The picks
Best Tunisian Crochet Hooks
Tunisian holds the whole row on the hook. That one fact is why your normal hook will not do.
By Sawyer V. · Published September 6, 2026
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The short answer
Tunisian keeps every stitch of the row on the hook, so you need a hook long enough to hold them - which for anything wider than a scarf means an interchangeable hook with a cable. The Knitter's Pride Dreamz Tunisian set covers 3.5mm to 8mm with cables to 40in. To try the technique first, a standard 6in aluminum hook does a 15-stitch swatch.
| # | Product | Best for | Format | Sizes | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No photoKnitter's Pride Dreamz Interchangeable Tunisian Crochet Hook SetEight birch hook heads on cables to 40in - the only format that holds a blanket's row. | Anything wider than a scarf | Interchangeable + cables | 3.5-8.0mm | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 2 | No photoSusan Bates Silvalume Aluminum Crochet HooksA standard aluminum hook does fifteen or twenty stitches, which is enough to learn on. | A Tunisian swatch, before you commit | Standard hook | 2.25-10mm | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 3 | No photoLion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & QuickSuper bulky, so the vertical bars are large enough to identify without squinting. | Seeing what your hook is doing | Yarn | Super bulky (6) | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
| 4 | No photoClover Amour Crochet Hook SetOur top pick for standard crochet, and structurally unable to do Tunisian past a swatch. | Ordinary crochet, which is what it is for | Standard hook | 2.25-6.0mm | Check price on Amazon#ad disclosure |
Knitter's Pride Dreamz Interchangeable Tunisian Crochet Hook Set
Knitter's Pride · Best for anything wider than a scarf
Eight laminated birch Tunisian hook heads on interchangeable cables, which is the only format that holds a blanket's worth of live loops.
- Sizes
- 8 hooks: E/3.5mm, G/4.0mm, 7/4.5mm, H/5.0mm, I/5.5mm, J/6.0mm, K/6.5mm, L/8.0mm
- Hook length
- 6in tip to tip
- Material
- Polished laminated birch
- Cables
- One 24in, two 32in, one 40in
- Also included
- 8 end caps, 4 cable keys, cord connectors, clear vinyl case
- Head
- Grooved, to stop loops sliding off the shaft
Who it suits
Anyone past a Tunisian swatch, and anyone whose first project is an afghan.
Why it is here
8 hook heads - E/3.5mm, G/4.0mm, 7/4.5mm, H/5.0mm, I/5.5mm, J/6.0mm, K/6.5mm and L/8.0mm - each 6in tip to tip, in polished laminated birch, with one 24in, two 32in and one 40in cable, 8 end caps, 4 cable keys, cord connectors and a case. The heads are grooved so live loops do not slide off the shaft.
What you give up
It is the most expensive thing on this page by a wide margin, and it is a poor first purchase for someone who has not yet decided they like the technique.
Specifications from WEBS - Knitter's Pride Dreamz interchangeable Tunisian crochet hook set. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Susan Bates Silvalume Aluminum Crochet Hooks
Susan Bates · Best for a tunisian swatch, before you commit
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 curious about Tunisian who is not ready to buy a cabled set.
Why it is here
In-line head, anodized, heat treated and polished aluminum, B-1/2.25mm through N-15/10mm, color coded by size. A 6in hook holds a short row of loops perfectly well, and the flush in-line head is good at picking up the front vertical bar.
What you give up
It runs out at roughly 15 to 20 stitches. Past that the loops crowd onto the thumb rest and start dropping. This is a learning tool, not a project tool.
Specifications from Susan Bates Silvalume retail specification. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick
Lion Brand · Best for seeing what your hook is doing
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 learning Tunisian simple stitch, where the whole skill is recognizing which bar to work into.
Why it is here
80% acrylic, 20% wool, CYC 6 super bulky, 6oz/170g and 106yd, worked at 9 sts x 12 rows on US 13. Tunisian is entirely about picking up the correct vertical bar, and at this gauge the bars are unmistakable.
What you give up
Tunisian at super bulky gauge produces a stiff, heavy fabric. It is a teaching yarn rather than a garment yarn, and 106yd does not go far.
Specifications from Lion Brand product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
Clover Amour Crochet Hook Set
Clover · Best for ordinary crochet, which is what it is for
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
Not Tunisian crocheters. Buy it for everything else on this site.
Why it is here
Ten aluminum hooks from B/2.25mm to J/6.0mm with a molded elastomer grip and a rounded head. Excellent hooks.
What you give up
The molded grip is exactly where the loops would need to sit. On a standard ergonomic hook the usable shaft is about two inches, so Tunisian stops at a handful of stitches - the grip that makes it comfortable is what disqualifies it here.
