The picks
Best Pom-Pom Makers
The cardboard donut works. It also takes four times as long and comes out lopsided.
By Sawyer V. · Published September 6, 2026
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The short answer
Buy a hinged plastic maker rather than cutting cardboard rings. It wraps faster, holds the bundle while you cut and tie, and produces a symmetrical pom because the arches keep the wraps even. A four-size set costs little and the 65mm size does most hat toppers.
| # | Product | Best for | Type | Contents | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No photoClover Pom-Pom Maker SetFour sizes with a measuring scale for layering colors, and arches that do not shift mid-wrap. | Every pom-pom you will ever make | Tool set | 4 sizes, 35-85mm | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 2 | No photoLion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & QuickSuper bulky fills a maker in a fraction of the wraps and gives a firm, full pom. | A dense pom that holds its shape | Yarn | Super bulky (6) | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 3 | No photoRed Heart Super Saver364 yards per ball in a huge color range, and it holds a trim well. | Garlands, kids' crafts, dozens of poms | Yarn | Worsted (4) | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 4 | No photoBernat BlanketA chenille pom-pom sheds continuously and never trims neatly. | Plain blankets, which is its job | Yarn | Not this | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
Clover Pom-Pom Maker Set
Clover · Best for every pom-pom you will ever make
Four hinged formers that make a dense, even pom-pom in one pass - the thing a cardboard donut has never once managed.
- Set
- 4 makers: 1 3/8in (35mm), 1 5/8in (45mm), 2 1/2in (65mm), 3 3/8in (85mm)
- Art. no.
- 3129
- Feature
- Measuring scale on the arch, for layering colors
- Feature
- Triangle markings that stop the arches shifting mid-wrap
- Material
- ABS resin, polypropylene and stainless steel
Who it suits
Anyone who has made a lopsided pom-pom and suspected there was a better way.
Why it is here
Four hinged makers producing 1 3/8in (35mm), 1 5/8in (45mm), 2 1/2in (65mm) and 3 3/8in (85mm) pom-poms, with a measuring scale on the arch for building multi-color poms and triangle markings that stop the arches shifting while you wrap. ABS resin, polypropylene and stainless steel.
What you give up
Four sizes is more than most people need - the 65mm does the great majority of hat toppers. It is also a single-purpose tool, which is a lot of shelf for one job.
Specifications from Clover USA - Pom-Pom Maker Set. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick
Lion Brand · Best for a dense pom that holds its shape
The super bulky the whole arm-knitting and chunky-blanket category is built on, at a gauge that finishes a throw in a weekend.
- Fiber
- 80% acrylic, 20% wool (fiber ratio varies on some heathered colorways)
- Weight
- 6 Super Bulky
- Skein
- 6oz / 170g, 106yd / 97m
- Gauge
- 9 sts x 12 rows on US 13 (9mm)
- Hook
- M (9mm)
- Care
- Machine wash and dry
Who it suits
Anyone topping a chunky hat, which is what most pom-poms are for.
Why it is here
80% acrylic, 20% wool, CYC 6 super bulky, 106yd per 170g. Pom-pom density is a function of how many strands you fit in, and thick yarn fills the maker fast - a large pom in worsted takes several hundred wraps and considerably fewer in super bulky.
What you give up
A super bulky pom is coarser-looking than one made from finer yarn. For a delicate pom, worsted or DK gives a smoother sphere at the cost of a lot more wrapping.
Specifications from Lion Brand product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Red Heart Super Saver
Red Heart · Best for garlands, kids' crafts, dozens of poms
The 7oz workhorse acrylic. Coarser than the softer acrylics here, and the cheapest yardage on the shelf by a distance.
- Fiber
- 100% acrylic
- Weight
- 4 Medium / worsted
- Skein
- 7oz / 198g, 364yd / 333m (no-dye-lot solids)
- Gauge
- 17 sts x 23 rows on 5mm (US 8)
- Hook
- 5.5mm (US I/9), 12 sc x 15 rows
- Care
- Machine wash warm gentle, tumble dry low, no bleach
Who it suits
Anyone making pom-poms in bulk rather than one for a hat.
Why it is here
100% acrylic, worsted weight, 364yd per 198g, no-dye-lot solids. The firm spin that makes it slightly stiff as a garment yarn is an advantage here - it holds the cut ends straight, so the pom trims to a crisp sphere.
What you give up
Worsted takes many more wraps than super bulky for the same density. Budget time as well as yarn.
Specifications from Yarnspirations product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Bernat Blanket
Bernat · Best for plain blankets, which is its job
Polyester chenille at 108 yards to a 150g ball. Fast, warm, machine washable, and it will shed and worm if the tension is loose.
