I only started reloading this year and I bought a Lee turret press to start with. I think if I had bought a single stage press that I would have quit reloading. The turret press is just all right there to load a round without having to change out components for each step.
I did remove the rotating shaft and I rotate the turret plate by hand each step. I start with a decapped and cleaned casing. Each round is finished when I take it out of the holder and it goes into a storage can. I can reload several hundred in a few hours.

Pulling the lever arm doesn't take much pressure at all. I paid around $140 for my Lee press plus the dies which I got a good used set for 38 spl for free except freight from another forum member. I did also buy the die set for 45 ACP which wasn't expensive.

Using the turret press has got to be faster and have less stuff on the table, casing holders etc, taking up space than a single stage.

I have no doubt a full progressive would be fastest of all presses. I just wasn't going to spend that much for a progressive press.