Anyone have any insight on which brands to consider, or more
importantly, not consider?

I know the local landscape services use Toro parts. My neighbor's
heads are Nelson. Menard's sells Rainbird, which concerns me a
little, because Menard's sells pretty much bottom-middle line of
everything. They don't sell top-of-the line of anything.

We don't have Lowe's, Home Depot, or any big home store chain.