The smith machine has one very good use: To add resistance to pushups. Just place the bar across your upper back in the bottom position and go for it. Other than that, the smith machine sucks and there are certainly other ways to add resistance to pushups that are more effective.
The Hammer strength line is pretty good for machines. I like the fact that you can do a lot of unilateral work on hammer machines. Also, the ranges of motion are more natural than most machines.
However, here is the bottom line: The strength that you build on free weights will carry over to hammer strength, but the strength that you build on hammer strength will not transfer well to free weights. Here is an example, I have bench pressed over 600lbs on a hammer strength machine. What could I do on free weights? 365lbs was my best. That says it all.
Mike Mahler
I find HS really useful as a work around for some exercises.
For example: I had real problems trying to learn the Romanian D/L - ended up doing them in the HS DL and being locked into the single motion plane allowed me to sort my angles out.
I also find the HS stuff useful if I have an injury but am not precisely sure of the angles involved in setting it off. Using the adjustable seat I can adjust my body around the injury instead of trying to compensate. Admittedly, you can do this with any machine, but I find the fixed plane of motion used by the HS machines particularly conducive to achieving what I want.
With reference to the Smith Machine: I DO find it useful for split squats - I tend to list more than the Titanic after an iceberg meeting doing them with free weights.
Being down on machines is stupid. They have their use, just mix it up with the free weights. I made massve gains on almost all Hammer equipment when I did a 5-week Deca cycle. My strength went way up and I got ripped in no time at all. Its weight. If there is a problem, move the fucking seat.