Yeah, it ran in our dispatch center for years, then was retired when we moved them. I took it home and used it to drive a radio that let me monitor some of the systems from home. Other than rare power outages at my house, and the trip home, that's been it. Before I installed it in my house, I opened up the case and blew out all the dust.
I used to work for a guy that would say "Over engineering isn't necessarily good engineering". In other words, buying the biggest/best isn't always the right choice. Budgets are a real thing.
Something I've noticed frequently in hobbies is that no matter what you buy, how much you spend, how much effort you put into it, someone will come in and tell you what you did wrong, why you should have spent more, etc.
It's a hobby. If it works and it is safe, you are all good in my book. Idea is to have fun, not try and impress everyone else. There are certainly products you want to avoid, and some that are better than others, but fun should take priority.