The picks
Best Crochet Hooks for Beginners
You need one hook to start. Buy the set after you know which head shape you like.
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
Buy one 5mm hook and one skein of smooth, pale worsted yarn. That is the whole starting kit. A 5mm suits worsted weight, which is what every beginner tutorial uses, and one hook is enough for your first several projects. Buy a set only once you know which head shape you prefer.
| # | Product | Best for | Head | Sizes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No photoSusan Bates Silvalume Aluminum Crochet HooksBuy one 5mm. It costs almost nothing and it is what tutorials demonstrate on. | Starting today, cheaply | In-line | B-1/2.25 - N-15/10mm | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 2 | No photoClover Amour Crochet Hook SetTen sizes with a comfortable grip - the set to buy after the first few projects. | Once you know you will keep going | Rounded | B/2.25 - J/6.0mm | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 3 | No photoThe Woobles Beginner Crochet KitPre-started piece plus video tutorials - it removes the step people quit on. | Someone who has tried and given up | 4mm included | Kit | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 4 | No photoBoye Aluminum Crochet Hook SetA tapered throat grabs the loop and splits plies less than an inline head. | Fighting split stitches | Tapered | D/3.125 - K/6.5mm | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 5 | No photoTulip Etimo Rose Crochet Hook SetGenuinely excellent, and far too much money before you know you will continue. | Not a first set | Tulip profile | 2.00 - 6.00mm | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
Susan Bates Silvalume Aluminum Crochet Hooks
Susan Bates · Best for starting today, cheaply
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 who has not crocheted before and wants to start this week without committing.
Why it is here
An in-line head sits flush with the shaft, which makes it easy to insert into stitches while your tension is still tight and uneven - the most common beginner problem. Anodized aluminum, color-coded by size.
What you give up
A bare metal shaft with no grip, which gets tiring over a long session. That matters more once you are working for hours, which is not yet.
Specifications from Susan Bates Silvalume retail specification. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Clover Amour Crochet Hook Set
Clover · Best for once you know you will keep going
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 past a couple of finished projects who is tired of only owning one size.
Why it is here
B/2.25mm to J/6.0mm on aluminum shafts with an elastomer rubber handle. The grip is the upgrade: it is what makes an hour of crochet comfortable rather than something your hand remembers the next day.
What you give up
Stops at 6.0mm, so bulky yarn needs a separate hook. It is also a real purchase - do not make it until you know you enjoy this.
Specifications from Clover USA product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
The Woobles Beginner Crochet Kit
The Woobles · Best for someone who has tried and given up
An amigurumi kit that ships with the first rounds already worked, which removes the single step most people quit on.
- Includes
- Pre-started piece, yarn, 4mm hook, stuffing, safety eyes, tapestry needle, stitch markers
- Yarn
- 75% cotton, 25% nylon, described by the maker as fray-resistant
- Instruction
- Step-by-step video tutorials, right- and left-handed
- Age
- 12 and up
Who it suits
Anyone who has watched a tutorial, failed at the magic ring, and put the hook down.
Why it is here
The kit ships with the first rounds already worked, plus a 4mm hook, yarn described by the maker as fray-resistant, stuffing, safety eyes, needle and markers, with micro-step video tutorials for right and left-handed crafters.
What you give up
You are paying kit prices for teaching, not for materials. As a way to buy hooks and yarn it is poor value; as a way to get past the first hour it is the best thing here.
Specifications from The Woobles product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Boye Aluminum Crochet Hook Set
Boye · Best for fighting split stitches
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 whose first attempts keep catching half the plies instead of the whole strand.
Why it is here
Eight anodized aluminum hooks, D/3.125mm to K/6.5mm, with a tapered throat and rounded head. The narrower throat holds the working loop rather than letting it slide off.
What you give up
Slightly harder to insert into a very tight stitch, which is the reverse of the beginner-friendly inline advantage. Bare metal, no grip.
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 not a first set
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
Not a beginner. Buy it later, if you crochet enough that the difference in finish matters to you.
Why it is here
Ten cushion-grip hooks from 2.00 to 6.00mm with unusually fine size steps, made in Hiroshima. It is a lovely set and none of what makes it lovely helps a beginner.
What you give up
The fine sizes below 3.5mm are for amigurumi and thread-adjacent work you are not doing yet. Spend a fraction of this on one hook and a skein of worsted, and come back.
Specifications from Tulip Etimo Rose set specification. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Why not a set
The 22-piece hook set is the classic first purchase and it is usually a waste. Here is what happens to it: you use the 5mm, occasionally the 4mm, and the other twenty sit in the case for years.
Worse, a big cheap set commits you to one head shape before you know which one your hands prefer - and that is the single variable that most affects whether crochet feels comfortable. Buying one inline hook and one tapered hook, for a couple of dollars each, tells you more than any review.
The right first hook, precisely
5mm, which is US H-8. That is the size most worsted yarn labels suggest, and worsted is what beginner patterns and tutorials use. It produces stitches big enough to see clearly and small enough to work quickly.
Pair it with a smooth, light, solid-color worsted yarn - the reasoning is in best yarn for beginners. Light and smooth so you can see your own stitches, which is the thing that decides whether the first hour is fun or maddening.
Add a 5.5mm (I-9) as a second hook if you find your tension is tight - which is very common at the start.
What actually goes wrong in the first hour
- Tension too tight. Almost universal. The stitches close up and the next one is hard to get into. Go up a hook size rather than trying to relax - the size change fixes it immediately and your tension will loosen on its own.
- Splitting the yarn. The hook catches some plies and not others. A tapered head helps, and so does a smoother, more tightly-plied yarn.
- Losing the edge stitch. Rows narrow or widen because the turning chain is being miscounted. Not a hook problem - count every row until it becomes automatic.
- Hand cramp. You are gripping too hard, which everyone does at first. A cushioned handle helps; taking a break helps more.
When to buy the set
After two or three finished projects, when you know you enjoy this and you have found which head shape you prefer. At that point a full set is a genuinely good purchase - most usefully one with a comfortable grip, because by then you will be working long enough for grip to matter.
For the wider comparison, best crochet hooks. If your hands ache, go straight to best ergonomic crochet hooks rather than persevering.
Do you need a kit?
Only if you want to be taught. A kit's value is the instruction and the removal of the hardest first step, not the materials - you can buy the same hook and yarn for a fraction of the price.
That is a real value if you have already tried and stalled. What belongs in a starter kit sets out what a kit should contain and what padded ones leave out, and best crochet kits for beginners covers the options.
How we picked
Every specification here is the manufacturer's published figure or a retailer stating it, and we ranked on what makes the first hour easier: head shape, size, and whether the purchase can be made small. We have not learned to crochet on any of these hooks. How we pick is the method.
Questions people actually ask
What size crochet hook should a beginner use?
5mm, which is US H-8. It is the size most worsted yarn labels suggest, and worsted is what beginner tutorials and patterns use.
Should a beginner buy a crochet hook set?
Not at first. Buy one 5mm hook and a skein of worsted yarn. A set commits you to one head shape before you know which one suits your hands, and most of the sizes will sit unused.
What is the best crochet hook for beginners?
A 5mm inline hook such as a Susan Bates Silvalume. The inline head goes into tight stitches easily, which helps while your tension is still uneven.
Why is my crochet so tight?
Nearly everyone starts tight. Go up a hook size rather than trying to force yourself to relax - the size change fixes it immediately, and your tension will loosen on its own with practice.
Is a crochet kit worth it for a beginner?
Only for the teaching. A kit costs far more than the same hook and yarn bought separately, and what you are paying for is the instruction and a project that has already been started for you.