Specifications from Clover USA product page. We have not handled this item - see how we pick.
What Tunisian crochet actually is
Tunisian - also sold as afghan crochet - is worked in two passes per row. On the forward pass you pick up a loop into each stitch and keep it on the hook; on the return pass you work them off, two at a time, until one loop is left.
So at the end of every forward pass, every stitch in the row is sitting on the hook at once. A 40-stitch row means 40 live loops on a single shaft.
That is the whole reason this is a separate product category. It is not a comfort preference like in-line versus tapered - it is a hard limit on how wide a piece you can make.
Three formats, and what each one can hold
| Format | Holds about | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Standard 6in hook | 15-20 stitches | Swatches and learning only |
| Fixed afghan hook, 10-14in | 40-60 stitches | Scarves, cowls, dishcloths, single squares |
| Interchangeable with cable | Hundreds | Blankets, garments, anything full width |
| Double-ended hook | Same as a fixed hook | Two-color Tunisian, worked from both ends |
The fixed afghan hook is the format most craft shops stock and it is a genuine middle ground: cheaper than a cabled set and good for scarf-width work. Where it stops is a blanket, which is what most people actually want Tunisian for.
The grooved head, and why it matters here
A standard crochet hook shaft is uniform, and there is nothing to stop a loop traveling along it. That is fine when there is one live loop. With sixty, the loops at the far end press against each other and slide.
Tunisian hooks are made with a groove or a stepped profile behind the head so a loop, once worked, cannot creep back over the hook. The Dreamz set specifies exactly that. It is a small detail that stops a whole row unravelling in your lap.
Cable length, using the same rule as knitting
The cable does not need to be longer than the piece is wide, but it does need to hold the stitch count without compressing them.
- 24in: scarves, cowls, single squares, sleeve panels.
- 32in: shawls, baby blankets, garment fronts.
- 40in: full-size afghans and anything worked in one piece.
That is the same arithmetic as our circular needle cable lengths page, with one difference: in Tunisian there is no upper limit. A cable longer than the work is harmless, because you are never joining a round.
Hook size runs larger than you expect
Tunisian fabric is denser than ordinary crochet - two passes per row, and every stitch anchored on both sides - and it curls badly if worked tight.
The usual correction is to go one or two hook sizes above the ball band. A worsted yarn whose band says 5.0mm is commonly worked at 6.0mm or 6.5mm in Tunisian. That is the opposite of the amigurumi advice, and for the opposite reason.
The curl, honestly
Tunisian simple stitch curls at the bottom edge. It is not a technique failure - it is what the stitch does, because the front and back of the fabric have different tension.
- Go up a hook size or two. A looser fabric curls less. This fixes most of it.
- Block it. Wet blocking flattens Tunisian effectively, particularly in wool. See how to block your knitting - the method is identical for crochet.
- Choose a stitch that curls less. Tunisian knit stitch and Tunisian purl stitch alternated, or a border in ordinary crochet, both counteract it.
- Accept it on a blanket. A large piece with a border does not curl noticeably once it is finished.
What we would buy
- Curious, not committed: nothing new. Use a standard aluminum hook you already own for a 15-stitch swatch.
- Committed: the Dreamz interchangeable Tunisian set - eight sizes, four cables, one purchase.
- Learning the stitch: Wool-Ease Thick & Quick, because at super bulky gauge you can see which bar you are working into.
- For the curl: blocking mats. Tunisian responds to blocking better than most crochet does.
Questions people actually ask
Can you do Tunisian crochet with a normal hook?
Only for about 15 to 20 stitches. Tunisian keeps every stitch of the row on the hook, and a standard 6in hook has roughly two inches of usable shaft before the grip. It is fine for a swatch and useless for a project.
What length Tunisian hook do I need?
For scarves and squares, a 10in to 14in fixed afghan hook. For blankets and garments, an interchangeable hook with a cable - 24in for scarves, 32in for shawls, 40in for a full afghan.
What size hook for Tunisian crochet?
One or two sizes above the ball band recommendation. Tunisian fabric is dense and curls when worked tight, so worsted yarn that lists 5.0mm is commonly worked at 6.0mm or 6.5mm.
Why does my Tunisian crochet curl?
Because the front and back of the fabric are under different tension - it is inherent to the stitch. Going up a hook size fixes most of it, blocking fixes most of the rest, and a border stops it on a large piece.
What is the difference between a Tunisian hook and an afghan hook?
Nothing - they are two names for the same tool. Both refer to a long hook, or a hook with a cable, able to hold a full row of live loops.