A crochet hook is an important tool for crocheting, and a proper crochet hook will directly affect your mood as well as determine whether or not you'll end up sticking with your crochet project. So, in this article, we're going to introduce you to the basics of crochet hooks, how to choose a crochet hook and recommend a few good ones!

Crochet Hook Construction

Head/Point: Generally conical or straight-pointed, this part of the crochet hook is inserted into the stitch in crochet.
Throat: The shape can be inline or tapered, and is the place where the yarn is hooked and tangling occurs, and can be viewed as a movable workspace.
Shaft：It is the section of the crochet hook from the throat to the grip, the diameter of the shaft determines the size of the crochet hook and is the part of the hook gauge tool that measures. At the same time, the diameter of the shaft also determines the size of the stitch and holds your stitches in place during crocheting, so it can be considered a static workspace.
Grip：One of the parts of the body that is held while crocheting, the manufacturer adjusts its size and material to achieve a comfortable grip.
Handle：At the end of the crochet hook.

The Shaft, Grip, and Handle are often the focal points of ergonomic crochet designs, and by adjusting these three sections to increase comfort.

Crochet hook shapes

crochet hook shapes

Inline：The head is pointed, the throat is formed with a sharp, flat line, and the tip of the hook is in a straight line with the shaft, making it easier to create an even stitch with an inline crochet hook.
Tapered：The head is rounded, the throat is a tapering, gently tapered curve, and the tip of the hook is not in line with the shaft, but can be above or below it.

Materials and types of crochet hooks

Aluminum: comes in a variety of sizes, is lightweight and durable, slips easily through yarn, is inexpensive and versatile, and is the preferred choice of most beginners. Popular aluminum crochet hooks include: Boye, Susan Bates.
Plastic: very slippery, cheapest compared to other materials, lightweight, many giant crochet hooks are made of plastic. However, plastic crochet hooks are not as durable as metal ones and run the risk of breaking. But when you're on a budget, plastic crochet hooks are a good place to start.
Wood: warm to hold, not as fast sliding as metal crochet hooks, and because of some friction, the advantage is more pronounced when working with some very smooth yarns (non-organic fibers such as acrylic). The representative brand is Furls Odyssey .
Steel: Steel hooks are the smallest hook size available, look almost like needles, and are usually used for fine threads such as lace weight yarns and are not recommended for beginners.
Ergonomic Crochet Hooks: Typically characterized by a large, soft, easy-to-grip handle, designed to reduce the stress on the hands during long periods of crocheting. Popular brands include Clover Amour and Prym Ergonomic Crochet Hooks.
Tunisia : Also known as an Afghan hook, it is longer than a standard crochet hook and the hook can be straight, double ended, or a soft cord with a stopper or another hook on the end.

Crochet hook size

The size of a crochet hook is determined by the diameter of its shaft, which also determines the size of the stitch. Crochet hook size labels vary from country to country and there are two types of sizes in general use. US sizes are generally made up of letters and numbers, while EU metric sizes (also known as millimeter sizes) are a precise measurement, so it is essential to understand the correspondence between US and metric sizes .

Below are some common size conversions and yarn matches, for more size conversions go to Craft Yarn Council.

Metric Sizes	US Sizes	Yarn Weight
2.25 mm	B/1	Lace（0） superfine (1) Fine（2）
2.75 mm	C/2
3.25 mm	D/3
3.5 mm	E/4	Light（3）
3.75 mm	F/5	Light（3）
4 mm	G/6	Medium（4）
5 mm	H/8
5.5 mm	I/9
6 mm	J/10
6.5 mm	K/10.5	Bulky（5） Super Bulky（6）
8 mm	L/11
9 mm	M/13
10 mm	N/15	Jumbo（7）

It is worth noting that steel crochet hooks have a different numbering system
than regular crochet hooks, and their US sizes are different from regular hooks: the larger the number, the smaller the hook, which is the opposite of regular hook sizes.

*How to match the right crochet hook to the chosen yarn?
As is obvious from the table above, there is no absolute crochet match for yarns, but if you match randomly, your stitches may be too large and open or too small and tight, so choose the proper crochet hook size to control tension. To make your crocheting process more enjoyable and smooth, and the patterns and results as shown by the designers, here are some tips:

(1) Yarn labels
It usually indicate the recommended crochet hook size, but this is only a recommendation and you can be flexible in choosing the crochet hook size when designing your own pattern, e.g. choose a crochet hook one or two sizes larger than the recommended size if you want your blanket to be more loosely fitted and have a better drape.

yarn labels

(2) Crochet Patterns
The pattern you want to follow will also usually have instructions for the yarn and crochet size the designer used to create the pattern, so try contacting the designer if you don't find them.

(3) Sample gauge
Most yarn labels will have sample gauge information. Crochet a small sample, usually 4 x 4 inches, using the recommended crochet hook size and use it to determine if the crochet hook size is right for you. Compare the sample to the pattern and increase or decrease the crochet size according to the gauge to achieve your desired result.
*Tips: How to measure a crochet hook without size information: use the hook gauge tool to determine, insert the hook into each hole and the size of the most suitable hole is the size of the crochet hook.

Hot Crochet Hook Brand Recommendation

It's not recommended to buy a whole set straight away for newbies, and the ones you commonly use in the early days of a newbie may only have one hook. When the project becomes more, need more sizes of crochet hooks, you can first try different brands of individual sizes of crochet hooks, so in fact will also find a lot of fun, you can wait until you know what hand feel of the crochet hooks are more suitable for you before buying a whole set.

1.Tulip Etimo - Premium Selection
Tulip is a Japanese company that produces several lines of hooks in addition to the Etimo line. This crochet hook is made of high-quality aluminum with a polished, smooth surface, a gentle slope from the throat to the shaft makes for excellent crocheting speed, and an ergonomic rubber grip that feels light and sturdy in your hand!

However, it will be a little more expensive than a regular crochet hook, so if you are on a budget consider something else.

2.Clover Amour - The king of word-of-mouth

This crochet hook is also made of polished aluminum, has no burrs to hook the yarn, the head is pointed but not sharp, the shaft is smooth and has a rubber cushion grip. In addition, each crochet hook is a different color, allowing you to distinguish sizes by color very well.

It's a choice you can't go wrong with.

3.Susan Bates Silvalume - Inline Crochet Hooks Preferred
Made of lightweight aluminum and specially anodized, this is a representative inline crochet hook that is good for creating a more even stitch. If you want to try inline crochet hook, then try this set.

4.Yeezhee - Beginner's Kit

Aluminum crochet hook, rubber handle, Teflon added to the surface of the crochet hook. This treatment makes the surface of the crochet hook more silky, less friction in contact with the thread, smoother crochet process. Not sold separately for the time being, if you are interested in patterns and don't want to bother with matching crochet hooks and yarn, Yeezhee will be your best choice.

If you are still struggling with choosing a crochet hook, hope this post helps!