The best bike is the one that fits you best. There are significant differences in geometry among various touring models in your price range. If you don't know what size fits you best, I would recommend having a fitting done at a bike shop. Surly LHTs are often recommended on this forum, but their fit is all wrong for me as their head tubes are too short and top tubes too long. That doesn't mean they are bad bikes, just not right for me. For my purposes, a Soma Saga or Salsa Vaya fits much better and thus would be a better choice. Rivendells are also recommended a lot, but they have wide ranges between sizes and you would be poorly fit if you fall between those sizes; they also have extremely long top tubes.