Is Bonded Summoner worth it?

[Baroknik]

For just a 1-level dip, I mean. You lose 1 CL, but gain a medium elemental follower and energy resistance 5 (I know the resistance is crap).
While a medium elemental isn't strong, he does progress based on your TOTAL levels of any arcane casting classes. He won't grow, but he will gain:
Deliver touch spells
Devotion
Empathic link
Improved evasion
Share spells
Spell resistance (5 + your arcane spellcaster level)
+10 to all movement speeds.

Seems like a decent trade for 1 CL and your familiar.

Mind you, I know it's probably not high op, but would it really be that bad?

[Fable Wright]

For just a 1-level dip, I mean. You lose 1 CL, but gain a medium elemental follower and energy resistance 5 (I know the resistance is crap).
What the one-level dip does is, in essence, get rid of your familiar for a Medium Elemental that hurts you when it dies, does not gain increased BAB/HD/HP as you level unless you level in the class, but can act as a familiar in delivering spells. So, the dip would get you the ability to use one elemental for utility purposes, since it won't do much in combat.

Alternatively, you can take a feat (Summon Elemental, CM) to summon Elementals at-will. You can change the type of these elementals, and get the rull range of elemental powers for your utility. You don't care if they die, as they're summoned creatures, so you can use them for traps and as expendable meat-shields. It also raises your caster level and eventually lets you summon larger elementals.

There is a bit of a trade-off, but on the whole, the feat has more utility and less opportunity cost. Which one would you rather have? (Both is a poor decision, as there is very little that you can do with two medium elementals that you can't do with one.) It's not the end of the world if you lose a caster level for flavor, but you can get a whole lot more use out of one character level than one elemental.

[Lans]

Bonded summoner seems pretty decent compared to the summoner in most situations