I'm about to order some hardwood flooring and I'm trying to anticipate the problem that I will have on the hardwood to tile transition area where the hardwood will be around 1/4+" higher than the tile.

The question is, what type of reducer should I order? There is an overlap reducer that will work, but there is also an endcap type of reducer (flush with the hardwood on one end). Is there a technical recommendation of one over the other, or is it just user preference?

When I'm going to install it, should I just cut the tip of the low end of the reducer so that it becomes flush with the heigth of the tile?

Your advice will be greatly appreciated.

i have a similar problem going from 3/4 to just over 1/4 vinyl. I found a bi-level reducer made by artistic finishes, its 3/4 on one end and tapers off to a rabbet or grove on the other end which is 3/8 of an inch. It should rest on the tiles to cover the seem, it just may need some more material removed under the 3/8 end, since your tile is probally 1/2 inch total height. hope it helps

That is the best reducer for your application. Here we call them carpet reducers, but who cares about a name, lol. If the abutting floor is too high to support the rabbet of the reducer, just pack underneath to raise the edge so the reducer is just resting on the tile floor. You dont want the rabbet to take the weight load, the base of the reducer should do that.
Conversely, if the meeting floor is too low, plane the bottom edge of the reducer to lower the rabbet so that it rests on the tile and create a neat edge with no gap.