My thoughts. In your original post, you mentioned that you are 39 and just now starting to get serious about grilling. As to what cooker is best for YOU, in my opinion there is no one better than YOU to decide that. After 25ish years, and having spent way to much $$ myself trying to figure out what is going to best meet MY needs and THOSE I cook for... I have found the pellet/kettle combo to be the best for how I cook. I also have a large outdoor griddle that sees a ton of use.
So, to you and your needs.
-What does your new cooker budget look like?
-How many people do you cook for on a regular basis?
-Do you enjoy entertaining, and if yes, how many mouths do you need to be able to feed at once?
-What types of foods do you think you’ll be cooking most often and what style of cooking do you think you’ll be doing most often (low n slow or grilling).
-Do you have kids? Do you have a busy lifestyle? Do you enjoy the process of starting/maintaining a live fire... or are you more a set it and forget it kind of guy?
-Do you enjoy a heavier smoke profile or a lighter smoke profile?
-What type of weather climate do you live in?
-Are you only looking for an all-in-one cooker, or are you open to having 2 cookers... 1 being strong at smoking and the other grilling?
I honestly think you’ll get better and more accurate feedback as we get to know you and your specific situation