[geographomics]

If you're buying a device to replace the stock firmware with something customised to your liking, then you're already in the hacker mindset, so having to tinker that little bit harder surely shouldn't be much of a burden.

[drdaeman]

There is a slight difference between flashing a custom firmware (right from the stock one, no RS232+TFTP or JTAG), and hacking your way through a locked bootloader.

[geographomics]

Only in the amount of effort one is willing to expend in doing so, and learning any necessary skills. It's only a happy accident that so many (relatively inexpensive) routers are easily flashable with custom firmware, not an entitlement.