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…
realistically, whichever one your most experienced with (and your cooktops are made for) is best
they’re all basically the same, the issue is when recipes/directions assume one type of cook setup and the cook doesn’t know any better