The 7 Best Crochet Hooks from Michaels (Ranked WORST to BEST)

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Have you ever stood in the crochet aisle at Michaels and wondered whether there’s really that much difference between all those crochet hooks? Some cost just a few dollars, while others are three or four times as expensive. But does spending more money actually mean you’re getting a better crochet hook?

I decided to find out!

I purchased seven different crochet hooks from Michaels and tested each one with five types of yarn: acrylic, cotton, wool, chenille and a bamboo blend. I wanted to see how smoothly they worked, how comfortable they felt in my hand, and whether certain hooks performed better with particular yarns.

And I have to tell you, some of the results really surprised me!

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Watch My Crochet Hook Comparison

Want to see how each crochet hook performs? In the video below, you can watch me test all seven hooks with the five different yarns and share my thoughts in real time.

How I Tested the Crochet Hooks

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For this experiment, I purchased seven individually sold crochet hooks from Michaels, ranging in price from $2.99 to $11.99.

I chose 5 mm hooks so I could compare them as fairly as possible. However, I accidentally purchased the 6 mm Susan Bates Silvalume Ergonomic hook, something I didn’t realize until I started testing! That’s worth keeping in mind when comparing its performance with the others.

I used five different yarns:

• Acrylic: Premier Anti-Pilling Everyday Worsted
• Cotton: Pica Pau from Hobbii
• Wool: Wool of the Andes from WeCrochet
• Chenille: Loops & Threads Posh Purl
• Bamboo blend: Lion Brand Coboo (50% bamboo and 50% cotton)

I paid particular attention to how easily the hooks moved through the yarn, whether the hook heads split the fibers, and how comfortable the handles felt after crocheting for a while.

Of course, crochet hooks are very personal! I have smaller hands, and I generally prefer an ergonomic handle with a slightly pointed hook head. Your preferences may be completely different from mine, but I hope you find the information valuable.

The 7 Crochet Hooks I Tested

1. Loops & Threads Anodized Aluminum Crochet Hook ($2.99)

This was the least expensive hook in my experiment, and I honestly wasn’t expecting much from it.

But I was pleasantly surprised!

The metal was incredibly smooth, and it performed beautifully with the acrylic, cotton, wool, and chenille yarns. I didn’t experience the roughness or drag that I sometimes associate with inexpensive crochet hooks.

I also liked that this hook was a little longer than some of the others, and the metallic gold color was a really pretty color.

My biggest complaint was the rounded hook head.

I personally prefer a slightly more pointed tip because I find it easier to get into tighter stitches. That rounded head was particularly noticeable when I tested the bamboo blend, where I experienced some yarn splitting.

My thoughts: For just $2.99, this is an excellent budget-friendly crochet hook. If you prefer a rounded, tapered head, you might like it even more than I did!

Find the Loops & Threads Anodized Aluminum Crochet Hook Here

2. Susan Bates Silvalume Ergonomic Crochet Hook ($3.99)

This hook was one of the biggest surprises of the entire experiment!

I’ve always preferred tapered crochet hooks, so I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy using the pointed inline head on this Susan Bates hook.

But almost immediately, I was impressed.

The metal was exceptionally smooth, the ergonomic handle felt wonderful in my hand, and that pointed head made it easy to work into stitches.

It performed beautifully with the acrylic, cotton, and wool yarns.

I did have a slight learning curve with the chenille. I discovered that I needed to rotate the hook a little farther to catch the yarn properly. Once I made that adjustment, it worked beautifully.

And the bamboo blend? Almost no splitting!

I think the pointed inline head made a real difference when working with a yarn that has a tendency to separate.

One important note: I accidentally purchased a 6 mm hook rather than a 5 mm, so this wasn’t a perfectly equal comparison. The larger size may have influenced how easily the hook worked through some stitches.

My thoughts: At $3.99, this is an incredible value. I loved the comfort of the handle and the smoothness of the metal. I just wish this particular ergonomic hook came in a wider range of sizes.

Find the Susan Bates Silvalume Ergonomic Crochet Hook Here

3. Clover Takumi Bamboo Crochet Hook ($7.99)

I’ve had mixed experiences with bamboo crochet hooks in the past, so I was particularly interested in testing this one.

And the results were interesting!

The Clover Takumi was much smoother than I expected, especially with acrylic yarn. But I did notice that the space underneath the hook head was rather shallow.

That made it a little more difficult to catch and hold onto the yarn, and I occasionally lost loops off the hook.

With cotton, I noticed some drag, but the biggest surprise came when I switched to wool.

The bamboo hook and Wool of the Andes worked beautifully together!

I had expected the texture of the wool and the slightly grippy surface of the bamboo to create more friction. Instead, the yarn moved easily over the hook, and I wasn’t having nearly as much trouble with the shallow hook head.

The chenille also worked surprisingly well, although I was a little concerned about how thin the bamboo hook felt.

With the bamboo-blend yarn, I experienced more drag than I would have liked.

My thoughts: If I worked primarily with wool, I would seriously consider this hook. But for someone who regularly switches between different fibers, I think there are more versatile options.

Find the Clover Takumi Bamboo Crochet Hook Here

4. Loops & Threads Ergonomic Aluminum Crochet Hook ($7.99)

I was curious to see whether the ergonomic version of the Loops & Threads aluminum hook would be worth the additional $5.

Unfortunately, I actually preferred the inexpensive version!

The ergonomic handle felt reasonably comfortable, but the metal wasn’t quite as smooth as some of the other aluminum hooks.

