The picks
Best Crochet Hooks
Head shape and grip diameter. Everything else about a hook is decoration.
By Sawyer V. · Published September 4, 2026
Disclosure: we earn a commission when you buy through the links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It never decides what we recommend or how we rank it - read the full disclosure.
The short answer
The Clover Amour set is the best all-round buy - ten hooks from 2.25mm to 6.0mm with a molded rubber grip, covering the size range almost every pattern uses. If you do not yet know whether you prefer an inline or a tapered head, buy a single Susan Bates and a single Boye first and find out for a fraction of the price.
| # | Product | Best for | Head | Sizes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No photoClover Amour Crochet Hook SetTen sizes, a molded rubber grip, and the size span most patterns ever ask for. | Most hands, most projects | Rounded | B/2.25 - J/6.0mm | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 2 | No photoSusan Bates Silvalume Aluminum Crochet HooksBare aluminum inline hooks - the cheapest way to test the most important variable. | Finding out which head shape suits you | In-line | B-1/2.25 - N-15/10mm | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 3 | No photoBoye Aluminum Crochet Hook SetA tapered throat that grabs the loop cleanly and splits plies less. | Yarn that splits | Tapered | D/3.125 - K/6.5mm | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 4 | No photoTulip Etimo Rose Crochet Hook SetTen cushion-grip hooks with the finest size steps here - 2.00 to 6.00mm. | Amigurumi and fine work | Tulip profile | 2.00 - 6.00mm | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 5 | No photoClover Amour Steel Crochet Hook SetThe same excellent handle on hooks sized for thread, not yarn. | Thread crochet only | Steel, in-line | Sub-2mm thread sizes | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
Clover Amour Crochet Hook Set
Clover · Best for most hands, most projects
Ten aluminum hooks with a molded elastomer grip, covering 2.25mm to 6.0mm - the whole span most patterns for worsted and DK yarn ever ask for.
- Sizes
- 10 hooks: B/2.25mm to J/6.0mm
- Grip
- Elastomer rubber, latex free
- Shaft
- Aluminum
- Head
- Rounded, between inline and tapered
- Color coding
- Handle color differs per size
Who it suits
Anyone buying one set to cover DK through worsted work - which is most crocheters, most of the time.
Why it is here
Ten hooks from B/2.25mm to J/6.0mm on an aluminum shaft with an elastomer rubber handle. That range covers categories 1 through 4 in the standard, which is where the overwhelming majority of published patterns sit.
What you give up
It stops at 6.0mm, so bulky and super bulky yarn need a separate hook. The grip is also fixed - if you dislike this profile you dislike all ten.
Specifications from Clover USA product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Susan Bates Silvalume Aluminum Crochet Hooks
Susan Bates · Best for finding out which head shape suits you
The bare aluminum inline hook that a large share of American crocheters learned on, and still the cheapest way to find out which head shape suits you.
- Head
- In-line (head sits flush with the shaft)
- Material
- Anodized aluminum, heat treated and polished
- Size range
- B-1/2.25mm through N-15/10mm
- Length
- 5.5in for B through K; longer for L, M, N
- Color coding
- One color per size
Who it suits
Anyone unsure whether they prefer an inline or a tapered head, and anyone who wants a spare in every size.
Why it is here
Anodized aluminum with an in-line head, meaning the hook sits flush with the shaft rather than being cut back. Sizes run B-1/2.25mm through N-15/10mm, color-coded, 5.5in for B through K.
What you give up
No grip at all - a bare metal shaft, which gets tiring on long sessions and cold in winter. It is a testing tool and a spare, not a comfort hook.
Specifications from Susan Bates Silvalume retail specification. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Boye Aluminum Crochet Hook Set
Boye · Best for yarn that splits
The tapered-throat counterpart to Susan Bates: a narrower throat than shaft, which grabs the loop more aggressively and splits plies less often.
- Head
- Tapered throat with a rounded head
- Material
- Anodized aluminum
- Set contents
- 8 hooks: D/3.125mm, E/3.5, F/3.75, G/4.25, H/5, I/5.5, J/5.75, K/6.5mm
- Length
- 6in, size marked on the thumb rest
Who it suits
Anyone fighting split stitches, particularly in loosely-plied or soft acrylic yarn.
Why it is here
Anodized aluminum with a tapered throat and rounded head - the throat is narrower than the shaft, which grips the working loop rather than letting it slide. Eight hooks, D/3.125mm to K/6.5mm, 6in long with the size on the thumb rest.
What you give up
Also a bare metal shaft with no grip. And a tapered head can be harder to insert into a tight stitch than an inline one, which is the trade you are making.
Specifications from Boye aluminum hook set specification. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Tulip Etimo Rose Crochet Hook Set
Tulip · Best for amigurumi and fine work
Ten cushion-grip hooks from 2.00mm to 6.00mm, made in Hiroshima, with the finest size steps of any set here.
- Sizes
- 10 hooks: 2.00, 2.20, 2.50, 3.00, 3.50, 4.00, 4.50, 5.00, 5.50, 6.00mm
- Grip
- Cushioned rubber grip
- Head
- Polished tip, Tulip's own hook profile
- Also included
- Two darning needles, scissors, zipped case
- Made in
- Hiroshima, Japan
Who it suits
Anyone doing amigurumi, thread-adjacent work, or anything where a 0.2mm size step actually matters.
