When I started my amigurumi journey over a year ago, I was at a loss as to which crochet hook to get. I started out with a cheap eight-pack of aluminum hooks from Michael’s, but wanted to upgrade and didn’t know where to start. After a year of testing every flashy (and non-flashy) hook under the sun, I’m here to tell you all about my favorite crochet hooks for amigurumi and if (and when) you should upgrade!
For each hook, I’ll break down the price per hook, whether it’s inline (Bates-style) or tapered (Boye-style), and my pros and cons from personally testing the hooks. For those who can’t wait, here’s a quick and easy table!
Hook Type | Inline/Tapered | Price per hook | Length | Best… |
---|---|---|---|---|
Clover Amour | Combination | $8.50 | 5.5″ | Overall |
WeCrochet Brights | Combination | $1.10 (sold as a set) | 5.5″ | Budget |
Furls Odyssey | Inline with a small taper | $36.00 | 7″ | Long Hook |
Furls Streamline | Inline with a small taper | $18.00 | 7″ | Wooden Hook |
Tulip Etimo | Tapered with an inline notch | $10.00 | 5.5″ | Small |
1. Clover Amour Hook – Best Overall
Clover Amour hooks are my favorite crochet hooks, and the ones that I use most often. All the Clover Amours have a color coded soft rubber handles with thumb rests, and incredibly smooth gliding tips. Although the soft rubber handle is a major upgrade from any aluminum hook, the main selling point for me is the smooth anodized tip. The shaft and hook section of the Amour hooks are specially treated so that they glide easily across yarn, much more smoothly than untreated metal hooks.
This feature has made it so that if I switch to another brand of hooks, I feel that the resistance is extremely frustrating, which is why I’m a die hard Clover Amour fan! Since crocheting amigurumi requires a much tighter tension than garments or other accessories, I think that the smooth tip is especially important so that it’s easy to work those tight single crochet stitches.
When I asked other crocheters, the main complaints that came up about this hook was that the handle was a little too short for some, causing it to rest at an awkward place on the hand. This hasn’t been a problem for me, since my hands are on the small side, but I can imagine it becoming frustrating for others. For those with larger hands, I recommend checking out Furls hooks that I’ll go over later on, since the handle is generally much longer.
Although Clover Amours are on the pricey side, a single hook usually isn’t cost-prohibitive, so it’s easy to try one without breaking the bank for a whole set.
In general, Clover Amours are my favorite hook and the one that I will recommend to crocheters looking to upgrade from aluminum ones nine times out of ten because of the superb quality of the tip and also the soft handle. If you already have a premium quality hook, I would recommend trying this one because of the smooth glide if you feel that your current hook could be smoother.
Hook | Inline/Tapered | Price per hook | Pros | Cons |
Clover Amour | Combination | $8.50 | – Extremely smooth tip – Soft rubber grip with a flat thumb rest – Relatively affordable – Combination inline/tapered, so you get the best of both worlds | – Short (5.5″), so more suitable for those with small hands |
2. WeCrochet Bright Hook Set – Best Budget Set
WeCrochet’s Bright Hook Set is the best choice for crocheters on a budget who want a small upgrade from the aluminum hooks without splurging.
Although these appear to resemble Clover Amours with their bright handles and metal tips, they cut corners in both material and finish. The handles are made of thermo plastic rubber instead of elastomer rubber, and the tips are not anodized.
However, these are the best budget upgrade because they do have a soft rubber grip, a major step above aluminum hooks that are just metal cylinders. Given the incredibly low cost per hook, this set does not have the quality to match hook upgrades, but for the crocheter who gets finger pains from gripping the thin aluminum cylinders, this set could be perfect.
When I used these, I felt that although the quality wasn’t what I was used to, I still significantly preferred using them to the most basic pure aluminum hooks given that the rubber handle was easier to grip and made it much more comfortable for me to work with. I also mainly use my hooks for amigurumi, which means that I grip my hooks more tightly than most, so having a comfortable rubber grip is extremely important to me.
I would recommend these hooks to beginners looking to pick up their first set of hooks for as cheaply as possible. Most beginners start out with aluminum hooks without any padding and just a thin aluminum cylinder to grip onto, and this set includes a rubber padding for an incredibly low price, making it infinitely better than the aluminum ones that I and many others start out with. I would also recommend this set to anyone who has a few high quality hooks but wants to round out their set temporarily without having to splurge on a full set of premium hooks. The quality isn’t the best, but for the price, it can’t be beat.
Hook | Inline/Tapered | Price per hook | Pros | Cons |
WeCrochet Bright Set | Combination | $1.10 (sold as a set) | – Plastic rubber grip and thumb rest – Extremely low price for a full set | – Short (5.5″), so more suitable for those with small hands – Handle and tip quality not as high as Clover Amour |
3. Furls Odyssey – Best Large Hook
For those of you who have larger hands and prefer working with hooks that have a longer handle, Furls crochet hooks are perfect. Although these can be a little pricey, they have their own set of die hard fans.
Furls Odyssey hooks are metal and heavier than the average crochet hook, which can be great for maneuverability and also those who prefer something more substantial to hold in the hand. Furls hooks have a unique shape with a curved silhouette, meant to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand.
For some, it is this feature that converts them to fervent Furls fans, but personally I find the weight to be a little difficult to work with. Since I have smaller hands, I also don’t feel the need to use a much longer and larger hook, and it actually feels quite unwieldy compared to the Clover hooks that I normally use.
Finally, even though Furls Odysseys also have a metal tip (nickel plated), there is quite a lot of resistance compared to the Clover Amours that I use, so much so that it slows me down when I crochet and makes for a frustrating experience.
