"You got people saying you don't need one then turn around and say I edit with regedit."
That's right - Specific entries and with full knowledge of what those keys do. Just being honest.
However, that does not contradict stating that registry 'cleaners' have been known to bork a system, or
specific programs, particularly when doing a deep scan, and particularly for those with no idea of what the registry cleaner may be removing, and no interest in what it may be removing.
So while registry cleaners may target casual users they are really better suited to power users,
if useful at all.
It is safer for a casual user to leave the registry alone as 'cleaning' out old entries will save at best a second or so on modern machines using Win7. Something most casual users will not notice.
The registry itself takes very little time compared to scanning a users software and files.
The other anti reg cleaner software argument stems from those threads that pop up frequently
enough from casual users who have been tricked into a 'free' scan and end up with a software they
have difficulty removing, and which keeps pestering them to buy the full version to fix all the problems
it has found.
In these instances these 'system optimiser' programs are nothing more than spyware/malware,
and a scam preying on the unsuspecting.
People like my sister-in-law, an avowed technophobe who's mantra is "I just want it to work",
but makes no effort to learn basics such as Disk Cleanup and Defrag.
So, as these forums are heavily populated by casual users, most of those who contribute will warn
people off reg cleaner/system optimising programs as the safer option.
.