Is it worth it to use a travel agent?

I rarely if ever use travel agents since I research my trips so thoroughly and obsessively, that I find I actually have more information about my intended destination than most travel agents can offer.  In my opinion, a truly valuable travel agent should be one who can offer:  good values, good first-hand recommendations on transportation and accommodations, and insider tips on restaurants recommendations and things to do.  In my experience, travel agents tend to only do the first and/or second, but have very little to offer in terms of recommendations on food and things to do.

In the last ten or so years, I've used travel agents a handful of times.  There have been times I considered using one for a trip but decided against it after speaking with the agent and realizing that - they didn't really know very much about the destination and was relying on tripadvisor too OR worse, pushing whatever package would give them the largest commission.  Some seasoned travel agents will do a free consultation and if you decide to proceed, they will charge a fee to create and book a package for you.  I can't say I've had amazing results when I've gone this route, because no matter how much they claim they "customize" for you and your interests, I got the feeling that they were regurgitating the same packages for almost everyone.

But I don't want to be such a downer on travel agents.  There are times when I've found them useful.  (And I'm sure there are speciality travel agents out there that I've just not had the pleasure of encountering personally who are splendid.  If you know of any, let me know!)  So when would I recommend using a travel agent?