Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - laminate wood flooring help

Hello everyone, I have a few questions regarding laminate flooring.... We need to get rid of our carpeting due to my dust mite allergies & need some advice on types of flooring. Our kitchen had some laminate installed when we bought the house 4 years ago & we were told it was "UNICLIK" brand. After reading on this forum & others I have found out that there are quite a few unicliks out there in the world. I am not fond of the flooring in the kitchen due to shade, durability(lack of) & the way it was installed & have decide it needs to go since I probably can't find flooring that matches anyway!

What kind of wood laminate is good for kitchens, do I need the type that requires glue or just the snap in type? Also, we have berber carpeting in the dining room, living room & up the stairs & all that needs to go. Can you install wood laminate flooring on stairs & if so what type? It also has to match the flooring in the kitchen, will that be a problem? What floorings are the most durable, we have a very bouncy 11 yeard old & 2 active small dogs & want this floor to look good for a few years!

I need as much info as possible, what to sound semi educated when I start calling contractors to install the flooring. My husband & I would do it ourselves, but have decided it might just be easier to pay someone to do the work.

Thanks so much for any & all answers.
john&janeski

well, laminate comes in several qualities on each manufacturer. The quality you need depends on you and the traffic and whatever. Quickstep invented uniclick and I would recommend sticking with them.
Buy their most durable selection for the best protection.
Yes you can install on stairs, in fact I recommend it. It may be spendy but a very good choice.
Buy area rugs to complete the look and add durability and style.
Take those shoes off and trim the dogs nails regularly.

Tile or stone in the kitchen and any bathrooms or laundry rooms, and wood flooring for the rest.

Forget about the laminate. You hate it in the kitchen now, and you will hate it again, only now it will be everywhere. Laminate is a disposable floor, just like your finding out, along with the carpet your removing, too. They add no value to your home.

Now stone and wood!! They add tremendous value to your home.

Ceramic tile is cold and very hard, and wood can be expensive.
Wright is right, it will be very durable and long lasting and add value (at least it should depending on the location of the house)
I just wanted to add a few cents to the opinion.
Laminate flooring of good durability and installed correctly can save money and be durable. But weigh all the options and get free estimates.