Not at all, even if opinions around here differ.
I use it all the time for ordinary flat material: position the head, poke AutoFocus, and it’s at the right height.
For fabric / foam / paper / squishiness, the step gauge is definitely more useful.
FWIW, some controller settings let you fine-tune the autofocus height from the switch closure point, although you might want to save that for after you’re comfortable with the defaults.