Grips are a highly personal thing and what works for one person may not work for another.
I have a fondness for the Tyler T-grip adaptors, particularly on guns that don't have a lot of choices in aftermarket grips. One advantage of a T-grip is that it improves the grip without making the gun larger overall.
For pure utility, the old Pachmayr Gripper is about as ugly as they come but it is also one of the best for me. See the first line of this post for guidance
The rubber grips take a lot of abuse, are unaffected by water and are functional. However, you are pretty much stuck with a few designs and shapes.
Wooden grips look better and there are a lot of options in form. Some of the larger target grips are not compatible with speed loaders.
The factory target grips work well for me and preserve the appearance of the gun. However, factory S&W target grips are starting to get a bit rare and costly. Some of the aftermarket grips are good options.