Yes, they introduce a bit of dirt when you fold them in but they are bigger and more stable than the old style. Particularly for some of the really tall 5th wheels, the 3-4 step old style felt like a diving board and I never trusted putting my full weight on the bottom step as it's cantilevered out so far.
Of course, with our current TT, we only have the 2 step version, so even in fairly tight parking, we can open them...but really, when we are in a parking lot, we are typically out away from anyone else, so folding out the steps isn't a big issue. But we have friends with the 4 step version and really like them for better access.