That’s the problem, really. They all have pros and cons.

Kagi is American, so they are out for me. So is DuckDuckGo.

I don’t care if startpage uses the Google index, since Google isn’t profiting from my data or from ads.

Their servers are in the EU, and the balance between privacy and usable results is good enough.

I see it like using a third-party front end for YouTube. All of the benefits with none of the risks or private data theft.