To use or not to use $_ is often a hard call in the sense that there is often not a compelling reason to choose one technique over the other. However, I tend to use named variables in preference to uses of the default variable where the usage spans more than one statement. The default variable doesn't convey any sense of the use it is being put to whereas a well named variable can add a great deal to understanding code.

"Neater" can mean a great many things, but "long term maintainable" is generally a much more desirable objective.