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There is no bad hammer, only the wrong hammer for the job. A hammer is simply a striking tool with a handle and a roughly perpendicular head. It's the simplest sort of tool imaginable, and because of this, there are many variations — about as many as there are things to strike. These uses dictate the customization of every part of a hammer. So if you need to hammer the head of a rivet flat, you won't do it as well or with as much ease as with a ball peen hammer. That's why experts and artisans tend to have a lot of hammers in various shapes and sizes: The right tool for every job.
And despite its simplicity, these craftsmen can wield a hammer with dazzling skill after many years of practice, assuming it's the right one. This is a matter of knowing what length and weight you need, what type of face it should have (textured for grip or smooth), and what should be on the opposite end of the head from the face (usually a peen or claw.) Try to think about hammers according to the sort of stuff you'll be striking: masonry, nails, metal to be formed, wood, etc. And think a little about what else a hammer can do for you as you work. Here are the different types of hammers you can have in your arsenal.