The buttoneer is easy to use once you get the hang of loading the fasteners and if you don't have time to thread a needle it's an ok substitute. However, it doesn't work on thick buttons, it doesn't work on thick material, it doesn't work on big shank buttons, etc, etc. Also, it doesn't deploy any kind of catch on the back of the material so the buttons can come back off easily. With the way price tags are attached to clothing today, it seems to me someone could take the buttoneer to the next level and buttons would never come off again.