I can't really comment as to which brand has worked best for me. I say that because in my relatively short time growing (and learning) my growing environment and techniques have continually improved, so regardless of nutes my results have been better every time.
That said though, as a beginner grower growing Dutch Passion's "Brainstorm" I found Schultz's 10-15-10 liquid plant food worked surprisingly well for vegging on a tight budget. Or...I guess I should say, given my minimal knowledge at the time it appeared to work well. I'd imagine it wasn't overly impressive though, really. I then came across two half-full bottles of DNF's two part grow mix through a friend and started mixing minimal amounts of that in for some much needed Nitrogen. Worked fantastic, no doubt about it this time. My inexperienced self used no additives at all for bloom though, and in turn got some fairly disappointing results. Not horrible, but by no means good.
Next grow, same strain.
I switched to the General Hydroponics Flora series and was given a sample of Advanced Nutrients Big Bud powder and had some impressive results come harvest time.
Next, next grow. Again, growing the same Brainstorm.
Out of curiosity I tried AN's 3 part base nutrients alongside Bud Ignitor, Big Bud, Overdrive and Bud Candy. My flowering results were, as would be expected, hands above my previous grow in terms of quality/potency but the overall growth while vegging seemed, for whatever reason, to be lacking when compared to the GH Flora stuff.
I'm now on my 5th (almost 6th) generation of Brainstorm and am getting phenomenal results. Here's what I've finally settled on (at least for this strain).
VEG:
SuperThrive in very minimal amounts following cloning/rooting/the occasional repotting
GH Flora - micro, grow, bloom
AN's Bud Candy - like 2mL/gal. I have no real reasoning for it, just figure it can't exactly hurt. (someone correct me if I'm wrong please)
AN's SensiZym - free from a friend. Likely won't buy again when it runs out but it is definitely effective, no question.
AN's Bud Ignitor - the final week of veg only, not from the start. I use it to 'jumpstart' the flowering following the 12/12 switch
FLOWER:
GH Flora - micro, grow, bloom
AN's Bud Candy
AN's Bud Ignitor - weeks 1-2
AN's Big Bud - weeks 3-7
AN's Overdrive - weeks 7-8
then flush come week 9.
I'm not committed to AN in the least, they just happen to be working for me. I'm thinking when I switch up my strains (very shortly) I will give something else a shot.
EDIT:
I grow in soil. Heavily leaning towards Superponics for my White Widows though.
