Hi there.. i think the "best" way is the one that works for you.. I myself use rockwool cubes and a propagator, and have had good success with this.
About 20 years go, i was shortly running a cloning-farm like this for friends.
Some use just water, others use a cloning-machine (basically a bucket with a pump that sprays water-mist onto the bottom of the clones to get them to root).
Some people use rooting gel, others rather leave the clones as they are.
Some say "cut in a 45 degree angle" (as this way it's a bigger surface area for rooting), while others (including me) say "make a straight cut" (as this way you have a smaller surface area of the cut and have therefore less chances of bacteria getting into the wound).
I suggest you just try multiple methods and see what works best for you.
happy growing!