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Kitchen countertops bear the brunt of our cooking. Chopping, serving, slicing, plating—they see it all and, as a result, they show it all. It only takes one sharp object or a sticky hand to leave a (sometimes permanent) mark, which is why Formica’s newest product, Fenix, launching this month, is great news for Type As. The anti-fingerprint, self-healing surface designed by Arpa Industriale, practically wards off imperfections.
The clever material, which comes in a bevy of colors (from a dark forest green called Verde Commodoro to a maroon called Rosso Askja), is made from acrylic resins that are hardened and fixed through an electronic beam curing process. This gives it an opaque, matte finish that doesn’t reflect a ton of light and it also makes it super easy to maintain: Just wipe them down with a damp cloth with warm water or a mild detergent.
The exciting part is when an accident does happen. If you nick the counter with a fork or a knife, you can buff it out yourself by laying a damp cloth over the mark and then pressing a hot iron into it. This process of thermal healing will get rid of the abrasion and it can be performed over and over again. If soft, porous stones like marble and limestone give you a headache just thinking about them, this option is your best bet for a stress-free kitchen.
It’s hammer time: Follow @reno_notebook for easy rental updates, clever DIYs, and tips to nail your next project.