What is the best of the best, equipment wise?

[Funkytone]

Hey All,

I used to have a few reef tanks and predator tanks about 15 years ago and it seems that a lot has changed since then. I've got the itch and want to start a new tank for myself, but also for my little kids to start experiencing.

My question is, what is the best brand for each piece of equipment? Wave pumps, protein skimmers, lights, monitoring systems, etc? What would your ideal setup consist of?

I know I can skim a thousand posts on here but wanted to get a more direct idea of what is considered the top notch brands to try and go for.

Thanks in advance!