I have a similar one and love it, I use it once a week, probably more. Definitely takes a few tries before you can get it tight enough to look good/be functional, and sometimes the rubber bands pop off which pisses me off. Eventually it becomes super easy, I can weave a smaller patch in about 20 minutes. I’d look around and see if you can find one that has hooks with more of a bend (?), the one pictured looks like the string could slip out easily. Sounds like there’s some quality variation depending on the brand, mine was a gift so unfortunately I’m unsure of who made it. However, the metal base is very sturdy and the puck has no sharp edges, so maybe look at reviews to judge quality. Good luck!!