I actually went the opposite way recently. From an Acer Iconia A500 to a new iPad and I can't tell you how much better it is. I don't miss the flash capability/Micro-SD slot/open file system/etc at all. In fact, Android felt clunky in comparison (felt more like Linux than an OS of it's own) and I became disillusioned by the whole Android thing, OS, Apps, Updates, etc.
I wanted a tablet long before iPad existed and remember reading up on Acer or Asus tablets a few years ago. Even the fan forums were full of probs, lol. I figure there's plenty of info online, so research before buying. I ruled out other tablets one by one and held out till iPad. I already had an iPhone, which worked well, so I knew iPad would, too.
Then I held out on Android devices, but kept reading and waiting for improvements to meet my criteria. I've not been disappointed by my Kindle Fire or Samsung Galaxy Note. When I buy any electronics, even after research, I consider my purchase a test drive unless I'm satisfied. Otherwise, I return them. I see no point in keeping a crummy device, or any other purchase.
When I buy stuff, I also consider the time I would waste trying to get something to work as part of the cost. That's why I read up before buying, because I can make more money, but I can never make more time.
At this point, I'm not ready to make a jump to Android tablets as my main device, but I've seen progress and will keep monitoring. Tech evolves relatively quickly and I'm open to any brand, any platform, as long as it meets my priorities. I doubt I'll ever commit to only one platform, because none has everything I want. At this point, I'm on Windows, iOS and Android, all for different priorities.