I don't buy them, I use pieces of tile so they can go completely under the pot and not stick out. The advantage is that you know your pot is draining well and the roots aren't sitting in water.

A tiny advantage is that insects that like the moist, dark conditions under a pot are less likely to move in. Not really worth it if you don't care for the look. Makes it more difficult to move the pots around, too.

The advantage is the raised bottom of the container - drainage IS better if the drainholes are not flush with the ground or other surface. And of course with a wooden deck, it greatly increases the life expectancy. But any other solid material that can achieve the same result will work just as well - trays with casters, plant stands (even very short ones, like saucers with feet), tile or flagstone, etc.

I don't use them, just because they are a pain since I move my pots often. One new addition to the pot collection, can make it necessary to adjust the other pots, even slightly to get them to balance, which is hard to do with the feet. My patio is very old, so staining is not an issue.

I have noticed from moving and repotting over the ages how slugs do congregate on the bottom of pots and wine barrels. They can do a lot of damage to succulents. But those are the pots I keep the driest, so it hasn't been much of an issue.

I've never even thought of pot holders (except near the stove), but those blue pots are really beautiful.

I get ants in the pots that are not on feet.

I use plant dollys for the big plants, it makes it easier to move and keeps them dry underneath.

Penny

I use broken bricks under mine

Oooo, lots of things I had not thought of here. Very good! Ants, very bad. Thank you all for your comments, very much appreciated. I will go for a more aesthetic method of elevating the pots. :-)

Raising the pot doesn't necessarily help with drainage as long as the drain hole is not getting blocked. Contact with the ground will allow excess water to wick away preventing that whole perched water table scenario... Raised pots do provide a lot of hiding spaces for slugs and snails.