Some of the very cheap'n'cheerful whistles can also sound and play really well ... the trouble is quality control ... and getting a shop to let you play through their box of 30 isn't going to be easy!
Dixon & Susatto are possibly worth the consistency?
Expensive and beautifully made tunable metal whistles can be lovely ... but I sold one that was just horribly shrill and unpleasant, regardless of name, reputation and cost!
A good whistle to learn on doesn't need a lot of breath, is not overly sensitive to how hard you blow, but is easy to play across the break as you over-blow into the second octave and back ... a great many tunes need this transition to be smooth and effortless, and fighting to control this is disheartening in the same way as a cheap acoustic guitar with rubbish intonation and an action you can drive a truck under. Someone lent me a Dixon whistle at a session... and it just played so easily compared my green and gold Walton (though some of theirs are very good)
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