I periodically yank my cleats out hill climbing, so I usually adjust them to the point where I can barely get them in. And yanking them out becomes rare. I still seem to be fine getting them extracted.

I have purchased used pedals, so they perhaps didn't have as sharp of a grip as new ones might have had.

It does seem as if my Wellgo, SPD style pedals are a bit easier to adjust than the Shimano pedals, but both work.

Most brands and styles of clips will have some kind of variable tension adjustment, so I wouldn't dump one style until you've at least got the tension set right.

Oh, I have also avoided the Shimano Multirelease cleats... as that doesn't sound like what I wanted.