You get what you pay for, for the most part...

The park CT-3(.2) is as close to good as you can get for cheap. The master tool is a step up, but it's still a[n investment] cast tool. The older CT-3 has a link-loosening cradle, a feature that has disappeared from the modern version.

The gold standard vintage tool is Shimano's TL-CN30/31. Wonderful work of art, and functional, too. It's successor is the TL-CN32, with plastic handles instead of rosewood. Both, like the master Park, have the pushing pin running on a ball bearing (so the pin doesn't rotate against the chain pin as you screw the pressure screw in). Unlike the Park, they are cast, then machined. They have a built in chain holder for joining chains, but since they were created after the advent of Shimano's chain pin joining system, they do not have a cradle to loosen stiff links (which is easy enough to do without a tool, anyway...).

Of course, of you need a tool to close those silly Campagnolo chains that need to be peened over, the Campy tools are the way to go...and will likely give you a newfound appreciation for how much the Park/Shimano tools cost.

For those with super deep pockets, the Rohloff revolver is always an option...