Zimmermann and ATE are both OEM manufacturers and both are good. I purchased Zimmermann blanks and will be using them on the track as well once I get them installed. For pads, with regular street driving, again ATE and TRW are good OEM manufacturers. Basically FCP lists which are OE/OEM and which aren't, and you can take their word for it. I haven't tried Stoptech or EBC GreenStuff but both of them should be good OEM+ upgrades. RedStuff are definitely very popular as they're low dust.
Some key factors to consider fall under your specific use needs and budget. Brake pads and rotors are consumables. What might be a better choice for a DD will not work for a track car. Assuming the OP's needs are oriented primarily for DD/street use, some items to consider might be:
- How long do I anticipate the brakes to last? The ATE & Zimmerman rotors from FCP are OEM quality or better and have a lifetime warranty. Centrix rotors available from RockAuto are available cyrogenically-treated, which increases durability.
- How tolerant am I of brake dusting? See
@geokilla's comments above. Generally ceramic & composite pads have lower levels of dusting than OEM. Another couple of brands to consider are Pagid and Akebono.
- Are my brakes exposed to road salt and the resulting corrosion? If yes, you might want to look at rotors that have corrosion-resistant coatings applied to them.
- Does my driving environment involve environments that require heavy, but not race-level braking? Higher performance, more heat-tolerant pads might be a better choice, but there will be trade-offs in dusting and durability.
- Do I have budget constraints? Typically, OEM replacements will be more expensive.
The answers to these questions will lead you to selections appropriate for your needs.
If you do competition-oriented driving with your car, you will have different priorities. Again, brakes are consumables, but at an accelerated frequency. Performance in demanding environments becomes a higher priority- there will be compromises resulting from this kind of usage. Some questions you might have to address include:
- What type of competition will I be doing? The demands of autocross, even in the more highly-modified car classes, are significantly different from those of track day events. Different solutions are required.
- What is my budget for consumables?
- What are any competition rule constraints?
- Will my use be a dual-purpose situation, i.e., both a DD and a track car?
If you don't want to go thru these exercises, there is nothing wrong with going back to OEM brakes. They work very well overall, are durable, and relatively low maintenance.