An apron's job is to protect clothes and give you a place to wipe your hands, past that it comes down to fabric weight, coverage, and whether the straps stay put when you lean over a mixer bowl. Crossback styles distribute weight better than a single neck loop, worth paying for if you bake in an apron for hours at a time.
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Hedley & Bennett
The apron professional kitchens actually buy, heavy cotton canvas, reinforced stitching, and a crossback strap design that does not slip off the shoulder. It is genuinely expensive for what is, at the end of the day, a piece of fabric, buy it if you bake often enough to wear one out.
Le Creuset
Well-made cotton twill with an adjustable neck strap and a large front pocket, a step up from bargain aprons without hitting crossback-apron prices. The single neck strap still puts all the weight on your neck over a long baking session.
Chef Works
A genuine commercial-kitchen brand, poly-cotton blend that resists staining and holds up to repeated washing better than pure cotton. It reads more utilitarian than stylish, buy it for function over kitchen aesthetics.
Hudson Durable Goods
A budget crossback-style apron that punches above its price with a heavier waxed canvas than most cheap aprons use. Stitching is not as reinforced as the pricier options, it will show wear faster under daily heavy use.
Under NY Sky
A popular budget crossback cotton apron with a large pocket and adjustable ties, a good entry point for the crossback style before committing to a pricier brand. Fabric is thinner than Hedley & Bennett or Chef Works, expect it to soften and thin faster with heavy washing.