Plastic-laminate tops may not grab many headlines, but they still account for 75 percent of the market. They're inexpensive, durable, come in a wide variety of colors, patterns, styles and designs. New technology in printing has improved the clarity and depth. Many wood grains and stone patterns are amazingly crisp and realistic. Premium laminates have special textured finishes and finishes that add visual depth, much like polished stone. You can even get patterns that are unique to laminates and give a special look you can’t find anywhere else. Of course, the special finish laminates come at an additional cost. But even the top of the price range of plastic laminate will be thousands of dollars below the cost of solid surfaces or stone.