What tool do you guys use to remove your ball joints?

I see this fork kind of thing in the FLAPS stores which is like a tie rod
separator that you just hammer like all hell into the ball joint and it is
supposed to separate it. But I understand that these tend to tear up the
rubber in the ball joint and so there are other kinds that are better. 

Someone once suggested to me that KD makes a tool that sort of pulls the
thing apart instead of wedging itself in there. 

And I see that the official factory VW tool looks totally different than the
FLAPS model.

I see that VW's US1014 ($50) is made to press the tie rod out. I also see
that VW's 3146 ($25) is made to remove and install the lower ball joints. 

Should I buy these VW tools or what tools do you guys use?