Yesterday while doing my shift at the Board and Care I thought about that subject. If you are new to the hobby likely the answer is a radio currently being sold through one of the popular suppliers (DX Engineering, Gigaparts, Amazon).
If you been at this hobby for some time, the answer is often something you no longer own. It is with lament that you hear: "I really loved that FT-101B" and I regret ever selling it. Or perhaps your shack had one of these.
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A Hygain 3750.
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Atlas 350XL
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Hallicrafters FPM 200
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Astro 102BX
Likely the above radios are not well known to the average 1/2 the total US Ham population (those who can work HF). The offerings were aimed at a niche market but at the time touted as having the latest technology, but often priced like a King's ransom. Frequently the production runs were small in numbers. The Collins KWM-1 line only produced 1250 units.
What was so good about these specific radios? Yes, they did have sizzle with the displays or that if you owned one you would be considered in today's terms -- an influencer. In reality it was all in the marketing. They also had some quirks that were dismissed as "nothing".
I am no different than most hams although I do practice TYGNYB. I own too many radios and I too lament that I should have not parted ways with a specific radio or rig.
During recent months I have cycled through some of those radios and have come to a stark realization that each new generation of radio or rig perhaps solves an old problem while likely adding new issues.
I have no patience for drifting radios and therefore do not build analog VFO's. Yet some of my homebrew SDR rigs are good enough to detect when my neighbor flushes his toilet. Still working on that problem...
It is also a matter of never being satisfied with what we have and are always chasing the bright new shiny penny. This is where you should never be the 1st to buy a new radio offering.
I sold some radios to buy a Ten Tec Pegasus (computer-controlled radio). It went back to TT two times in the first six months, and it was Clunky to operate but I was one of the first to own one. I traded it back to TT for an Omni VI Option 3. Still own that jewel.
Perhaps some or one of the best radios often are simple in design and easy to operate with one hand. They may lack in all of the frills such as the RIT offset control in an SBE-34 that actually caused you to never be in sync with transmit and receive but its predecessor the SBE-33 had no RIT but always was in sync.
Just because a radio could spew out 200 plus watts (Swan 500) does not necessarily mean the sideband suppression was that good. Foiled again by touted power output and not signal quality.
Some radios are impressive in the sheer numbers sold and still in use. The Yaesu FT-101 may have topped 250K units sold and lest we forget the ICOM IC7300 has surpassed 100K sold. The KWM-1 with 1250 units seems like a fly speck.
So what was your favorite radio or rig? Drop me an email and let me know.
73's
Pete N6QW