I believe that both prop wash and reaction torque are attempted to be corrected with engine thrust angles. The problem with using surface trim is that those types of trim are proportional to airspeed not engine torque or thrust. If you use thrust angle to correct prop wash and reaction torque, the correction has the same magnitude as the cause. Not so with surface trim.

Having said all that, I have a very difficult time setting thrust angle. My .40 size Extra needs a lot while my 1.20 size Sukhoi has none. I think it depends on your prop, prop speed, airplane design, how straight your airplane is, and a dozen other things. I think the only way to do proper thrust angle trimming is to use the precision trimming techniques that pattern and IMAC guys use. Unfortunately, the successful use of those techniques is not easy.