What makes a particular model a good beginner's choice is often a blend of ease in building, flying and availability. Price enters into that third factor as well. The three top dogs (the Sig Riser fits in with the GL and the Spirit I think) mentioned here over and over all share high points in all three areas and that is why they get so many recomendations. You can't beat a magic combination like that.

And I offer the above even with the knowledge that the issues about parts fit in the Gentle Lady kits. Why in this day and age Goldberg cannot make a kit where the parts fit properley is beyond me. Even the new laser kit still shares the super sloppy joints of the old method. However the methods are simple and the use of gap filling glue by beginners that don't know any better still produces a simple but very sound model that flys so much better than the sum of it's sloppy parts.