I really don't understand why some people are so vehemently opposed to the use of all test kits.
Could it be that the vehement people had previously wasted their time, money and energy using test kits and then managed successful tanks after they stopped using test kits? Could it be that they are attempting to prevent newbies from repeating the experience of wasting these precious resources?
What test kit lovers always fail to understand in this (seemingly) eternal argument is that it is not the test kit, per se, that is disposed. It is the phycological impact of the testing process that traps individual into a life of endless testing. Newbies typically fail to understand the typical causes of failed plants - castigating excess nutrients as the cause of their demise. The aquarium industry dupes people into thinking that they can solve their problems with a test kit. The industry then offers test kits for sale. We have never seen any informative or elucidating discussion on the instructions or packaging of test kits - only scare mongering tactics such as "...This product does not contain nitrate, which causes annoying algae..."
In general, people get into aquariums for the primary purpose of enjoyment and/or challenges. No one enters the aquarium world for the primary purpose of testing, however, if someone enjoys testing then by all means, test - but let it be known for transparency that advice is being given within the context of "enjoyment of testing". Please have a look at post #6, where the OP clearly indicates that he did not enjoy testing. So this is an easy convert because testing is an expensive drudgery.
On the other hand, it seems that the people who test fanatically seem to be the ones that continually have problems, and that can be attributed to the fact that they have not embraced the cause-and-effect motto that nutrients do not cause problems in a freshwater planted tank, but instead, that the lack of nutrients causes problems.
If one accepts this motto, then the need to test for nutrient values disappears.
Furthermore, it has never been stated that "All" test kits are unnecessary. General Hardness, pH and Alkalinity values are useful tools, but again, these parameters are innocuous in-and-of themselves.
As Ian_M mentions, there is much greater value buying 20 Euros worth of plants, fish or equipment rather that on test kits.
Cheers,