Equipment kit. I bought the most basic equipment kit from Brewers Best Kits. That was 7 years ago. I still use nearly all of it and it didn't contain a bunch of stuff I didn't need. I have added more fermenters and an autosiphon and have broken a racking cane but otherwise it is all in use.
Recipe kits. Lots to choose from, Brewers Best Kits, Austin Homebrew, Midwest, Norther Brewer all make good kits. Brewers Best may have been sitting on a shelf for a while and you may get one with stale ingredients but the rest have great turnover and are likely to be really fresh. All are pretty easy to make. One thing that I haven't seen in their instruction is the temperature you should ferment at. Cool is the word. My ales start at 62 to 64 degrees for a few days and then are allowed to warm to low 70's. Those early kits I made where I started fermenting at 72, well lets say I'm glad they are gone. Most of the kit instruction say to ferment for a week. That is too short. Minimum of 10 days and longer is better. I've never left a beer in the primary fermenter longer than 9 weeks but I could have.
Notice that I haven't mentioned a secondary nor a carboy? I bought one. I used it twice. Now it just sits, taking up space. My plastic buckets work just fine, plus they have handles to carry them, a big opening so they are easy to clean, and won't shatter if I drop one. At some point I will have to replace them as they can get scratched which can be a place to harbor bacteria that can ruin a batch but.....it's been 7 years and my original bucket is still in use.
Carboys may become necessary in your future if you make beers that are going to be racked onto fruit or oak, or for beers like a barleywine that needs aged for months. You'll know by then if you need on.
