I fully agree. My personal experience with chemistry tells me that these people are not known for using these solvents out of spite, they use what works because they have specific properties and minimize personal risks when working in a lab, especially in an small-scale experimental setting where the used volumes of solvents are limited and changing them might bite into the sometimes meager amount of product you might get out of a reaction.

If everything goes well and you can replace the solvent for a greener substitute in an industrial scale process while still getting acceptable efficiency, i don't think any chemist would disagree to switch. That they still use these solvents simply shows that some properties aren't easily replicated.