I agree with everything you said which is why I chased it for so long. The kind of process control, automation, reporting, etc. of PLCs is unmatched. The problem is cost. I even tried to pull together Micro 84 parts. It is cost prohibitive for all but the most ... dedicated to the idea.
But...
None of the big brands will be reasonable for the consumer market. I'm an S7/505 tech and I looked long and hard at incorporating them into a build but decided that even with free (to me, employer paid for) software it didn't make sense.