones such as Calacatta.
• Darks, blacks and deep browns.

The finishes are polished (gloss), matt and textured. Matt feels lovely to the touch, but in dark colours it shows fingerprints and limescale marks more, something to bear in mind if the water in your home is very hard.

Direct heat and everyday use

Quartz does not cope well with intense direct heat: putting down a pan straight off the hob can leave a mark or, through thermal shock, a crack. The manufacturer recommends always using a trivet. Nor should it be fitted right up against gas burners without keeping to the distance Cosentino specifies. Water and mild soap are all you need to clean it; avoid strippers, caustic soda and highly alkaline products, which attack the resins.

If heat is your priority because you cook a lot over high heat, compare it with an ultra-compact surface such as Dekton or with a granite worktop.

Why it is not for outdoor use

Silestone is not recommended for outdoor use because ultraviolet light breaks down the resins and, over time, the colour yellows or loses intensity. In the south of Tenerife, a terrace in the sun almost all year speeds up that process. Something similar can happen, to a lesser extent, to an indoor worktop next to an unprotected window that gets many hours of direct sun. For a barbecue or a terrace, look at the options for outdoor kitchens, where sintered stone or porcelain are used.

Thicknesses, edges and sink

Silestone is made in 12, 20 and 30 mm. 20 mm is the standard for worktops; 12 mm is used for matching splashbacks and cladding, and 30 mm on islands where you want a substantial edge. The edges can be square with an eased arris, rounded or mitred to add visual thickness. It is ideal with an undermount sink, because the edge of the cut-out is not affected by water, and Cosentino offers sinks in the same material.

Price of a Silestone worktop

A Silestone worktop is normally priced per linear metre, and the price depends above all on the colour group: plain whites tend to be in the more affordable groups and marble effects in the highest. Thickness, edges, cut-outs and splashback also play a part. If you are comparing materials, our comparison of Silestone, Dekton, granite and porcelain helps you decide before asking for a quote.