I am fine with a good mix of custom items and "D&D items", like some rings taken straight from the books with their lore and effects, while some custom stuff like the mentioned apple bless ring (though that one would be more balanced if you remove the ability to eat in combat so you have to eat before combat OR use it for out of combat stuff)
Yeah, I just find the constant refrain of "it's not in the book" to be rather wearing. I played the original DnD and ADnD/2e, and there was never the same rigid-thinking attitude. Every story module added its own flavour to the base books, and every DM made up their own stories, items, and even classes and races. Much of what made the game fun was NOT knowing what you would meet and find.
Tastes change, I guess.
