Snap fasteners: pliers or hammer?

Hi everyone,

I’m thinking about buying some snap fasteners. Ideally, I’d like a pair of pliers.
Preferably ones that can handle both plastic and metal.
But I often read that pliers don’t do as good a job as hammering them in.
  What’s your experience been like?
Also: How does it work if you add colored pieces to the metal parts?

I want to sew an outdoor pillow (made from old umbrella fabric—upcycling) and use snaps instead of a zipper, since the pillow will be a bit longer. 

Anja, I’d get both types, because these Kam Snaps are good for fabrics that don’t need to hold up to much, but on a pillow made of heavy cotton fabric, they won’t hold well and will come undone. For Kam Snaps, pliers are the better solution. Metal snap buttons are usually hammered in, but you’d also need something to press them with. Hammering in the buttons always makes a lot of noise, though :-)

Love, Inge

You can usually only place the pliers near the edge of the fabric; if you want to attach larger snaps a bit further into the fabric for the cushion you’re planning, you might run into problems.

Ahhh, important tips—thanks, both of you.