You know, from about 1988 to 1994 This was the real grunge time, anything after 1994 was just a pale imitation of the true grunge experience.
I think my favourites are the Smashing Pumpkins’ Gish and Siamese Dream and Soundgarden’s Louder than Love
There was a lot of bands that got lumped in with that particular pigeonhole at the time, that embraced a wide range of styles, but generally within the guitar/bass/drums set up. My particular favourites:
Screaming Trees - Uncle Anasthesia was OK, but they really hit their stride with Sweet Oblivion in 92. I still listen to that, but i’d consider it straight up rock rather than grunge. I think they’ve announced that since Nick Oliveri left Queens of the Stone Age the bands now basically The Screaming Trees with Josh Homme, although Lanegan’s been a member for ages.
Afghan Whigs - Congregation & Gentleman are amongst my favourite albums too, but that i’d consider well, soul more than anything else. You wouldn’t find people like Tad or Seaweed covering Andrew Lloyd Webber. (not that thats soul music 
)
Mudhoney - which were more archetypal grunge if you like. Every good Boy deserves fudge and Mudhoney rule. and then they became a kind of parody of themselves.
Sonic Youth were doing some of their best stuff in that time period too, but I wouldn’t consider them grunge either.
And while Nirvana dragged a load of bands up with them to Major labels, there was a good reason why most of them were underground and on Sub Pop, SST and Matador et al IMO.
I’ll probably think of more as the day progresses. Call it grunge if you like, but at least it wasn’t shitty hair metal like Nelson or Tyger Tailz or something.