I have almost a dozen AK platform rifles currently, and have owned almost double that over the years and learned a lot of lessons through trial & error + wasting a lot of money in the process. The 3 of them I would mention here for reliablity/accuracy ("go to guns")....
Arsenal, undisputedly great rifles. However you can do the same things they do to an Izhmash Saiga for far less money yourself and educate yourself on the platform in the process.
Vepr, a bit more weight but so far I've been in love with the two I have, they're with me for life, just like my Saigas.
Zustava PAP m92, when I first got it I had some feeding and reliability issues. Widened/Polished the feed ramp, polished the receiver rails, tuned the bolt carrier, now it's one of my favorite to shoot...just tons of fun.
You're going to run into tons of opinions from blowhards talking up all sorts of different AKs primarily because it's what they own, and they're proud of their toy... However don't let this sway your opinion. Find some friends with different AK variants, ask to see them/shoot them. Pay attention to quality of construction, materials used, reliability, accuracy, etc.
However at the end of the day....for your first AK I would suggest starting with an Izhmash and build from there. You might find this informative...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCtuNP10__c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gir2YgAmOL0&NR=1&feature=endscreen