Best three outboards can o' worms

I understand what kind of question I am asking, but I am in the market for a newer motor. I am not a boating person. Never grew up on the water or fished. I have a little experience getting around on a friends 16' inboard and I just spent a few months never really feeling confident about rebuilding a Johnson 40hp Seahorse. I realize that in order to take myself and my wife out in something that I feel safe in, I am going to have to go with something far more reliable. I can do some basic maintenance, but I am trying to find a group of motors that I can trust. Any suggestions on a few motors that I could buy that are relatively new, and would be reliable, and a few to definitely stay away from? I plan on using this boat 2-3 times a year. Anywhere from the 9.9 hp Honda which got great reviews, to a 50 hp Mercury which I also feel like I trust. I lean to the Yamaha, Mercury and Honda. But this is strictly on internet reviews. Which I barely trust at all. I will be using this engine on a boat from Lake Jocassee in SC to the coast at St. Mary's GA. So it will see salt water. The need for reliability or ease of maintenance is because we are trying to get to places we cannot do with a kayak and are remote. Thanks for the help.

Any of the 3 cylinder Johnson / Evinrude ( 49 cube ) from say 1982 to 1988.----The 4 cylinder 50 Mercury ( 45 HP classic 50 ) from 1980 and newer.----Johnson / Evinrude 18 / 20 / 25 HP ( 22 cube ) from 1967 to 1976 are also top notch.

I guess I am trying to stay away from the older engines. I am looking at newer motors. I just finished my experience with a 1967 Johnson 40 and I just didn't trust it. I can see it is a well trusted engine though. And it was built for years.

New motors are all great.-----Many of them need dealer support at $100+ per hour.----Not a problem for many folks.