Sometimes also called dwarfs, Dwarves a short stocky little bearded badasses who love drinking and fighting, dislike elves, and hate Orcs and anyone who fucks with them. Dwarves originate in Germanic folklore and from their draw their skill as miners and builders.

In general most dwarves get painted with the same brush. They all are short from three to five feet tall at most, often conservative rooted intradition. Most live in mountain strongholds and cities beneath the earth or in the mountains. They are loyal and stubborn.

There can be subtle differences between the dwarves of various settings, with some traits emphazised more than others. My personal favoite however and probably the best dwarves in fantasy are the Durin's folk and the Dwarves of Lord of the Rings. They certainly have the best music.
Seriously the Dwarves from Lord of the Rings are hardcore badasses. A few notes on their awesomeness;

Twelve dwarves; sick, starving, thirsty, and armed with just sticks, stones, knives, and their fists fought off horde of giant Spiders with only the aid of one Hobbit with an Elven dagger and a magic ring. These Spiders being desendants of a cosmic horror that the greatest evil of the setting needed the aid of his demonic servants to drive her off. They kill dozens of the damned things and escape. (Slightly less awesome in the film as the Elves arrive and sort of save them and they are better armed.)

Gimili ran several hundred miles with almost no rest, food, or water over the course of three days after having been in battle and planning to go straight into another. Most humans struggle to run a marathon, well rested and fed.

George R. R Martin has said Gimili would kick the Mountain, Ser Gregor Clegane's ass.

A couple of Dwarves can raise an effective defensive fortification with only a few hours of work, complete with rope system to haul people and goods over the wall.

A grevous insult to just one of their great families is enough for all of the dwarven clans (some of home have worked with Sauron and his allies in the past) to unite to go rampage through the Misty Mountains, and violently murder every Orc they can find. Orcs everywhere flinch in middle earth when you so much as mention some of the battles of that war. When you have Orcs suffering collective PTSD you seriously fucked some shit up.

Unlike some dwarf armies the Middle Earth Dwarves actually make use of archers, spears, and cavalry (or at least mounted infantry).

Who are your favorite dwarves? Why do you like them or why do you hate them? Discuss below.

I perfer the Warhammer Dwarves, no offense.
Their ancient, strong, have been known to kick Deamons single handily and at one point in their history have gone on a literal crusade because a goblin army pillaged Bugmens Brewery. and they have war-machines.

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I can respect that. They do have some kick ass artillery. And Gotrek. Need to find those books.

You should avoid the last one in that series, the one with the "End times". It just ruined the whole thing for me.
Also check out Dwarves by markus heitz, it's actually quite good. Same as the last one, avoid the last book.

Dwarves are tough. Also, there is no proof of dwarves ever fighting with Sauron. I seem to remember they are impossible for him to sway to his side.

I, being myself, like Tolkien dwarves best.