We too have granite and have not had any problems at all with stains. I can set a hot pot on it directly off the stove, and have had all kinds of spills (I have 3 kids!) and have never had any stains. The contractor may not have sealed them properly or at all, and should have told you that you need to seal them every 6 months. As for the grease, I haven't spilled any, but it does splatter and we still haven't had any issues with it. You also do need to get cleaners specifically for granite. I have used premier surfaces ###-###-####) to regrout between two pieces and seal them and they did a great job. They were the only company that would come out to fix something without doing an installation. All the others wouldn't mess with such a small job. My friend chipped her granite with a wine bottle and Affinity Stoneworks came out and fixed it for her. Good luck!!!!