For me I was looking for reliability, so I ended up with Prusa. But I ended up with them thanks to a few simple rules I followed.
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Can the machine and it's parts be replaced with off shelf components?
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Does it use, or is the platform compatible with open source slicers (Prusaslicer/Cura)?
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Does the community support the device with mods on 3D model repositories (Thingiverse/Printables)?
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Does the manufacturer have a track record for support (or the lack thereof)?
Before I got my Prusa, the Creality Ender 3 was the goto, and it was a really reliable machine. For my printing needs I need a direct drive print head, and a better auto bed leveling routine. But the Ender 3 s1 looks pretty good as an alternative.
I'm not worried, after all I didn't use any emulators