I use the figure 8 almost exclusively. It can be tied in more than one way to accomplish what is needed and is one of the easiest knots to tie.
The knot can be tied in a single 8 and easily threaded back through itself to make completed knot and can be quickly tied with just a couple of
flips of the rope. It's strength rivals a bowline and it is much easier to tie correctly.
The figure 8 is so simple that even after a brutal hard core cave trip, that has tired a caver to the point exhaustion, (almost to the point of
being brain dead) [figuratively speaking of course], the knot can still easily be tied correctly. It also has the advantage that it can be very quickly
tied anywhere along a ropes length as well as at the ends. Extremely quick and useful for connecting biners to bolt hangers, making
foot loop(s), tying a rope to a tree without using a biner, putting a foot loop at the end of the rappel rope to stand in if necessary, and even for
joining ropes together to gain length (excluding the vertical standing lines).
My one cent.