Cheapest and Best do NOT add together...
Pay heed to this.
Ultimak is the way to go. Its rock solid, well made, sheds heat, has a mil spec rail, and allows you to cowitness the dot, with the right dot and ring.
Ive had Aimpoint ML2's mounted on two AK's for over 12 years now, and they have been well used, and always worked very well.
I dislike smaller dot scopes out a ways from my eye.
In fact the TRS25 on a handgun I thought to be crap (even on a .22lr).
It's just too small, you see a lot of the non lens stuff, and within the lens the FOV is tiny.
Better is to run a larger tube reddot, or reflex (less stuff around the lens).
Better still, run that larger dot sight closer to your eye.
Out on the barrel?
No thanks.
I think there is a misconception here. You dont look at or through the dot sights, like a traditionally mounted scope, you look at the target, and the dot "magically" appears on it as the gun is shouldered.
The dots are not "scopes", and work best forward, and away from your face. This opens things up, and allows you to have a much clearer FOV, without the sight blocking it. You have good peripheral vision, and snap shooting is very quick and natural.
With the dot mounted low and forward, the gun shoulders and shoots like the dot wasnt there at all, and you were using the irons. Since the irons are cowitnessed to the dot, you have the same cheek weld.
Even with the older, larger dots, like the M2's, the gun is still well balanced, and does not feel muzzle heavy.
This is what you end up with......