Kitchen benchtops were once the sole domain of professional kitchens – lengths of slick stainless steel covering every benchtop within reach. But as with other professional kitchen must-haves (think large canopy rangehoods and big, freestanding ovens), they’ve recently made the transition into domestic kitchens. But are they a good choice?

In this respect, stainless steel stacks up. It doesn’t warp or corrode under extreme heat, so you can rest hot pots and pans directly onto its surface without fear of damaging your benchtop.

Here, stainless steel benchtops get another tick – in fact, this is one of the main reasons it’s such a favourite in professional kitchens. Not only is it easy to clean, but a recent study from the Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management in America found that, when washed properly, stainless steel benchtops were more hygienic than laminate, timber, tile and granite surfaces. Better still, with stainless steel you can easily have sink units integrated directly into the benchtop to eliminate joins and ridges, which is another way to prevent germs.

One downside of stainless steel is that, while it can be easy to keep germ free, it is prone to showing up every single finger mark and water streak, although the newer brushed or textured finishes can lessen this problem to an extent. You will also find that it scratches very easily, although eventually the scratches do seem to blend into one another so that they’re less obvious. Some people also find the noise factor an issue – unlike other surfaces, everything you place onto stainless steel will create a bit of a clatter.

It might be industrial looking, but there’s nothing factory-like about the price of stainless steel benchtops – in fact, they’re one of the most expensive options around. Prices do vary from supplier to supplier and will depend on how thick you want your benchtop.

If you like the look of stainless steel but don’t like the cost, the noise or the fingerprint factor, you can opt for a laminate version that looks authentic, but comes in at under half the price. Of course it doesn’t offer the superior hygiene and isn’t nearly as durable, but you won’t need to be permanently armed with a bottle of Windex to eliminate streaks.

Having a chat with a kitchen renovator in your area will get you started on the right path to choosing benchtops for the kitchen: