I've been in the flooring business for about 15 years, and I'll tell you what I think. My opinion is worth every cent I'm charging you.

For a kitchen floor:
Wood is a bad idea. What happens when you leave a glass sweating on the end table? Same thing happens when somebody drops an ice cube on the wood floor and 'forgets' to pick it up. Dishwashers and ice makers all leak. It's only a matter of when. The same chicoms who sell us bad drywall and toxic glassware are in the wood business. It would blow your mind to know how much name brand wood is imported for flooring.

Ceramic, or its stronger cousin porcelain, is great stuff. Strong, durable, and waterproof. Get a textured finish for slip resistance. Cold only if you are on a slab or over a crawlspace. Over a heated area, it conducts heat up very well. Tends to increase resale value if done well and tastefully. Use dirt colored grout, seal it and it will look great for years. Avaire avoids most of the tedious prep work, but is rather expensive. Underfloor electric mats like Suntouch are a no go with Avaire. You'd have to go with a plumbed system.

Laminate is good stuff too. Pergo lost their design and quality edge years ago. Look hard at Armstrong/Bruce (same ownership) Shaw, Mohawk, and Berry. The realism will surprise you. Impervious to moisture UNLESS it is allowed to seep into the joints. Then you have problems. Laminate tends to be resale neutral.

Vinyl has come a long ways in the last 10 years, but next to carpet (which is wrong in a kitchen on SO many levels) it is the least expensive, and negatively affects resale. Still not a bad way to go, though.

Look hard at cork flooring. Wiccanders and Qcork brands come to mind. It installs like laminate, heals itself if punctured, (think bulletin board) water resistant, (think fishing bobber) easier on the old joints to walk on, insulates well, and is the most quiet hard surface you can buy. The Library of Congress has a cork floor. Priced more than laminate but less than most wood. My favorite style looks like burl walnut. Cork can be harvested without killing the tree, so your bunny-hugging inlaws will be impressed.