There is really no simple answer to this question. The best laminate flooring is going to depend on your needs, your tastes and several other factors. Once you know what to look for, you can go and find the best flooring for your situation.
First of all, let's clear up a common misconception. Laminate floors are often confused with laminate wood flooring. The two are really quite different. Laminate wood flooring is made from several plies of wood that are laminated together while laminate flooring is made from a fiber core with a print layer (the pattern) and a layer of melamine to protect it from wear and tear.
For the purposes of this article, we're talking about laminate flooring - not wood laminate.
Laminate floors come in many different patterns and styles, from wood grains to ceramic and stone tiles. Laminate tile floors look genuine right down to the grout lines.
They can be used in many different places in your home where you would normally use other types of flooring, such as a bathroom or kitchen. The installation costs and maintenance requirements are much lower than the "real" thing.
There are glueless laminates that don't require any kind of adhesives. They are held together using a special tongue-and-groove system that holds the panels together. These are one of the easiest types to install and repair, since almost any do-it-yourselfer with reasonable skills can handle the work.
Laminate floors also require a lot less maintenance than most other types and they're ideal for high-traffic areas or if you have large pets.
When looking for the best type for your needs, it's best to do a little comparison shopping. Check with your flooring supplier or installer to find out what brands they've had the most success with.
If you can talk to other people who have installed laminate flooring in their home, you can get some good tips and feedback on the particular brand they used.
It's also helpful to spend some time doing a bit of research on the internet. There are a number of websites that let people post reviews and this can give you some good insight from people who have been where you are.
Consumer Reports is another good source of information, both online and in their regular magazine. They obviously don't review flooring every issue but if you go through a few back issues or dig into the archives on the website, you'll be able to find some helpful information.
As a hint, your local library probably receives Consumer Reports and will likely keep all back issues on file, so this can be a great place to get the information.