I have traded for a period with and a period without. Between the two, I prefer the use of options as a component as long as I don't get greedy with them.
Great example of time to use options was in August. Market swinging every which way - had you implemented strangles on several specific volatile equities or ETFs on the indices, you would have been primed to make serious bank - and you still would be now.
Strangles are useful for volatile markets. Hedging with options is also essential if you have an overexposed position you're worried about (or could be worried about).