I love the bent pins. With a coupon at Joanns you can get the multi colored covers for them that make it easier to handle.
You can use a crochet hook or a grapfruit spoon to help hook the pins but I do have the wooden handled tool that is easy on the hands.
You can use the big metal clips or you can buy the plastic round clips that hold smoothly to a 1 inch table. I use both, the smooth clips for the backing and the black clips for the top.