I agree there are excellent providers in both protocols and some not so excellent providers in both.
I guess my opinion is if you buy reputable equipment (from a reputable manufacturer regardless the protocol) and have the proper tools (compatible hub, sensors, etc.) then you can have a reliable system without buying the most expensive. That is with avoiding the cheapest stuff that can be bought.
I will say however to your point, use Aqara for example. If you are going to use their equipment for a critical item then it is a good idea to have the complete system from hub through end device being their brand. Much less risk for failure. For some people this may be the best route as they may have already had hubs from Aqara or other main brands before getting into the HE world and it is more cost effective for them to build off those systems instead of going the Z-Wave route. Then bring them in HE via matter.
