PEX simply has no competition at present. There are lots of ways to join PEX and all of them are okay, but a few are better than the rest. As for joints/connections, I've done numerous residential and commercial buildings that do not have a connector or joint other than the manifold because it is easy to bend and manipulate without kinking. It is easy to connect/disconnect, irrespective of fitting selection, with the proper tool and a complete idiot can be trained for proper installation in short order.
