I disagree - I've used a $300 stock android phone for just over a year now, and I haven't really run into any "cruft" issues. But, poor android performance is a very valid problem with android.
Agree with this - cheap Android phones are what they are, but mid-range hardware is astonishing and if you don't install clutter, you don't get clutter.
(I even remove/disable any Facebook clients etc, only use Chrome to access services. Perhaps this is why I'm happy.)
I have a Nexus 5X and then I bought my wife a Moto G4 plus and I was really impressed with her phone which was a good amount cheaper than mine.
We've both had them for a while now and they are both good phones but I think I'll spend less on my next phone since I can and still get something that works very well.
(I even remove/disable any Facebook clients etc, only use Chrome to access services. Perhaps this is why I'm happy.)