The best thing you could do is go to a guitar store and test drive a bunch of different guitars, since each one will have its own feel. If you’re a beginner, you’ll probably want a guitar with a thin neck and low action (the distance between the strings and the fretboard), which will make it easier for you to move smoothly between chords.
Ibanez makes fantastic guitars that are built like rocks, sound great and are often nicer than guitars costing twice as much. They’ve also got really thin necks and low action, so they’re ideal for beginners and people with small hands. Jasmine by Takamines makes very user-friendly guitars, as well. Lots of beginners start with Epiphone because the name is so respected, but those tend to have really chunky necks. If you’ve got long, strong fingers, that might not be an issue. But if you’ve got smallish hands, an Epiphone might be challenging to play. That’s why it’s best if you handle a bunch of different guitars before you buy.
If you want to do some research before going to a store, Musician’s Friend is a great resource. You can search by brand, price or customer rating. Customers also post reviews that will give you a good idea which guitars are great and which ones have issues that make them difficult to play or keep in tune. Here’s a link:
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/acoustic-guitars/6-string
I highly recommend a 3-DVD set that will take you from the very basics through everything you’d learn with years of private lessons. I bought the set after having played for 20 years and can’t believe how much my playing has improved. The whole set costs only $36 — a fraction of the cost of lessons. And the advantages of learning from DVDs are that the instructor never loses patience, you can work at your own pace and you can go back and review things as necessary. Here’s a link to the DVD set:
http://books-videos-music.musiciansfriend.com/product/Rock-House-Learn-Rock-Acoustic-Guitar-Beginner-Intermediate-Hands-of-Steel-DVD-Package?sku=942720
Trust your instincts when you’re guitar shopping, since they’ll serve you better than anyone else’s opinion. There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all guitar, which is why there are so many different models available. And don’t listen to anyone who says you can’t get a good guitar unless you spend hundreds of dollars. Those people are guitar snobs. Once you’ve handled a bunch of different guitars, chances are you’ll find that one feels really comfortable and natural in your hands. And the way you feel about your guitar is more important than the name on the headstock or anyone else’s opinion. Good luck!