To me, someone who celebrates a bit more of the spectrum than most: Metal hot. Make food hot.
Non-stick means easier cleanup, but my wife seems to think cast-iron is necessary for certain things (searing a prime rib roast, for example.).
After I figure those out, then I gotta figure out gas vs. electric vs. induction vs infrared…
Everything is.
I like cast-iron just because the nature of what you cook in it means you don’t have to scrub it in a sink after. Wipe it out with a cloth or some paper towels and back up in the cupboard. And doing this makes it better not worse. It’s convenience more than anything.