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I'm using Linux Mint Debian Edition 5, and recommend it. It has the deep sensibility of Linux Mint, but it's _not_ based off Ubuntu. The Cinnamon desktop in LMDE5 has much more polish than Debian 11's Cinnamon desktop, which I also tried and hated within 2 hours (the user management - namely adding additional users who don't inherit the group memberships they sensibly should - is hot garbage).

LMDE is pretty good, but you have to like Cinnamon.

I gave it an extended test this year. 6 months or more. I can't get on with it.

Allegedly there's a new Debian remix coming from the originator of Ubuntu Mate. That sounds promising. The snag is, I don't like Mate much, either. Its vertical taskbars are non-functional rubbish.

The best I've seen recently is MX Linux, the original Xfce edition.

It does feel like every year or two Ubuntu does something that annoys a large lump of its user base, who proceed to express an interest in moving to something more ethical / predictable, but also seem to be unaware of Debian. It's a bit bewildering.

I don't think Debian has the resources to do 10 year support, even if they can make use of the patches Canonical will be providing.

No, if you are going to switch, use Devuan.