The best ones are the ones that make big crops, but never rob. Are slow to swarm, but build up quickly. Handle cold winters and hot summers with ease. They sting only when mashed, and quickly settle back down. They are prolific wax builders, but keep the burr comb to a minimum. They only use propolis to polish the woodenware, never glue anything together. They handle both t-mites and v-mites effortlessly. When you find them, let me know!! I want some!!
There are slightly different management styles for different bees. I have not been very adventerous, and have always stuck with the banded Italians. The knock on them is they are big eaters, and notorius robbers. From my readings, the Russians frequently supercede the queens, and are a little slow to build comb. They are frugal with stores, but harrass you in the yard with head butting, and are a bit more irritable. They claim a higher resistance to mites. The carnys have small clusters, but build up fast once they get going. A frequent complaint I have read is excessive swarming. A slightly different management style might solve that problem. Also frugal with stores. I have read a few reports of missing some flows because they shut down brood rearing in a nectar dearth.
Pick one or two and see what works for you in your area. You can always change them by installing a new queen of the type you want to try.