I tend to follow the 'make it work, then make it pretty' school of thinking but it really depends on <i>what</i> you're building - since you've mentioned React, can we assume you're looking for some kind of web solution?
I prefer Svelte and Inferno mostly. However, for quick prototypes or side projects that I know I'm not going to need, I use a completely new framework, to experiment and have fun while learning something new.