Your's is a common and understandable question. Let me be clear, NO ONE makes "bad" reloading equipment. The losers were eliminated by the market long ago. Some people are mechanical klutzes who can't deviate much so they tend to mess up with things that need a little finesse. And, no matter the brand, some items do get sent out that should not, but they all usually replace anything that's defective IF the owner hasn't jerked it around.
In some 40 years of handloading I've learned to buy tools by features AND price, not brand. I've used and measured the ammo produced by so many loading die brands I know no one has a lock on precision dies. What we are paying for with high cost tools is 1) a nicer external finish and 2) brand hype.
I started with a Lyman six station turret press then got a cheap (alum) Lee for special, low stress jobs. Then added a Rock Chucker. All are good presses, each is well suited for the intended purposes. They are no better or worse than other makers equivalents. If I had to replace all my presses with just one today I'd get a Lee Classic Cast (iron). It's lever is adjustable, it's primer catcher system works most of the time (my RC catches maybe 2 of 3) and the Lee appears to be stronger, all at a LOT less cost!
Lee's dies are good too, as good internally as any. But, for best service in pistol dies I prefer Lyman first, then Lee, in carbide, because of their expanders. For rifle FL dies I don't much care what brand I use but only use Lyman's "M" die for expanding because they don't bend necks like conventional expanders do. For neck sizers and bullet crimpers I prefer Lee's collet type dies. For rifle seaters I prefer Forster and Redding BR/Competition types. My forty-four die sets in twenty-nine calibers include Hornady, Pacific, Lyman, Lee, RCBS, Savage, Herters, Schissel, Pacific, Bair, Forster, Eagle, Redding, CH and Lachmiller; I think they all work well. I've found more difference between die sets of the same brand than between brands!
My other tools include: trimmers are Lyman's " Universal" and Lee, powder measures are Redding and Lyman, powder trickler is homemade because I don't like ANY of the commercial models, beam scales are RCBS/Ohaus 1010 and Herters, neck turners are Lyman and Forster's HOT, pullet pullers are RCBS impact type and a Wells collet type, molds are Lee/Lyman/RCBS and the lubrisizer is Lyman. vib. tumbler is Lyman with cob media from a pet store.
The point of all this being that I've had a lot of experience with a broad range of reloading tools for a long time. Not bragging, but I do know what I'm talking about and, again, it's all good, just depends on your mechanical ability and what specific item features you prefer. This may not be much help but it's the truth about brands!
Lyman's Reloading Handbook is the best of those. But the others are ok too.
