I'm way in the minority here... I only FMQ and 9 times out of 10, I use thread cones for a serging machine. I haven't been quilting very long (a year?) and I can't afford quilting thread. I love the way the thinner thread looks. When the cotton quilt is washed, it puffs up so nice around the poly thread!!!
I'll look at all the thread a store has to offer, and I think the 100% cotton just looks dull. And it's so much more expensive, I just can't justify it. So I mosy over to the Maxi-Lock display and pick up some lovely colors for $1-2 each.
I have some cotton thread that I got very cheap at a thrift store and I just don't like it as well. It's ok for big swoopy "gotta get this done" quilts, but for one I'm taking my time on and really putting a lot of thread in, I'm picking one of my cones!! Less bobbin changes, too.
I probably wouldn't use it on seams, though. Just quilting.
You don't have to buy a stand for a cone. You can use a jar and put the cone in the jar. I put a big safety pin on my spool holder of my machine and threaded the cone thread thru the little hole at the bottom of the pin.