Haha, I’m almost disqualified from posting in this thread since I only have one bench plane (plus a shoulder and a router plane).

I spent a lot of time before deciding to get Veritas Low-angle Jack as my first plane. I must say that it has done a tremendous job meeting my expectations. From rough work to fine smoothing it is fairly easy to setup and delivers great results.

My next bench plane will probably be a dedicated smoother, preferably a bed-rock style.