That hasn't been my experience. In fact, I spent months finding an appropriate MOSFET to drive some LEDs because the random ones I spent a month waiting for couldn't switch fast enough. That taught me right quick to read datasheets to make sure I get what I need.

These days, however, I recommend the ESP8266, not so much the Arduino. You lose the shields' flexibility, which may put people off with the steeper learning curve, but you gain a lot in capability.