I would like to create a top 5 list of filter's on the market today so it would be great if anybody could provide there top five...

That would be hard to do since it mainly depends on tank size for which filter to use! Maybe give an average tank size to go by! I've always keep the Fluval filters since they are reliable and do a good job.

ehiem ,fluval ,aquaone ,jbl, tetratec

another ebay nut
yer they are pretty reliable i have the pro 2180 thermo's they are awesome they do 1700l p/h

i think i have probz with my filter setup its kinda annoying me at the moment....i will take some pics soon and show you what i mean....
do you think there is a way to completely change the filter and get one like a ehiem to replace it??

Ehiem Aquaball
Fluval Externals series 4
Fluval "U" series

Thats my 2pence worth lol and it's easy to track down spare parts for the above filters which is an added bonus!!

i really fancy the ehiem aquaball...how do you find it ???

For an internal power filter I quite like the Otto series. They can power from 200lph up to a whopping 2000lph.
The directional output can be placed anywhere in 360 degrees. You can add the air intake and make lots of lovely bubbles.
The filter cups clip into each other and you can add or lessen the number according to your tank size. Filter sponges and cups are all readily available online here in Australia.
The best bit is if I am starting a new tank, I can clip off a few of the filter cups from other tanks and I have a filter seed which I just clip into the new filter. The plastic filter cups are see through so you can see when they are too grotty. Even when cups are absolutely chocabloc the filter will not stop working.

For a canister filter what can I say, fluval and eheim are great filtration but I have found the small hoses of the Eheim in our Australian heat will kink.
I usually order an Otto450 canister which is half the price of an Eheim and it has a great big spray bar and lovely thick tubing which will seldom kink. A bit of a fiddle to set up and get going but a real workhorse of a filter once its going. I usually toss a Purigen bag in the canister to polish the water.

I most always have some sort of air filter in every tank, be-it a sponge filter, undergravel filter or the old corner box filters which you stuff with media and filter wool. If the electricity goes off for any great length of time, I can hook up cheap battery pumps to the airfilters.

thats a good mix you have then...and its good to have a back up plan..i never actually thought of a power cut i would be pretty stuffed if one happend...
cheers for the input brengun..

its well worth doing... i had a power cut a couple of years ago and lost quite a few fish..... although my BN did spawn they must of though it was the rainy season