The best 3D Modeller depends on YOU, what you prefer, what you best work with.
It's no use using 3DStudio Max if it doesn't work to your best taste, it may be industry standard, but that's not any good if you're capable of using the extra feature or are capable enough with the program to be fussy about rendering.
There's a lot out there and there are quides on this forums for programs.
I use Carrara 5 Pro and Hexagon 2.5, with the intent of buying Silo 2 - Hexagon 2 and Silo 2 are dedicated modellers, that means they're designed entirely for the modelling process - both even have a decent UVMapper, which is great for texturing. To get yourself a rendered scene you need one of those all rounded apps, Carrara is the one I use - 3DStudio Max is also one, but a lot, lot more expensive.
If you're making games, if your all rounds programming doesn't export animations to games properly, things like Milkshape are simple animators and do brilliantly for games. 3DStudio Max, well setting up an animation is more complicated than that.
So if you're a beginner, I doubt professional grade software is a place to start, people here do just find with Wings3D as their modeller (free), Lithunwrap as their UVMapper (Free), the GIMP as their texturer (free) and Milkshape for animation and exporting to games ($20) and they're good for beginnners as well. I started out with another free program called Anim8or, and guess what? It's a near little program - look at the work by Neodelito on this forum, he's an anim8or user and his work is really good.
And of course when you're capable of 3D modelling, you know what you like and what you'd prefer, so go around looking for demos you can work with, you never know you might love some of the cheap programs out there.
"Experience never provides its judgments with true or strict universality; but only (through induction) with assumed and comparative universality." - Immanuel Kant
