New to eBikes - where to start?

Hey everyone!

Super excited to finally jump into the eMTB world! I've been eyeing these things for ages and am ready to pull the trigger, but honestly, I'm a bit overwhelmed with all the options. I'm mostly looking to hit some local singletrack trails and maybe do some longer weekend adventures, probably 20-30 miles per ride on mixed terrain with some decent climbs. For those of you who've been riding eMTBs for a while, what's the absolute first thing you'd recommend a newbie focuses on when looking for their first bike? Any specific features or brands I should be checking out, or even avoiding? Thanks in advance for any wisdom!