IMO I like linux mint or fedora as good starter distros. They're both stable and easy to use, but they're not going to limit you if you're an expert. KDE is my preference for desktop, but gnome feels better on a laptop.
Ubuntu is too forceful about snaps lately, and it gives me that classic "I don't actually own my computer" feeling.
Manjaro getting borked is not unexpected - they've had a lot of problems, and generally your system will tear itself apart sooner or later due to their package holding. If you want manjaro done right, I'd recommend Garuda linux.