The most common types of kitchen cabinet surfaces are wood-based. Hardwood is your best option when looking for durability but can usually come at a higher cost. When looking for a more cost-effective alternative then consider plywood which will have a hardwood veneer as several layers of wood glued together to maintain durability. Then we have our lower-cost options such as fiberboard/particle board which can still come out nice, but the durability will definitely be affected. If you don't want to have actual wood then you can go with the always dependable veneer, that can be made to look like wood, without any of the potential downsides.