How can I make this countertop look better?

There is a heavy weight contact paper that can make them look brand new. There are a few How Tos on youTube like this one. https://youtu.be/_Wjsw71uK2E

Ask your landlord to replace the counter. If he/she won't, ask him/her if you could paint them.

Ditto on the contact paper. Ask the landlord if it's ok.

I covered my ugly mustardy yellow bathroom counters with a gray and white marble look contact paper. It was amazing how much that

change improved and brightened the whole room!

Obviously you have to get permission but omg that countertop... check out Spreadstone by Daich coatings. You can clean then rough up that top, smooth some drywall compound into that edge and just wet sand that part. Then tape off your sink and walls. Use their countertop kit. It’s water based, really easy to apply. For a little over a hundred bucks that countertop will look great. I never had much luck with contact paper but maybe the stuff everyone’s recommending is easy but how do you solve that edge issue? Bondo? You can get away with drywall compound on that area with Spreadstone because the Spreadstone is rock hard when cured. Whatever you decide to do you should show us some pics when It’s done!

I used Rustoleum Countertop Paint on my counter top that looked like yours (minus the strip of carpet edging?). I am very pleased with the result and the cost($20 about). I filled the rough spots with ordinary spackle.

If you get permission from your landlord, you can use Bondo or Mineax epoxy wood putty to make it look like stone. Take off the edge band, mix the putty in small batches, and trowel it on in sections ( can cover the edge too). I try for a depth of about 1/8” or so. Once dry, sand it until it has the texture of stone that you like. Remove all the dust and wipe it down well with damp cloth. Tape off the area and spray paint using a melange of colors that mimic whatever stone you want to copy. I have used a bit of metallic paint too. Adjust the paint until it looks real. You can add some veining with a feather dipped in paint or a Sharpie marker but be judicious. It helps to have a photo yo copy. You can also spatter with an old toothbrush dipped in paint and run across a piece of stiff cardstock or an old credit or store discount card. When that dries, add several coats of good polyurethane and you are done! This finish has held up on our outside deck dining table for 3 Minnesota seasons so it is durable. But like Formica, you can’t put hot pots on it directly.

That carpet strip: OMG. I keep wondering why anybody put it there. Is it holding the edge down? Can you ask the landlord if it can be removed without causing worse problems? There are some wonderful glues these days that might work better, especially if it is clamped together till firmly dried. Fill screw holes, sand, then lightly sand entire countertop before painting. The Daisch countertop is great, and anything Rustoleum makes is terrific for its stated purpose. Stonecoat Countertops are great but probably more effort than you want to put into a rental.

Go onto a website Wish.com. They sell replacement vinyl sheets to change the color of counter tops. Very inexpensive. It takes a bit to ship. But worth the wait.

I used rustoleum and it is chipping.