When you play by yourself, use whatever key harp you like. But most instructional material uses a C - next most used is an A.
However, if you want to play along with recordings, or a vocalist, or a band, you need to be able to play in the key they select - but you get to figure out which position you want to play in and therefore what key harmonica you will use.
Vocalists pick a key they like singing in, but guitarists like E (lots of easy chords), so I use an A in second position for a lot of blues in E.
I practice using my Ab and B harmonicas, as I have all keys of harp and those two are the least used in bands in my experience. But at jams I often get surprised when someone wants an unusual key, so I have learnt to always bring all the harmonica keys. At last week’s jam I was onstage when they decided on a late change - to do the song (Elvis - ‘Mean Woman Blues’) in Bb, after initially agreeing to do it in E. A quick sprint back to my harp case to swap the A for an Eb and all worked well.
FYI, I use mainly LO harps, but got a set of 12 keys of Easttop T008K in a case for a good price as backups.
Cheers
Maka
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