L and M classes versus Allen M. Sumner destroyers

Which was better, the British L and M classes or the Allen M. Sumner class?

An L or M is preferred as an individual ship, but the Sumner's mass-production advantage matters more to a fleet.

The comparison separates the merits of one ship from the needs of a fleet commander. The planned L and M classes are treated as capable all-rounders, while the Allen M. Sumner class was easier to mass-produce and therefore available in greater numbers. A later correction retracts the earlier claim about a special four-inch anti-aircraft fit on the L and M ships, so that mistaken detail cannot support the comparison. An L or M remains the preference for a single fight, while the American design better suits a large Pacific fleet that needs many hulls.