Stone is timeless. I am in love with my granite bench top (Bianco Romano) - it resembles marble with the dark veining. It is so shiny compared to caesarstone, is so easy to clean and with the natural variations it does not show up marks easily or the Milo my kids spill on it.
![Shock :::](./images/smilies/Shok.png)
I don't know about putting hot pots onto it - I would never risk it cracking or being damaged.
It really comes down to personal preference as well as the hip pocket. We plan to be here 10-15 years and opted for shaker style doors to tie in with the era of the house and give it a classic look.