"To an extent determined individually, you must take into account how strong a team is right now and likely to be going forward. You must, to some degree, give weight to the events and games of the previous week."

So you want to stop harder, huh?

So what pads should I get?

• For regular street use, any parts-store pad will work fine. Look for low noise, low dust. Akebono is the OE-supplier for Honda, and anything from Powerstop, Brembo, or Centric will do you just fine.
  
• For an OEM+ pad with a little more bite and heat resistance, Hawk HPS is my go-to because it's so readily available, but EBC Redstuff is a solid option as well. Both produce relatively low dust and are quiet, for the most part.
  
• If you're choosing an aggressive pad for track use, consider that the most aggressive pads like Hawk DTC-60 or EBC RP need to be brought up to an ideal operating temperature for maximum effectiveness. These pads have a very high metallic composition and they are high wear against rotors, very noisy, and very dusty. They are not designed for street use where brake use is comparatively sparse. Street driving does not generate the temperatures needed for these pads to work properly and as a result can be dangerous.
  
• If you're looking to do autocross or a couple of amateur track days, consider pads similar to Hawk HP+ or EBC Yellowstuff. They will still produce quite a lot of noise and dust, but provide adequate bite when cold to stop the car safely and are far more heat resistant than standard street pads. I personally run HP+ as a track pad but only swap them in for track days. They're not super fun on the street.
  

So you’re saying bigger calipers and rotors are useless? Then why do high end sports cars and race cars have giant brakes?

So you lied! Bigger brakes do help you stop harder!

So if there are other benefits to a larger caliper and rotor, why can’t I put them on my car anyway?

So how can I get the benefits of calipers and rotors without having to mess with brake bias?

• Do not ever buy drilled rotors. At the high temperatures typical of performance driving, each hole is just a stress point that is far more likely to develop cracks. You’re paying extra money for a worse rotor. The holes also do not ventilate much heat, and you’re effectively reducing the heat capacity of the rotor by removing material. Modern pad compounds do not outgas as much as they used to, and the need to ventilate these gasses is by and large no longer a concern.
  
• Slotted rotors were also originally developed to shed gasses created by the pads, as these gasses could build pressure and prevent the pad from making full contact with the rotor. Again, this is very rarely an issue with modern pad compounds and not very relevant anymore. Slotted rotors can help with pad deglazing in the event that you overheat the pad while on track. The slots essentially help scrape any glazed material off the pad so that there is always fresh material available, but the difference in most amateur use cases is marginal.
  
• Two-piece rotors can be excellent long-term investments for performance drivers if you decide it’s within your budget (both the Project Mu and AP Racing rotors I mentioned above are two-piece designs). The rotor hat allows for slightly more cooling while being made of lightweight aluminum. They are less prone to warping because the brake disc can heat more evenly, and you can replace just the brake disc and retain the rotor hat, rather than having to replace the whole thing.
  

That all sounds too expensive. Are there any other things I can do to improve my braking?

• Motul RBF660 is easy to recommend because it’s affordable and rather easy to find. It’s DOT4, meaning it’s compatible with any DOT3/DOT4 fluid you find at your local store if you’re ever in a pinch.
  
• If you feel like upgrading to some big-boy fluid, try Project Mu 335 or ENDLESS RF650. The Endless stuff is better, but also more expensive unless you’re buying direct from Japan. It’s the OE-supplied brake fluid for many Porsche, McLaren, and Mercedes AMG cars, and is used by several Porsche CUP, SuperGT, WRC, and even Formula1 teams, if that means anything to you. ATE Super 5.1 is also supposed to be great, but I haven’t tried it.