Why it is here
Sizes at 2.00, 2.20, 2.50, 3.00, 3.50, 4.00, 4.50, 5.00, 5.50 and 6.00mm - notably including the 2.20mm step that most sets skip. Cushioned rubber grip, polished tip, made in Hiroshima.
What you give up
The most expensive set here, and the extra fine sizes are wasted if you work mostly in worsted. The set also includes scissors and needles you may not need.
Specifications from Tulip Etimo Rose set specification. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Clover Amour Steel Crochet Hook Set
Clover · Best for thread crochet only
The same elastomer handle fitted to steel thread hooks, sized for crochet cotton rather than yarn.
- Sizes
- Steel hooks, sub-2mm range (No. 10 is 0.75mm)
- Grip
- Elastomer rubber, latex free
- Shaft
- Steel
- Intended yarn
- Crochet thread, not worsted or DK yarn
Who it suits
Not for anyone working in worsted, DK or any normal yarn. It is a good product bought by mistake constantly.
Why it is here
Steel hooks in the sub-2mm range - the No. 10 is 0.75mm. That is crochet thread territory, a different craft with different patterns and different tension.
What you give up
If you bought this expecting yarn hooks, that is the steel numbering system catching you out - it runs backwards, so a higher number is a finer hook. The [hook size chart](/reference/hook-size-chart) explains it.
Specifications from Clover USA product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Head shape is the specification that matters
Every hook has a head, a throat and a shaft, and the relationship between them is the one thing that genuinely changes how a hook works in your hand. There are two designs and they are not interchangeable.
| In-line (Susan Bates style) | Tapered (Boye style) | |
|---|---|---|
| Geometry | Head sits flush with the shaft | Throat narrows before the head |
| Insertion | Easier into a tight stitch | Slightly harder into a tight stitch |
| Grabbing the loop | Less positive - the loop can slide | More positive - the throat holds it |
| Splitting plies | More prone with soft yarn | Less prone |
| Gauge consistency | Very consistent - the shaft is one diameter | Loops can sit slightly larger |
| Suits | Tight crocheters, amigurumi, fine work | Loose crocheters, soft or splitty yarn |
There is no better one - there is one that suits your hands and one that fights them. Buying a single hook of each and working the same swatch twice is a two-dollar experiment that will save you a fifty-dollar mistake. The full comparison is in Clover Amour vs Susan Bates.
Grip diameter, and why it matters more than material
The second variable is how thick the handle is. A bare aluminum hook is about the thickness of a pencil. A cushioned hook is thicker. A premium ergonomic hook like the Furls Streamline is thicker still, at 16 to 17mm at its widest point - roughly a fat marker pen.
Larger diameter means less finger pressure needed to hold the hook, which is why it helps hand fatigue and why it is the standard recommendation for arthritis. It also reduces control at fine gauges. That is the whole trade, and it is why hooks come in this range rather than converging on one shape. Best crochet hook for arthritis covers the medical-adjacent end.
Which sizes you actually need
The standard maps hook sizes to yarn weights, and the useful conclusion is narrower than a full set:
- 3.5mm to 6.5mm covers sport, DK, worsted and the bottom of bulky - which is most published patterns and most yarn on the shelf.
- Below 2.25mm is thread crochet, a different craft.
- Above 8mm is bulky and super bulky - buy those individually as projects demand.
A set that covers 3.5 to 6.5mm well is more useful than a 22-piece set that spans thread hooks to jumbo. Full mapping on the hook size chart.
Material, briefly
Material matters less than the two variables above, and it is what most reviews lead with. Aluminum is smooth and fast; steel is for thread; bamboo and wood grip the yarn and slow you down, which suits slippery yarn; plastic is cheap and flexes. Hook materials explained works through it properly.
How we picked
We compiled the published specification for each set from the manufacturer or a retailer stating the manufacturer's figures - head design, materials, size coverage and set contents - and ranked on head shape suitability, size coverage and grip. We have not crocheted with any of them, and we have not held one. How we pick explains what we do instead of claiming to have tested six sets.
Once you have hooks, keeping them findable matters more than it sounds - a roll with separate provision for slim aluminum and fat ergonomic hooks is the detail cheap cases get wrong. See best crochet hook case.
Questions people actually ask
What are the best crochet hooks for most people?
The Clover Amour set - ten sizes from 2.25mm to 6.0mm with a molded rubber grip, covering the range almost every pattern uses. If you already know you prefer a tapered head, a Boye set instead.
What is the difference between inline and tapered crochet hooks?
An inline head sits flush with the shaft, so the hook slides into tight stitches easily and holds gauge consistently. A tapered throat narrows before the head, which grabs the working loop more positively and splits plies less.
What size crochet hooks should I buy first?
3.5mm to 6.5mm. That band covers sport, DK, worsted and the bottom of bulky, which is where most published patterns and most yarn sit.
Are expensive crochet hooks worth it?
They buy grip diameter and finish, not better stitches. If your hands hurt during long sessions, a thicker handle is worth real money. If they do not, an aluminum hook makes the same fabric.
Why does my yarn keep splitting?
Usually a hook and yarn mismatch. A tapered head splits plies less than an inline one, and a smoother, more tightly-plied yarn splits less than a soft lofty one. Try changing the hook before you blame yourself.