The amount of effort is minimal: screw adapter onto tank, turn tank upside down, screw canister onto adapter, open valve of tank, let it fill, close valve, remove canister. you are talking about 5 min of effort really...10 min tops. That is not a lot of effort.
I use these canisters for my Performer, my WSM torch, and my portable propane lantern. I could attach a bigger 10lb tank to my performer with a hose, but I move my performer from my deck to my culdesac (for cookouts) at least once per month during late spring to fall. Plus I store a lot of stuff on my rack on my performer so I don't have the extra room for a tank. The torch uses a lot of propane, but using these 1lb canisters is very handy since it is so light....don't have to lug a 20lb tank down to my smoker to light it.
I go through these many of these canisters a year so there is a bit of savings. Plus it saves me from going to stores (which I don't like...Amazon is my best friend). Also throwing out all those canisters would put me in dog house with the wife.
Everyone has their own needs and this works for me. I have 4 canisters and when 2 or 3 get empty then I fill all of them at once. So the amount of time and effort is minimal. And the safety is minimal IMO as well since you are not doing anything different than what the refilling station does when you take your 20lb tank to get refilled. Gloves are the main item.
Again, everyone is different and has different priorities for what is important for them, so it may not be worth it for them. I am just saying it is not as big of a chore or safety issue as many perceive.
Good luck,
Kg