I am looking for something that does not require the graphics extender.
The only mods that require MGE are Animated Grass. You can use any textures/meshes you want and MGE is not needed. (where has the rumour started anyways?)
There is no "best" since it all comes down to personal taste. I usually use Connary as a base replacer for textures, then add some of my favourites over that.
Povuholo's ToMorrowind has a http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1155980-povuholos-tomorrowind-a-mod-recommendations-list-for-today/page__p__16924204#entry16924204
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1103737-add-to-the-list-of-needed-graphics-mods/page__p__16150079__fromsearch__1entry16150079 covers a lot of options.
The wiki has a http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Tes3Mod:World_Replacers of world textures.
And there's always the http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.List&category_select_id=13 section on PES.
There are very few mesh replacers, but http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=7459 and http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Mods.Detail&id=7984 are great. There is also Better Clothes and More Better Clothes, and CanadianIce's Robe Replacer, for your clothing updates.
Vurt has made many different replacers for the various types of trees, all are on PES.