Melamine is a plastic coating material also used as a surface for plywood and fiberboard. Although different enough to be considered a separate option, Melamine is technically a laminate product. Just like Laminate, Melamine is made using paper and resin, but the Melamine costs less to produce. Also just like Laminate, the melamine surfaces have lower quality and higher quality products. The low quality melamine will not last as long as most laminate surfacing. However, the thicker textured thermal-fused Melamine has the same kind of life expectancy of high-pressure Laminate. Textured Melamine opens up a lot of great options for your cabinets by giving a three-dimensional texture to your doors. Various faux wood grains, bamboo, or other textures are available.
One small thing to consider when making your decision about your door is how they will look next to your countertop. If you have a countertop made of some natural stone or quartz, then it will look great next to any choice. Tile and stainless steel countertops would also not be a problem. Many kitchen countertops are made from Formica, which is actually a high-pressure laminate product topped with a layer of Melamine. This may not be a problem outright, but if you have Formica countertops, you might want to check to be sure that it does not clash with the look and texture of your chosen doors surface.