To piggyback...
- I'd go with the second kit posted
- Agreed with ales vs lagers...lager yeasts are much "pickier" than ales, and thus harder to ferment correctly
- Get some StarSan, mix up 5 gallons, and keep it in the vessel you plan on using next. When the time comes, Auto-siphon it out, and you just sanitized two of your main utensils.
- A good burner (something like Bayou Classic) will speed up brewing and ensure a good healthy boil...boilovers on the stove are no fun
- A wort chiller is a great investment...boiling hot wort takes a long time to cool down to yeast-pitchable temps without one
- Start saving your 220z bomber bottles...cut bottling time (almost) in half
- Read the instructions 4 or 5 times before you start. For lack of a better term, chair-fly the brewing process so you're not scrambling in the middle to track something down or run to the store
I'll add more if I think of it...good luck!