Well, you really can't miss with all the cool new toys we have available! Here are some of my personal preferences:
1) New Moto X, preferably the Pure Edition. It might not have topnotch hardware, but it's nothing to sneer at either. The experience should be snappy, fluid, and Moto has really nailed it when it comes to voice interaction and overall system feeling. In terms of size, you shouldn't be so out of home with this one, although the best match would have been the original version (the new one is bigger now, which is good for most).
2) Wait to see what the new Nexus is like. Nexus means you'll get Android straight from Google, no sugar coating or extra stuff. So, it should offer the closest thing to an iDevice experience in terms of cohesiveness and OS updates.
3) Galaxy S5. Top notch hardware, top notch phone. Samsung's software can be a bit overwhelming and can sometimes cause a slight lag on the homescreen (thank you, TouchWiz) but you get everything others are copying or 'inventing', like our Newton-branded fruit friends. However,
4) If you want a bigger screen, you can either go for the G3 or Note 4 (or Note 3 if you mind your budget). Personally I have the Note 3 and I LOVE it. A year old and it doesn't feel outdated at all, even with the newer model coming out.
5) HTC's M8. This phone could probably be the closest you can get to an iPhone in terms of aesthetics. Plus, the experience is very smooth and snappy. However, in my personal experience, the camera on this phone blows. Yes, it has the dual camera thingy going on, but the quality just didn't blow my mind.
6)Honorable mention to the OnePlusOne. Haven't used one, but in terms of on-paper specs VS pricing, this one is a gem.