Can't go wrong with ZT knives IMO
1000% this. I'm a huge knife snob now after doing my dive down the worm hole several years ago.
1st question would be 'what is your budget'. $100 will get you an 'ok' knife, $200 will get you something that will last a lifetime.
I used to be a huge Benchmade fan but learned their board donates to a lot of anti-2A pol's, I switched to Zero Tolerance (Kershaw's 'upscale' brand) and haven't looked back. If you don't care about that, the Benchmade 58x Barrage series is a great assisted opening knife.
(I don't care about them helping the cops cut up guns, the cops asked for help, they helped, that's a plus in my book, but giving money to pol's sinks them for me)
Otherwise I'd recommend a ZT 562 series for a bigger knife (and better steel, a better version of the Hinderer XM18). 0609 are great and nice looking / light, 223 is a cool throwback to the KaBar, the 350 is another great assisted opener and very solidly built, something on the smaller side, and assisted is the 770CF (with carbon fiber handle) and this is my go-to gift for nephew's
Great thing about ZT if you send them back they'll take them apart, clean them, sharpen them, and replace worn fasteners , shims, etc for the price of shipping ($7 now). I just sent 5 of mine back and got them back in about 5-6 weeks. (and it was still just $7, not $35)
I probably have over a dozen knives now, and nearly all of them are ZT.
If you don't really care about money, get them a Chris Reeve's knife. That akin to a Rolex, but it's pricey for a tool if you're gonna cut boxes everyday. But they are damn nice.
Here's the current "drawer" I grab something from for EDC. (Right now it's the 562 on the bottom pic) Custom burled maple grips, and matching bronzed titanium hardware. I've even sent it back to ZT with all the aftermarket stuff on it, and ZT cleans it, sends it back re-assembled. Love those guys.