I've Fairphone 6 with e/OS. Works well. Ok, some caveats:

- mobilepay does not work (I think Danes have an issue with non-mainstream platforms for whatever reason)

- the default browser does not work for some of the authentication flows when it integrates as the in-app browser. But it does give one dark theme on hn so I can just keep it on my homescreen while fireflx is the default for compat reasons.

I think it'd be a very nice experience to use an OS like postmarketOS, based on busybox and the standard linux kernel. Btw, Fairphone does use mainstream android, but it's suppported by many alternative OSes

I dumped smart phone shite with CyanogenMod back in 2010.

I still have an old Oneplus 5T running lineage with android 15

A samsung S4 with android 11 as my kitchen timer.

My family have Motorola edge 20 and Motorola edge 20 pro both with android 16.

  https://doc.e.foundation/devices

  https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/

I personaly prefer Lineage over E.OS.

I use droid-ify app store, which saves messing about with adding extra repos for Molly, a fork of signal messenger and Ironfox.

basic apps I use every day; Protonmail, tutamail, mullvadvpn, termux, lawnchair/launcher, Rhythm/music payer, Comaps/maps and navivation, bura weather app, chaka book reader, open camera, monocles browser,

It just feels so much cleaner faster and better. No intrusive shit constsantly nagging on screen.

I have over the years installed lineage on the old peoples phones at my local old care home. It started with my mum and they all wanted it.

those in their 80's love it. they dont need 500 apps cluttering the home screen, bombarded with adverts every time they try to send a text messsage to their families or doing 50 clicks and swipes to find a friends phone number. I leave them three apps on the home screen, contacts, phone and text.