The main problem I have with guided meditation is that it seems like a "crutch" for your mind.

Of course it depends why you want to meditate. If you want to de-stress a little or to relieve yourself from the bombardment your senses get from everyday life, then they are probably a good resource for you, and these days I'm sure you can find one or several that are suitable for you.

I started meditating because of an internal desire. It grew over a period of about 3 years and got so strong I was compelled to do something about it. I researched and practised with plenty of techniques and groups that teach meditation. There weren't any guided meditations at that time though, but I'm kind of glad for that because I had to struggle with lots of different ideas from a wide variety of sources. I eventually realised the reason I wanted to meditate is to understand my own mind in all its infinite glory. For my needs those guides don't help at all. I also think if your reason to meditate is similar they will probably hold you back.

I really like your explanation of how they work, although it's different from my point of view. I'm also aware that I've learned a different model of how the mind and meditation work so our perspectives are different. That's good though, there is no single answer here I think, which is why you see so many different ideas, opinions and experiences.