I have to agree with vinman. One bad item does not a bad company make. Anything that is mass produced is going to, from time to time, have a defective one get loose. That doesn't mean the company's entire product line is crap.
I use HP printers at many of the hotel locations I've been to. Paper jam? Pop off the back, snatch the paper, pop the back on and you're ready to rock. Stuff happens.
I have an ASUS P5Q SE2 motherboard in my HTPC. Not my first choice but now I'm very pleased I got it. It does what I want it to and how I want to do it. Absolutely 0, zip, nada problems with it.
As for monitors, I have an ACER 20". 1920 x 1080. $130.00 at Wal-Mart. It's been banged and boomed moving all over the country. It has a killer picture and has not given me one moment's problem.
The moral of this story is don't base a product line on one bad experience. If you ask us here or at any computer forum for advice then gun down what is said, you're going to find the members will be hesitant to help.