Hashing provides a more reliable and flexible method of data retrieval than any other data structure. It is faster than searching arrays and lists. In the same space it can retrieve in 1.5 probes anything stored in a tree that will otherwise take log n probes.
Unlike any other data structure hashing does not determine what speed you will get; with hashing one can choose the time-space tradeoff to make. You control either the speed by picking the amount of space for the hash table; or you control the space by picking a speed of retrieval.
However hashing does not do a good job of sorting data, since it
work by randomizing not ordering data.
This is a disadvantage if you want to present an ordered list of the
data, not just retrieve it.