"Reliable" depends on your perspective.
Consumer-grade gear has features like 1/8" TRS jacks, simple switches built onto circuit boards, and lightweight construction. These devices are designed to last for a couple of years, at which time a newer, more desirable version will be available. When consumer gear breaks, it's usually more cost-effective to replace rather than fix.
Pro gear is designed with a more robust construction. It has to survive in a rough-and-tumble work environment for years. People make their living using pro gear, so any failure comes with consequences. Word gets around about gear that causes problems. This is not to say that pro gear is bulletproof. Failures do happen. Pro gear is repairable, and rarely discarded.
Pro gear is several times more expensive than consumer-level products. This is true in most lines of work, not only for audio recorders. It's an investment in a tool that makes you money.
Can you get good results with consumer-grade gear? Sure. But you're less likely to get the consistent, predictable results that pro gear provides.
Flintstone