Just droppin’ by to offer my agreeance. What the hell effort is there in making them from scratch? Peeling them? Which takes all of, what, five minutes?
I don’t mind boxed mashed potatoes from time to time, but that’s more for nostalgic reasons rather than as a time-saving tip. No offense for you that love 'em. I say go ahead and love 'em. It’s just saying they’re such an effort to make from scratch sounds a bit silly to me.
Yes. I’m living in a dorm and my only means of cooking food is the microwave. Rice, grits, and boxed potatoes are therefore very much worth the price to me.
Well, I guess I’ve been a bit unintentionally presumptuous here. Whatever floats your boat, I reckon, is good. Personally, though, I think real beats instant in every respect.
I was raised in New Orleans, but my people are mostly German and Irish. 
I ate half a box of Hungry Man mashed potatoes, (10 servings) last year on a dare. (The daree ate the other half.) They sucked and there were a lot of them, apporx 2, 9 inch paper plates piled 3 inches high. Bleh. Real mashers for me, thanks.
Usually, I make my mashed potatoes from scratch, but I do keep instant mashed on hand for when I make shephard’s pie or when I make creamed soups. Since I only buy 1% milk, a few big spoons full of instant mashed potatoes makes the soup thicken up nicely.