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We learn to crochet for various reasons and at various stages of life. With the advances that have come along, we now have options for all sorts of fancy tools and hooks. This post will cover the different types of hooks as well as which ones are the best. This is not based on my opinion, this is based on what I have read online.
The majority of my crocheting has been done with a regular metal Boye hook. Overall I was none the wiser that there were even other “options” on crochet hooks. I guess my mentality was if you have used one you have used them all. So with so many options on crochet hooks how do you know which is the best crochet hook?
This all changed when I started experimenting with filet crochet. Filet crochet is done with crochet thread instead of yarn and the hook size is TINY! The standard metal hook comes with an equally tiny handle. To say it was difficult to work with would be putting it mildly.
I soon realized you could get hooks with normal size handles, but the hook size would still be the tiny size I needed. Hallelujah! I put these on my Amazon shopping list, but I haven’t bought them just yet.
Crocheting is a lot of repetitive motion with your hands. Not only that, but a lot of times we find ourselves with sore necks and/or backs. Neck issues are what I struggle with the most. I have scoliosis in my neck and that limits the amount of crocheting I should do in one sitting.
Oftentimes I see people posting on Facebook about having trouble with carpal tunnel. A lot of it is the repetitive motion I am sure, but how much does the crochet hook impact the injuries of the hand? Does the size of your hand impact the type of hook that feels most comfortable?
Metal crochet hooks or Ergonomic crochet hooks
There are 2 main types of crochet hooks, metal or ergonomic. Metal hooks are the “standard” hook that has been around for hundreds of years. With the progression of technology, ergonomic hooks have come on the scene. Through the posts I see on the various crochet Facebook groups I am in, it seems that people are either die hard standard hooks or die hard ergonomic hooks.
Statistically, it seems to be split fairly equal. The trend I see is that people who have crocheted for decades seem to prefer the standard hooks where the newer crocheters seem to go for the ergonomic hooks.
Susan Bates or Boye? Which is the best?
Another standard in crochet hooks are the Boye and Bates hooks. These are the 2 main “standard”, or metal, hook brands. Most very experienced crocheters seem to be passionate about one or the other. Here is a blog post detailing the differences and similarities of the 2 hooks. Crochet hook – Bates or Boye – A Crochet Hook Dilemma – (twopinkhibiscus.com)
Throughout the Facebook groups I am in I often see people who have been crocheting for many years say they will only use a Susan Bates hook. My aunt, who just turned 86, has crocheted for at least 60 years and she will only use Susan Bates hooks. Upon inspecting my stash of metal hooks that came from various places I realized I had a Susan Bates among them. Honestly, I can’t tell any difference between the Boye and the Bates at all. But I guess if I had been crocheting as long as other people, I might have more of a preference on hooks.
In the photo above you can see the difference in the taper of the neck. The sharp tapered neck is the Susan Bates crochet hook, and the more rounded crochet hook is the Boye crochet hook.
Bates – https://amzn.to/3x0NxT4
Boye – https://amzn.to/3es6PdH
That being said I have read online and compiled a list of which hooks people swear by the most. A lot of these I haven’t tried, so I will give my unbiased opinion on them, as well as links (affiliate) to them on Amazon so you can see the prices.
Ergonomic
Nowadays there is a thing called “ergonomic” hooks. These hooks are designed to be better on the hands. Personally I don’t have experience here unless my standard size handle hooks count as ergonomic. You can get what appears to be just a standard hook with a nice flexible handle, or they have fancier options with different shapes and materials.
Ergonomic crochet hooks are made of a variety of materials. There are resin hooks, bamboo hooks, plastic hooks, even wood crochet hooks. In my humble opinion, some of them are shaped so odd I don’t even know how you would crochet with it, but to each their own! Below are some links to the ones I read about people liking the most.
Furls – pictured above – https://amzn.to/3BiipRo
Prym – https://amzn.to/3REC17F
Clover – https://amzn.to/3CYQqYo (Currently 40% off)
Tulip – https://amzn.to/3qhPNle
Light up Crochet Hooks
Crochet hooks aren’t just designed to save our hands. Now they are designed to save our eyes too! Have you heard of it? Crochet hooks with lights? What?! Apparently this is also a thing. Again, no experience here, but I could definitely see how this idea can be useful. I just finished working on one of those egg aprons. Naturally I chose to make it with black yarn. I can only imagine how helpful a lighted hook would have been!
Counting Hooks
So we have hand and eye saving hooks, what about sanity saving hooks? Did you know you can get hooks that will count for you? Now this idea I am not too sure I am keen on. If there was a magical way it counted automatically, then maybe.
But to have to press a button every time I made a stitch or finished a row? I can’t remember to count the stitch, how am I going to remember to press the button? How many times will I press the row button instead of the stitch button?
This idea just seems to spell catastrophe for me, but it seems to work well for the other people who I have spoken about using them in crochet Facebook groups.
Grips
Because not everyone cares to go out and purchase an entirely new set of hooks, you can now buy rubber grips to put on your existing hooks. It is the same concept as adding a rubber grip to your pencil so you have something more cushioned to hold on to. This is definitely a cheaper option than purchasing an entirely new set of hooks, especially since they are removable, and with grips being sold under the known brand names of crochet hook makers, why not?
Which hooks do you prefer?
If you have used any of these hooks, or others, and have valuable input, please comment on this post and tell us all about it.