We could list here just the validators we like the best, but they might not be the same ones that you would choose.
We can give you the information and you can then make informed choice on which validator is the best for you:
Open the ranked list from: https://crypto.bzh/rank.php
Choose the one you like based on your priorities and check the "Avg Sign %" from https://cc.smartstake.io/ to see the long term performance.
Extra options, if you want to use more time:
A: Value
Low commission: Lower the commission, higher the profit you make. 10% commission means you lose 10% of your profit.
Low Max Fee: Even if the validator has 0% commission currently, "max fee" shows how high it can be increased in the future. Pick the rate you are willing to pay for the service or be prepared to redelegate when fees go up.
B: Reliability:
See the "Avg Sign %" from: https://cc.smartstake.io/ . If it is less than 99.8%, there is high chance that this validator will have issues when the traffic increases.
High self delegation? Most people trust more for validators where owner has a decent amount of skin in the game. Generally speaking we would expect at least 10k CROs from reliable validators.
High Min Self-Delegation? If this is 10k for example, self-delegation can never be less than 10k. Shows that the validator is planning to stay for long term.
Activity? Does the host give you regular updates, has contact details visible and installs updates when they are available?
Single person vs team? In the long term, one person running a node will have some trouble. It can be holidays, sickness or personal issues. It's safer to pick a validator with at least 2 people hosting it. If there is more than one person running the server, it's something that is always mentioned on the website of the validator.
DDoS protection and secure servers that are powerful enough. Not easy to find info, but if someone has a good setup, they usually mention about it.
C: Decentralization:
Ranking. Shown as "Power Rank" on Crypto.bhz list. TOP20 validators already have enough CROs delegated to be set for a life (97% of the the total CROs). Support decentralization and delegate your CROs somewhere between 21.-90. ranks. Choose the best one or support some active/competent little guy from the bottom.