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 has it’s pros and cons. There is no ‘better’. A stocked kitchen will have variety of different cookware types, a professional kitchen will have more than one heat type as well. most people for whatever reason, only use one cookware type and convince themselves it’s the ‘best’, but that isn’t true at all. i’ve taken professional cooking classes and they use every type of cookware and tell you to but certain types for certain styles/dishes.
choose your heat source first, then your cookware. non-ferrous cookware won’t work on induction stoves.
personally i have non stick, stainless steel, cast iron, and ceramic. i don’t bother with carbon steel because i don’t do high heat cooking that works best with it. i have a couple of basic alloy stock pots too, because they are lighter.