XSitePro
The out and out best tool for building successful niche websites. I sometimes still use Dreamweaver but in terms of simplicity,speed and effectiveness this tool blows it away. It also generates a Google Site Map and has an Adsense Insertion feature.

CTR Theme
CTR Theme (for WordPress) makes it easy to build informational websites monetized with AdSense that get awesome click-through rates (CTR). AdSense provides hands-off recurring income, but usually these sites leave a lot of money on the table by having bad designs or underoptimized ad placement.