I've used the same Nitty Gritty 1.0 since the 1990s and haven't had to do anything to service or repair it. I'm not sure how it compares to the VPI noise-wise. I think you could use it for a 7-inch record with the same adapter for the center hole that you'd use on a turntable, but I can't recall if I've done that.
It allows you to spin the record at a nice slow speed, for better cleaning. Costs way less than a VPI.