Don't hate me - Buying 1st Printer

[curious aardvark]

it's creality - so no support, potentially sub-standard parts and just generally lots little issues that people seem to have with them.

There is a difference between a first time buyer wgho does not have existing cnc or mechanical skills and someone buying a second 3d printer or who is au-fait and happy to tinker with mechanical and electronic processes.

So when recommending a first printer to someone who doesn't want to build one from scratch and thinks the manufacturer might help them if they have a problem.
Certain brands and machines should definitely be avoided.

yes creality are huge and make an awful lot of machines.
Some actually work quite well.
A lot don't and even with their bigger I3's that now have dual z-axis motors, they STILL use a bowden tube.
That will give you more issues than an i3 with a direct drive extruder.
The single central rail with sideways wheels as the only support for a large and heavy print bed, will potentially give you more issues than side support rails with bearings.

All these are things I try and take into account when recommending a machine as hassle free as I can find.
Until creality stop making engineeringly dodgy machines - I can't in all conscience recommend them.