This replaced a similar meat tenderizer which I had for at least 10-15 years. It did the job, but it was very heavy and hard to handle. Normally I would have bought this through Amazon, but I wanted to make sure this was lighter and easy to handle. The good news was it was perfect. The handle was especially great......easy to hold and very comfortable. As for the implement, it is very much like a double sided hammer. The flat side is good for pounding and the ridged side works well for tendering meat. I use it for chicken and veal cutlets, swiss steak, etc. without complaints. It does a very good job and doesn't wear me out while using it.