Dust, dander and pollen settle; the question is whether the floor holds them or lets you wipe them away. A smooth, sealed surface with few joints wins, and the finish matters as much as the material: some floors off-gas for weeks after installation, which is its own trigger.
Based on: dry living space · several rooms · easy maintenance and durability first · a professional install.
Stone-composite core: 100% waterproof and dimensionally rock-steady.
Foamed core: warmer, quieter and softer than SPC — and thicker.
The tile-shaped sibling of SPC plank — same core, glued or floating.
Wall-to-wall carpet in bedrooms, and anything glued down with a solvent adhesive in a room that cannot be aired out.
The full reasoning, the failure modes and the care schedule for each of these are on FlooringFAQ’s guide. This page is the decision; that one is the education.
This ranking assumed a typical version of the situation. Change the rooms, the budget, the subfloor or who is installing it and the order moves. The eight questions start with these answers filled in.
Your flooring choice is only half the equation. Installation, subfloor preparation, removal and transitions change the final price. Local professionals quote the same scope, and you decide whether to talk to any of them.
No obligation. You choose whether to contact the professionals who respond.