Steel with porcelain seems to chip a lot.

Most of my rentals here in the Berwyn and Cicero area have tiles, so I am very familiar with ceramic and porcelain tiles for surrounds.

. -  If your market allows it, then porcelain tile EVERYTHING. 

I have a 50y/o house that we have been living in, 3+ years ago we had the kitchen remodeled including the floors in our living room, one of the primary issues we have before the remodel was the hard wood squeaks in some areas so we decided to have it fixed and also to put in wood look porcelain tiles.

Looks and works perfectly and it actually a thing of porcelain beauty.

I would advise against ceramic and go with porcelain.

I'd go with porcelain tile, say 18x18's.

Ones that did wreck the floors, requiring replacement of both the carpets (with laminate, we'll see how that holds up) and the CVT kitchen floors (with porcelain tile.)When properties are rented I typically spend two minutes per property.

The concrete supplier will know how to obtain that and know what percentage of rock to mix with what percentage of porcelain cement.

that one actually isn't granite but a porcelain tile.This one is a granite.