You are asking a very loaded question ndp! People get very devoted to their setup and will often argue about the "best." I would say that the top 3 setups are the Saitek X45 or X52, anything CH, and the Thrustmaster Cougar.
I'm a CH fan - the gear is rugged, the company offers tremendous support, and the user base is incredible. I still have a working CH stick from 14 years ago.
However, it's all going to come down to - how much do you want to pay?
Buzz