I started out with the Lee hand loaders. Mostly for straight walled pistol cartridges. I never worried about shinny brass. Now I realize that the tumbler is a good idea. It allows you to inspect the cases for any cracks or deformities. I also always find old brass that I didn't find during my last shooting session, and I clean them up and reload em. They may be discolored, but they still shoot. The main reason to tumble them is to keep your expensive Dies clean.
I also clean out the primer pocket and hole with a primer brush. It takes me a while for case prep, BUT, I've never had an incident with any cartridge I've loaded. Knock on wood. It gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling to build my own hand loads.
Most of my reloading time is spent inspecting the brass after it have been tumbled and washed in an Ultrasonic cleaner.(Wash first then tumble)
I inspect every aspect of the brass, neck thickness to be sure I measure in four places to be sure it has uniform thickness. Dies are inspected before use for rust, scratches, left over material from previous uses. I had a buddy who had a 30.06 and wanted to borrow my dies for a reloading session. When I finally got them back they weren't worth having any more. Rusted and pitted, all screw heads buggered up and head length out of whack. He took some precision tools and turned them into trash. He left them ride around in the bed of his pickup out of the case no less.
It also ended the friendship.