When it comes to filter media and the quest for the best, there is a lot of commercial input to complicate it and make you buy things. And the only thing you have is believe their word for it. A lot of the general filter information you find out there is mainly based on cycling (establishing) an aqaurium plus filter in the shortest period possible.
Meaning using a very porous bio media that doesn't clog easily and a mechanical (sponge etc.) to clear out fine debri. An aqaurium is dirtiest in it's first starting periode with new substrate that creates cloudy water and a lot of dust particles, melting plants, new wood shedding it's top layer. This is also the dirtiest periode for the filter. And since in this periode the bioload in the water column is highest and the substrate yet isn't established and the shedding plants are yet not transitioned and you already absolutely want to (over) stock the tank with fish, than a top noch filter is a pre. Same goes for unplanted tanks.
But once a sufficiently planted aqaurium is completely established with healthy growing plants than the biological part of the filter becomes more or less, less significant. The aqaurium itself, plants and substrate, has all the biological filtering capacity it needs.
Look for example at the oldschool days, when those little air driven cotton floss filters still where very popular. Planted aquariums were running healthy for many years and these filters only contained floss. These little noisy filters despite less popular nowadays are still considered highly sufficient
(and for many oldscholers among us still about the best ever).
So bottom line, if you can bring up the patience to wait for a sufficiently planted tank to completely establish (cycle) on it's own devices without life stock. This could mean wait a few months till everything is done shedding and all plants have transitioned and growing healthy new growth before putting in lifestock. Than you easily can get away with the cheapest and simplest filter you can find containing only sponge or floss to polish the water.
If you don't have this patience, than you initialy need to rely on a well setup filter to aid you through this cycling periode.. And once all is established you can leave all top noch material in there it can't hurt even tho it's extra over the top biological purpose is neglectable..
Than still what is best is the million dollar question.. I personaly would say "The moving bed sand filter."..