I bought a Stag as my first AR. After that, I've built my own. Up to 12 of them now.
I can tell you this from my personal first hand experience.
Don't fall for the "Brand name scam".
I've used PSA, Areo, Anderson, BCM, Colt and Giessele.
I deliberate spent ALL OUT, Spared no expense, full on insane, building the Giessele..just to see if the "Brand" stuff was so much better than PSA.
It's NOT! Not even a little. My cheapest build (also done deliberate to see how cheap I could build one) shoots sub MOA, with zero defects, zero misfires, zero malfunctions...than I put $340 bucks into.
The Giessele "Brand snob" build set me back well into $3000. Is also shoots sub MOA...no defects, malfuntions...Yada Yada Yada.
It comes down to this...if it's mil spec, from a well know brand (other than Bear Creek...they are junk), it will just work. Even my Stag works just as well...and Brand snobs love bashing on Stag (for no justifiable reason in the least).
Is Daniel, KAC, Colt..really better?
NO, they are not. You pay for a stamp on the side, and maybe a few almost useless ergonomic "improvements"....
Here's a hint too...Anderson stuff is almost the cheapest stuff you can get...know who they supply to? COLT! So, there's that.
Next, I expect a whole lot of flak, telling me I'm wrong, but no facts to prove it.
A few things..and only a few, make a good AR better...and that's the barrel, bolt carrier group, and trigger. To a lesser extent, maybe an adjustable gas block. The rest is window dressing.