The Lansky system definitely does take getting used to and with practice works well. It really benefits from using one of their stands, either bench mounted or clamped to a solid surface. Use light pressure and run the hone along the blade as if you have divided the blade into small segments. Don't try to use the hone in a sweeping motion, covering large segments of the blade in one swipe. Just push the hone straight back toward the spine of the blade, lift (don't hone back toward the edge!), and move the hone a little bit further along the blade so there is a slight overlap, and hone again. It does take some practice to get used to it.
If you form a "wire edge" (that happens when the blade edge gets thin enough to start to fold over like a hook) you can very, very light hone it at a slightly steeper angle to remove it. The false edge of a wire edge is really, really sharp but brittle and so will seem to dull quickly. If your super sharp edge seems to go dull in a flash, that's a good sigh you only have a wire edge.
The Lansky setup does not work terribly well with long blades and with some curved blades. What it does do for people who are not used to, or not good at, free hand sharpening with a hone is remove the problem of "muscle memory," i.e., you need to hold a consistent angle as you run the knife over the stone. If the Lansky still has a degree or so of play, it is still far better than three degrees or more of play in free handing it. If you can maintain a consistent angle while using a free hand, bench stone setup, that's the best way to get a sharp edge, but a lot of people find that really difficult.
On another note, occasionally I meet folks who get really mad at the sharpener or system they are using and do not realize that it is sometimes not the hone but the steel in the knife that is to blame. I work with several folks who think the hones they are using are junk because their knives go dull so quickly. Most of the knives they are using are flea market specials from Pakistan and China that were made with very soft steel and not made well even with that. Knives like that wouldn't hold an edge no matter what but these folks refuse to think that their "good bargain" is really to blame. Of course, it is different with a well made knife, but soft steel and poor hardening make for a rotten knife both to use and to sharpen.
Also, I use my knives a lot and only sharpen them every few months. Why? Because I learned to use a steel to realign the edge every time I use a knife. Steels are not for sharpening but will straighten the edge, which bends over as you apply pressure to cut things or as you push a kitchen knife through food and it contacts the cutting board. Learn to hone, but also learn how to properly use a knife steel. I also use a strop to polish the edge of a knife -- something as simple as a flat piece of cardboard can help. Lastly, I clean off the edge of a knife that has cut through tape, adhesive, or anything else that gets on the edge. I try to do these things every time I use a knife since none of these will remove metal from the edge. Too much sharpening removes metal from the edge needlessly.