- Fiber
- 100% polyester (chenille)
- Weight
- 6 Super Bulky
- Ball
- 5.3oz / 150g, 108yd / 98m
- Gauge
- 8 sts x 13 rows on 8mm (US 11)
- Hook
- 8mm (US L/11), 7 sc x 8 rows
- Care
- Machine wash delicate, tumble dry gentle
Who it suits
Not pom-pom makers, however tempting the softness looks.
Why it is here
100% polyester chenille, super bulky, 108yd per 150g. It is soft and thick, which is why people reach for it.
What you give up
Chenille is a pile construction - short fibers held to a core. Cut it and those fibers have nothing holding them, so the pom sheds constantly and the cut surface stays fuzzy rather than trimming to a sphere.
Specifications from Yarnspirations product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Why the cardboard method disappoints
The traditional method is two cardboard rings, wrapped together, cut around the edge, tied through the middle. It works and it has three problems.
- The center hole closes. As the wraps build up, the hole shrinks and you end up threading yarn through a gap the size of a pencil lead. That is why it takes so long.
- You cannot see the density. The rings hide the bundle, so you do not know whether you have wrapped enough until you have cut it - at which point it is too late.
- Tying is a two-person job. The bundle wants to escape the moment the rings are cut, and holding it while threading the tie is genuinely awkward alone.
A hinged maker fixes all three. The arms are open so the wrap never closes up, the shape shows you how full it is, and the closed maker holds the bundle firmly while you cut and tie.
How a hinged maker works
- Open both arches. Each side is a pair of hinged arms.
- Wrap one side, then the other. Even coverage matters more than count - lumpy wrapping makes a lumpy pom.
- Close the arches and clip the maker shut.
- Cut around the outside groove. The groove guides the scissors, which is what makes the cut even.
- Tie tightly through the channel. Two turns, pull hard, knot twice. This is where poms fail - a loose tie means it falls apart later.
- Open the maker and trim. Roll it in your palms and trim the outliers.
Which sizes you actually need
| Diameter | Use | Worth owning? |
|---|---|---|
| 35mm (1 3/8in) | Baby hats, garlands, jewelry, keyrings | If you make small things |
| 45mm (1 5/8in) | Child hats, small trims, decorations | Occasionally |
| 65mm (2 1/2in) | Adult hat toppers - the default | Yes, first |
| 85mm (3 3/8in) | Statement hat poms, cushions, wreaths | If you like a big pom |
If you buy one size, buy the 65mm. The set is worth it when you are making more than hats, or making them for a family with several head sizes.
Yarn choice matters more than the tool
Three properties decide how a pom-pom turns out, and none of them is softness.
- Thickness. Thick yarn fills the maker fast. A dense 65mm pom is several hundred wraps in worsted and far fewer in super bulky.
- Firmness of spin. A firmly spun yarn holds its cut ends straight, so the pom trims to a crisp sphere. A softly spun one flops. See yarn ply and twist explained.
- Construction. Anything with a pile - chenille, eyelash - sheds when cut. That is the skip verdict above.
Wool poms bloom slightly after a wash and look fuller; acrylic poms stay exactly as trimmed. Both are fine; they just behave differently.
Attaching one so it survives
Leave the tie ends long - at least six inches - and use them to sew the pom on with a blunt tapestry needle, passing through the hat and back several times before knotting inside.
For a removable pom, sew a snap fastener to the hat and to the pom's base. This is worth doing on anything washable, because a pom-pom does not survive a machine cycle attached to a hat - see caring for hand knits.
Multi-color poms, which is why the scale exists
The measuring scale printed on the Clover arches is not decoration. Wrap color A across a marked fraction of the arch and color B across the rest, and the finished pom has distinct color zones rather than a mixed speckle.
Wrapping two colors alternately along the whole arch gives a speckled pom instead. Both are deliberate choices, and the scale is what makes the first one repeatable.
Questions people actually ask
Are pom-pom makers worth buying?
Yes, for anyone making more than one. A hinged maker wraps faster because the center hole never closes, holds the bundle while you cut and tie, and produces a symmetrical pom that cardboard rings rarely manage.
What size pom-pom maker do I need?
65mm for a standard adult hat topper. 35mm and 45mm suit baby hats, garlands and trims, and 85mm makes a statement pom.
What yarn is best for pom-poms?
A thick, firmly spun yarn. Thickness fills the maker in fewer wraps and a firm spin holds the cut ends straight so the pom trims to a crisp sphere. Avoid chenille - it sheds when cut.
Why does my pom-pom fall apart?
The tie is too loose. Pull the tying yarn as hard as it will take before knotting, knot twice, and leave the ends long so you can sew it on with them.
How much yarn does a pom-pom use?
A dense 65mm pom is several hundred wraps in worsted weight - roughly 20 to 30 yards - and considerably less in super bulky. A garland of a dozen small poms will use most of a ball.