As you and I know, all too often we read "which tablet should I buy?" . I always say "one that you can afford". In my opinion it makes sence to try them on cheapie's and if you like them, then progress. Hence the route I took.
That so-called "rubbish tab" couldn't have been all that bad, if it motivated you to invest more money, time and energy into delving deeper into the complex world of Android.