A few of my favorite things!

My favorite, ready-to go potting mix brand right now is Noot. I love it because their potting mixes are really optimal for aroids and a lot of other popular houseplants because they have chunky elements like coconut husk mixed in. For an even chunkier or better draining soil you can get their Husky Mix and use it alone or mixed in to your favorite soil.   Adding horticultural charcoal and/ or perlite to any soil mixture you use can also be very beneficial!
 

My favorite "extra" to include in a potting medium is horticultural charcoal. It has a long list of benefits and almost no negatives. Charcoal increases the soil’s ability to hold onto nutrients. The low density of charcoal lightens heavy soils to encourage root growth, it can aid drainage and help keep the soil aerated. Charcoal has also been said to have cleansing properties, it can be used with drainage stones to help keep unwanted bacteria from growing.
I also recommend amending other soil amendments to help with drainage, especially if you are prone to overwatering. If you have pests like fungus gnats, my #1 recommendation is to add charcoal, coarse sand, perlite, and mosquito bits to the soil and repot all plants that are in the vicinity of the little buggers. Mosquito bits are small pellets that release Bacillus thuringiensis v. israelensis when watered. Bti is a bacteria that controls mosquito, fungus gnats, and black flies in their larval stage of development, killing them before they mature! I usually also use a fungicidal soap including neem oil also, but nothing seemed to work for me until I added these to the mix. I will also be posting about the soil mixture I make and use!

For orchids varieties, especially Phalaenopsis, I recommend a specially formulated orchid bark mix (I also like fir bark) and/or New Zealand Sphagnum moss (long fiber) (AAA grade is noticeably better quality, but not totally necessary). Be aware that the most important thing with orchids is to remember they are epiphytes and need good drainage and airflow- so no matter what make sure you use orchid pots or some other pot with holes and drainage. Remember that caring for an orchid will change depending on what medium is used. I still haven't had a lot of luck with Leca except when rehabbing seedlings with almost no roots, so I don't generally use that. Feel free to post in the Forum if you like that best! I would love to hear success stories.