I do not use a winder much, but it's handy to have at times. My shooting is usually deliberate. I just don't usually need one and it adds bulk and weight. I don't have or need a motor drive, but a winder can be very useful to me in some situations.
I have them for the Pentax LX, MX, and ME Super. Also for the Bronica ETRS-i 645-format camera.
There are times when a winder helps a lot, like at an air show, especially using a really long lens.
And for macro, on and off a tripod, especially when I'm shooting near or at ground level. It is very awkward to manually wind while keeping my eye right at the viewfinder. Even using the LX's sports finder, or on the 645 the "waist-level" finder or the huge sports finder, the winder makes it easier to keep the framing I want. On the 645, depending on what I'm doing, I might use the winding crank, the add-on double-stroke thumb winder (called the Speed Winder, which makes the handling similar to a 35mm SLR), or the add-on motor winder. Each has its place. The trade-off is bulk and weight, though the Speed Winder is pretty light. I like the compactness of the camera with just the crank, but the Speed Winder provides a nice solid grip, as does the motor winder. Sometimes I choose between the crank and the Speed Winder solely on mood.
I prize the compactness of the MX and the ME Super. Small and light, easy to carry and unobtrusive. But the winders give such a nice grip and balance, and there are those situations when I really need to keep my eye right at the viewfinder between shots.
The winder on the LX doesn't provide a grip; it would be nice if it did. But its added weight at the bottom still does make for better balance with heavier lenses.
So I do find a winder useful in the right circumstances. I like that I have it if I need it, but otherwise, unlike the cameras with a built-in winder/motor, I'm not carrying the additional bulk and weight of the batteries and motor mechanism. And when I'm in a quiet place or shooting landscape, I like not hearing the high-pitched whirr.