If you love to cook but dislike cleaning, you need a kitchen benchtop that is as durable and easy to clean as possible. Wondering what you should keep in mind as you shop? Here are some considerations to keep in mind:

1. Stay away from porous materials.

If you spill coffee, splash sauce or leave other moisture on your countertop, it will soak into some surfaces. In particular, granite, marble and wood benchtops may absorb stains, and if you want the freedom to leave the mess until later, they aren't the best options for you. Normally, to combat this effect, people seal these countertops, and if you don't mind sealing them periodically, they can work.

2. Consider engineered stone.

If you like the stone look of marble or granite but want something that won't stain, consider engineered stone. Engineered stone features crushed up stones held together with a polymer resin. It doesn't absorb stains and is impervious to heat -- if you set a pan directly on the countertop, you don't have to worry about scorch marks.

Another great, but very expensive option, to consider is lava stone. It offers the same benefits of engineered stone, and best of all, neither of these options has to be sealed, saving you from that task.

3. Think about streaks and fingerprints.

When you clean engineered stone or lava bench tops, you can scrub them off quickly with a bit of soap and water, and you don't have to worry about leaving streaks behind. In contrast, stainless steel countertops are also stain resistant and heat resistant, but after cleaning them with soap and water, you may notice a lot of streaks, forcing you to start polishing.

Stainless steel benchtops are also prone to fingerprints. Keep those cleaning issues in mind when shopping, and when you look at sample benchtops, touch them a bit to see how they handle finger oils.

4. Stay away from flat benchtops.

If you want a kitchen benchtop that is easy to clean, think about its shape as well as its material. In particular, stay away from flat benchtops. When a benchtop is flat, anything you spill or splash against it can seep toward the wall and get into the crevice between the wall and the benchtop. Ultimately, that moisture can get into your cabinets, requiring you to clean them, or even worse, it can get trapped between the back of the cabinets and the wall, creating a mess you cannot clean.

To avoid that, look for benchtops that have a small raised bit along the wall edge. That helps to trap spills, making them easier to clean and ensuring you don't have to worry about water getting all over the place. It also saves you time as it reduces the need for caulking.