I keep a few handy for when I have the rare need to use it for 3rd party IR commands — such as non-b&o tv, projector, and motorized screen.
It certainly is temperamental. A good word of advice when you’re not using it very often is to periodically check that it’s still properly seated in its charger and that the charger is plugged in. If the remote goes completely dead for too long, it won’t charge. There can be some ways of having a dealer save it, replacing the battery, or doing some difficult other type of charging, but I haven’t found it to be worth the hassle for the few of mine that lost the ability to charge.