I'm a weekend RC Heli pilot.
If you want a small electric the Blade is a cheap, decent one to start. A little bigger and more expensive but able to do most aerobatics, the TRex is the std. There are several large electrics like the Joker line and MinAirs ION but at that sixe you are talking serious $$. Like in U$800 for one set of batteries so you can fly for 10 minutes.
For Nitro powered helis the Raptor 50 or Sceado are good beginner models. The Raptor 90, Freya or Furys are good big size models.
There are 3 subcultures in helis. FAI for precision flight, 3D for wild aerobatics and Scale. All are hard.
Expect to spend lots of money. Helis are like Crack dealers, they give you a free taste first and then suck you in. A simulator will save you lots of money because you can practice crashing.
Here is my Scale:
and my old aerobatics cruiser:
http://www.runryder.com
has tons of info.
Fritz