BIG problems with Silestone countertop

After literally agonizing over the decision for three months, studying
all the information I could possibly find and consulting with different
stores, I decided to "treat" myself to a Silestone countertop.

The first day when I cut a sandwich in half directly on the top I
noticed the knife left a permanent mark (still there from 6 months
ago), so no more cutting on the counter (something I was always able to
do in my previous home with typical speckled granite counter).

I also invested in an integrated sink (made of same material as
counter), and when a glass slipped from my hands recently, it knocked a
small Chip out of the edge of the sink.

Now something more troubling has occurred. I set my four small
house-plants on the countertop to give them a good watering instead of
the usual bit of water just splashed on the top. Each plant had its
plate underneath to catch possible overflow. I watered the plants
generously, letting the plates beneath receive a bit of water to make
sure the plant was drenched, and went to the movies. When I got home
hours later I returned the plants to their proper shelves and was
horrified to discover the entire operation had left what I now know to
be permanent marks. Two of the plates overflowed slightly, so there
are four ring-marks, two of which have ugly spreading stains that look
like all you need to do is wipe with a sponge, and 'how come this woman
doesn't keep a clean counter'. It is a dark counter and the stains are
darker, so it's not your typical water residue, but a true stain.

WARNING: Silestone is incredibly delicate, far moreso than ordinary
granite. The manual warns to avoid high temperatures and certain
chemical substances, but in this case, plain water left for a few hours
left ugly permanent stains that no product recommended by the
manufacturer (I've spoken to them a great deal) will remove.
FURTHERMORE, the "guarantee" does no good since the manufacturer says
it covers "defects in the manufacturing, and there is no defect in the
product supplied".

I've got an open-plan kitchen, so it's right in the living-room so to
speak...it was supposed to be the kitchen I've always dreamed of, but
now I can't bear to look at it. If I had the money, I'd rip it all out
and put granite.

Please, someone, anyone, any kind of advice or suggestion will be
deeply appreciated, neither the store nor the manufacturer believe me
when I tell them all I did was water four little plants.

Fernanda

.

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