I also wasn’t a big fan of the rounded head, particularly when working with cotton and bamboo yarns that don’t have much stretch.

And there was one little detail that really bothered me.

The hook size was engraved in teeny tiny numbers on the metal neck. There was almost no contrast, making it incredibly difficult to read!

The hook performed particularly well with wool, and it worked reasonably well with acrylic and chenille. But I noticed more resistance with some of the other yarns.

My thoughts: This isn’t a bad crochet hook, but at $7.99, I expected a little more. I think there are better options for less money.

Find the Loops & Threads Ergonomic Aluminum Crochet Hook Here

5. Susan Bates Aluminum Crochet Hook ($3.99)

I have to admit, I’ve never been a huge fan of traditional Susan Bates aluminum crochet hooks.

But this experiment made me reconsider that opinion!

The metal was some of the smoothest I’ve ever used, and I absolutely loved the pointed inline head.

It worked beautifully with all five yarns, and I felt like I could crochet quite quickly with it.

So what was the problem?

The handle.

Unlike the ergonomic version, this hook has a narrow aluminum handle. As I continued crocheting, I started noticing fatigue in my hand, followed by some discomfort.

For me, that’s a significant drawback because I prefer to crochet with an ergonomic handle, especially for longer periods.

However, you can purchase ergonomic grips to add to traditional crochet hooks, which might be a great solution.

My thoughts: At just $3.99, this is another excellent budget option. If you’re comfortable using a traditional aluminum handle, I think it’s a fantastic hook.

Find the Susan Bates Aluminum Crochet Hook Here

6. Prym Ergonomic Crochet Hook ($9.99)

The Prym Ergonomic is quite different from the other hooks in this experiment.

Instead of aluminum or bamboo, it’s made from a lightweight synthetic material and has a comfortable ergonomic handle.

I’ve used Prym hooks before and have always had mixed feelings about them. Unfortunately, this test didn’t change my mind.

One of the first things I noticed was the friction between the hook and the yarn.

I could actually hear it!

With acrylic, it wasn’t particularly bad, but I noticed more resistance when working with cotton and wool.

The chenille was even more challenging. I felt like I was crocheting more slowly because the yarn wasn’t moving through the stitches as easily as it did with the metal hooks.

And the bamboo blend was probably my least favorite combination.

Not only did I experience drag, but I also had quite a bit of yarn splitting.

Now, there were things I liked about this hook. The handle was very comfortable, and I appreciated the pointed head.

But unfortunately, those positives weren’t enough to overcome the problems I experienced.

My thoughts: At $9.99, this was the second most expensive hook in the experiment. For me, the amount of friction made it difficult to justify the price.

Find the Prym Crochet Hook Here

7. Clover Amour Crochet Hook ($11.99)

If you’ve watched my YouTube channel for a while, you probably already know that I’m a big fan of Clover Amour crochet hooks.

I’ve been using them for years!

But I really did go into this experiment with an open mind. I would have been thrilled to discover a hook I liked even better.

And honestly, one of the Susan Bates hooks came very close!

The Clover Amour has a smooth aluminum hook with a tapered head and a soft ergonomic handle.

There are three things I particularly love about it.

First, the metal is incredibly smooth. It worked beautifully with all five yarns, including the chenille and bamboo blend.

Second, I really like the shape of the hook head. It’s rounded, but not too rounded, and still has enough of a point to make getting into stitches easy.

And finally, there’s the handle.

It fits my hand like a glove!

I have smaller hands, and I find that I can crochet comfortably for longer periods with the Clover Amour than I can with many other hooks.

I also appreciate the clearly marked hook size and the wide variety of sizes available, including smaller steel Amour hooks for fine crochet work.

My thoughts: At $11.99, it’s the most expensive hook in this test. But for me, the comfort, smoothness, and versatility make it worth the investment.

Find the Clover Amour Crochet Hook Here

My Crochet Hook Rankings: Worst to Best

After testing all seven hooks, here’s how I ranked them based on my personal experience.

Rank	Crochet Hook	Price
1	Clover Amour	$11.99
2	Susan Bates Silvalume Ergonomic	$3.99
3	Susan Bates Aluminum	$3.99
4	Loops & Threads Anodized Aluminum	$2.99
5	Clover Takumi Bamboo	$7.99
6	Loops & Threads Ergonomic Aluminum	$7.99
7	Prym Ergonomic	$9.99

Prices reflect what I paid at Michaels when I purchased these hooks and may change.

Do You Really Need an Expensive Crochet Hook?

I think this was probably my biggest takeaway from the entire experiment.

You absolutely do not have to spend a lot of money to get a really good crochet hook!

The Susan Bates Silvalume Ergonomic hook came incredibly close to taking first place, and it costs just $3.99.

The traditional Susan Bates Aluminum hook and the basic Loops & Threads Anodized Aluminum hook were also excellent budget-friendly choices.

But I also learned that the most comfortable crochet hook isn’t necessarily the one with the smoothest metal, and a hook that performs beautifully with one type of yarn might not be my favorite with another.

For me, the Clover Amour is still my favorite all-around crochet hook.

But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be the best choice for everyone.

What’s Your Favorite Crochet Hook?

Are you a Clover Amour fan like me? Do you swear by Susan Bates? Or is there another brand of crochet hook that you think I need to try?

I’d love to hear about your favorites, especially if you’ve tried several different brands.

Happy Stitching!

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