However, for those who value having a longer and weightier hook, the Furls Odyssey is perfect for you!
I would recommend this hook to those who have tried other ergonomic hooks like Clover Amours or generic rubber grip hooks like the WeCrochet Brights and found them to be uncomfortable or too short. Furls Odysseys can be quite expensive, so I would only suggest someone try them if they had larger hands or experience hand pain that has not been resolved by other hooks.
Hook | Inline/Tapered | Price per hook | Pros | Cons |
Furls Odyssey | Inline with a small taper | $36.00 | – Signature Furls ergonomic shape with round body – Extra long at 7″ – Heavy weight gives it heft – Metal tip is smooth | – High price – Tip is not as smooth as Clover Amours – Can be too heavy for some |
4. Furls Streamline – Best Wooden Hook
For anyone who’s interested in trying Furls’ style hooks with the much larger handle and curved shape but wants to save a little cash, the Furls Streamline wooden hooks are popular for being their budget option.
This hook has the same main selling points as the Furls Odyssey, except that the main material is wood and the hook is a little lighter than the all metal Odyssey. Since I prefer lighter hooks, I felt that the Streamline was easier to handle for me than the Odyssey, with the same signature Furls shape.
Wooden hooks tend to have more friction against yarn, especially with working with natural fibers. Because of this, wooden hooks can be seen as more desirable for beginners because they allow for a more tactile crocheting experience. For more experienced crocheters who are able to deal with a slippery hook well, wooden hooks can slow down the crocheting process.
For me, wooden hooks are frustrating because they slow me down, and I prefer Clover Amours because their tips are so smooth and allow me to crochet very quickly. However, for those who are in the market for a wooden hook, I believe the Furls Streamline is the best option out there because of its ergonomic handle and relatively affordable cost.
I would recommend Streamlines to beginners who also have larger hands and are interested in trying out the Furls silhouette because of hand pain or discomfort when working with other hooks. This can also be a more affordable way to try out Furls hooks before purchasing the Odyssey or the Streamline Swirls.
Hook | Inline/Tapered | Price per hook | Pros | Cons |
Furls Streamline | Inline with a small taper | $18.00 | – Signature Furls ergonomic shape with round body – Extra long at 7″ – Lightweight (lighter than Odyssey) – Wooden tip is grippy | – Relatively higher price – Wooden tip slows down crocheting and can be undesirable for advanced crocheters |
5. Tulip Etimo – Best Small Hook
Now that we’ve covered the best hooks for those with larger hands, I’m excited to introduce the best small hook out there. The Tulip Etimo is extremely popular with those who also like Clover Amours because it features a similar rubber grip as well as an extra smooth tip. It is also short and has a similarly shaped tip, making it popular with those who already like Clover Amours.
Compared to the Clover Amours, the rubber grip of Tulip hooks are made of a stiffer and harder rubber, though the general shape is similar. This means that the Tulips have a more compact footprint, for those who want a smaller handle to grip on.
The tip of the hook is not quite as smooth as Clover Amours, but it does still glide very smoothly compared to aluminum and wood hooks, including the nickel of the Furls Odysseys.
Just like Clover Amours, the smooth tip makes crocheting amigurumi a much more enjoyable and easy experience when working with tiny stitches and a tight tension.
I still prefer my Clover Amours but I do enjoy using my Tulip Etimo hook and would love to have more of them in the future since I find them to be very similar. In my opinion, the main difference is how the handle feels and since I prefer the softer grip of Clover Amours those remain my preference.
I would recommend Tulip Etimos to those who are interested in upgrading from aluminum hooks given their relative affordability as individual hooks. They would be particularly suitable for those who have small hands and appreciate the maneuverability of a small hook with a compact grip.
Hook | Inline/Tapered | Price per hook | Pros | Cons |
Tulip Etimo | Tapered with an inline notch | $10.00 | – Extremely smooth tip – Hard rubber grip with a flat thumb rest – Relatively affordable – Combination inline/tapered, so you get the best of both worlds | – Short (5.5″), so more suitable for those with small hands |
Commonly Asked Questions
Should you use a smaller crochet hook for amigurumi?
As a general rule, size down 1.0 mm or 2 letter sizes from what is listed on the yarn label for amigurumi. Maintaining a tight tension without any holes is important to prevent stuffing from coming out, so using a smaller hook size is key for crocheting amigurumi.
What is the best crochet hook for amigurumi?
The best crochet hook for amigurumi is the size D (3.25 mm) Clover Amour hook. When used with sport or DK yarn, this hook glides smoothly and is comfortable to maneuver when creating small, tight stitches for amigurumi. Always make sure to go down a few sizes from the one on the yarn label.
What is the most common crochet hook size?
The most common crochet hook size is a size H/8 5.0 mm crochet hook. This is the best size for making garments, blankets, and home decor items when working with medium sized worsted weight yarn. This hook size is perfect for beginners because it is not too small and not too unwieldy.
Can you use a smaller crochet hook than recommended?
As a general rule, using a smaller crochet hook size than recommended will result in tighter and denser crochet fabric. If the size of the finished product does not matter, sizing down is fine. If it does matter, check the gauge in the pattern to make sure that the garment will be the right size.
Thank you SO much! I’ve been crocheting for over 20 years and thought all hooks were created equally. But when I started making amigurumi, I also started bending my hooks. I ordered one of the Clover Armours and wish I’d known years ago so I could’ve been using these all along. What a game changer, thank you!
Hi Mandy,
I’m so glad this was helpful! I really do think that Clover Amours are amazing — I hope they change your crocheting life!
With love,
Julia