I like having an .22 that has the same controls and fucntion of my AR.
Sorry to hear that but I give a BIG thumbs up to the S&W MP 15-22
I feel just the opposite but that's because I'm on a tight budget. I can't afford to spend $100+ on a day at the range. For just $20 I can pull the trigger 550 times compared to ~80 times. That extra practice comes in handy when shooting the real deal. Trigger discipline, sight alignment, etc. It helps to practice the basics every time you're out shooting. If I can do it more for the same amount of money, I feel like my money is better spent that way.
This is how I feel about it as well. I have a 15-22 so I can shoot it at the range I am a member of (can't shoot centerfire rifle there) and shoot it more often. All the controls are in the right place to make it effective training/gun handling practice for my AR.
I also have 22 conversion kits for 2 of my Glocks and they are very effective for training, and I can shoot more for less.
I may also look into the M&P 22 pistol as a counterpart for my 9C, but it is different enough (backstraps, safety, etc) that I need to think about it a bit more.