I actually somewhat enjoy using the Filter Inserter/Chest(logistics)/Inserter method because if you limit the chest to one or more lines, you allow it to build up a buffer amount should something happen downstream. It also allows you to change directions when doing so with belts is impossible due to ...

There is a great amount of ingenuity required to be able to merge two ingredients/resources onto a single belt for the joy of satisfying a machine with one belt instead of two. But there isn't currently a generally automatic (belt-type) way to unmerge them. Yes, I acknowledge, you can use a filter ...