'Mostly' is the key--and the problem.
I've been using Elementary OS as a daily driver for at least a year, maybe two (and before that I used Mint for several years). For the most part (there's that pesky word again!), it works quite well. And it really is beautiful--aesthetically, I quite like it.
But boy do I wish that bluetooth would work reliably. Since working at home full time, noise-cancelling headphones have gone from 'nice to have' to 'nearly essential'. It worked more or less fine for a while, then some update broke something and it stopped working. Now it's working again, kind of, but connecting a pair of headphones causes most of the entire UI to stop responding for a full minute or two. Sigh.
And maybe the next time I update it will be fine again. Who knows? And that's the problem: every update feels like Russian roulette. And this isn't even a laptop. I use this thing for work; I do not have time to dick around all today troubleshooting obscure bluetooth problems.
If I'm going to continue to use it, I guess what I need to do is stop updating (or only update specific apps, like firefox) once I happen upon a relatively 'stable' configuration. Security updates be damned.
apt install pavucontrol
Its boring, but like Windows, that's precisely why it works out of the box.
Thats the whole point, right? Obviously smaller and non-mainstream distros with non-mainstream packages, more cutting edge packages will have more paper cuts.
Personally, the only problem I've ever had is when two devices are connected to my headphones (laptop and a phone). When a notification pops up on my phone, my headphones get "taken over" by the sound from my phone. I basically just turn off Bluetooth on my phone at that point (easier than disconnecting a device).
Minor annoyance for sure (especially because I have notifications turned on for like 3 apps on my phone), but I'm so used to elementary OS (using it since 0.2) that there's no way I can switch to anything else — Windows or another Linux distro — at this point.
I've tried to move to Linux once a year since 2005. A few weekends ago I did my annual attempt and had a go at Elementary OS (live USB wouldn't boot, gave up), MX Linux (couldn't get sound, wouldn't boot after installing nvidia drivers), Manjaro XFCE (kept locking up, requiring a power cycle) and Pop OS.
Pop fared best, but even then I had all kinds of showstopper problems with monitor power saving, resolution, crazy window repositioning, and some behaviour where the desktop workspace randomly becomes far larger than the monitor and sort of pans around. If I leave my computer for 10 mins then have to spend 20 mins fixing it when I come back, that is a deal breaker.
I persevered though... Tried playing a game, alt-tabbed out to do something else, machine rebooted. Tried to use their tiling window manager functionality, but it had all kinds of weird bugs making it virtually impossible to use for anything except simply switching focus (and even then, their theme does not visually distinguish between focused and unfocused windows, which is problematic!)
Anyway... rant over. Short version: I disagree with you. :)
I started wit KDE Neon, but it failed to install drivers for my Nvidia card and proceeded to sabotage my sound drivers in the process (they were working fine before).
I then switched to ElementaryOS which did fine with my Nvidia but every time it played a sound it would send a loud crack in my speakers.
Back on Windows which I feel a prisoner of. The thing is sending data all over the internet, I can't even write a diary because I feel like I live in the USSR where I have to pay attention to everything I say or the KGB will get me (to be clear it's just a metaphor, I understand I can write whatever I want on my PC without consequences but I don't like the feeling that my inner thoughts would end up on a server somewhere).
I run Linux as my daily driver, but I really do get your pain. There are way too many items problems that run in the way. Live usb didn't boot. Volume keys don't work, etc. etc. It has gotten WAY better, but the polished professional feel just isn't there yet. Your trackpad won't feel 100%, if you don't know your hardware inside / out your Nvidia card or something else might not work. Part of the problem, too, is that there are way too many projects inside the open source world. While that is a blessing, it's also a curse.
Some people just want to boot a machine and get to work. Even though I run Linux, I have become that person as well.
I believe it all comes down to selecting the right hardware. The way I've been trying Linux was to install it on some machine I had lying around (mostly Acer, Asus, MacBook, no-name towers). Apparently, that's not how it works.
I remember back in 1990s and early 2000s it was hit and miss whether or not Linux would install on a particular machine. Then over time things improved and you could install it on almost any machine.
Some Linux enthusiasts celebrated this achievement by claiming loudly that Linux now "just works". They couldn't possibly have done a greater disservice to the desktop Linux movement, because that's just not true.
It doesn't just work. It just installs. And then it's crushingly disappointing on most machines.
My next Linux attempt will be on one of those known good hardware configurations. Anything else is just a waste of time.