It’s entirely based on preference since you can polish without one, but the valet makes it easier to work around the shoe. You can rest your foot on it for easy cleaning at a higher angle while wearing the shoes, or you can set it up on a table with your shoe on it. Valets double as boxes as well, so you’ll have plenty of space to store the rest of your shoe polish kit. Best of all, valets are normally classy wooden boxes with a touch of elegance, so you can leave it out in a room without it being an eyesore. ;