Furls Crochet vs Clover Soft Touch Crochet Hook – Find Out Which is the Most Ergonomic Crochet Hook — Pocket Yarnlings

If you’re struggling with painful wrists when you crochet, check out more of these reviews below. .

There are lots of great crochet hooks out there, but they are not all made equally.

In this post, I'm going to compare Furls Crochet and Clover Soft Touch Hooks and explain which one is best based on your priorities.

In a hurry?

If you experience wrist pain or carpal tunnel, then consider using either Furls Crochet Hooks or Clover Soft Touch because both have their own ergonomic design which helps with reducing pain while crocheting. For crocheting amigurumi, if working on smaller projects using fingering or sport yarn, consider using the Clover hook as the sizes available do extend to the smaller range like 2.0mm hooks. For larger projects using worsted or heavier yarn, the Furls Crochet Hook is equally good for crocheting!

comparison between furls crochet and clover hook

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What is Furls Crochet Hook and Why You Should Consider it

In this section, I’m going to talk about Furls Crochet hooks help with my wrist pain while crocheting, how I found out about it, my first impressions and my user experience with it and finally a short summary of pros and cons of it.

How Furls Crochet Hooks helps with making crocheting painless

The teardrop shape of the hooks allows for a comfortable grip and reduces the strain on your hands, which is especially helpful for those with arthritis or other conditions that affect hand mobility. Additionally, the smooth surface of the hooks helps prevent yarn from snagging, making for a more seamless crocheting experience.

How I Found Furls Crochet Hook and Why I Bought it

Furls is a well-known brand with a reputation for quality hooks and I’ve known about them for some time, mostly from other crochet designers. They have many pretty hooks which stand out in crochet videos, and I was curious about these ranges of hooks. Unfortunately, they are not widely available in Singapore and they only sell to authorized resellers.

So I joined the Furls Crochet mailing list on their website and have been eyeing some hooks for a long time, my biggest factor holding me back was the shipping cost. Of course, the hooks themselves are more expensive than traditional hooks, including Clover Soft Touch hooks. Add the shipping cost on top of the hook cost, it can be quite prohibitive for crocheters not based in USA.

They previously had a glitter range that I was keen to buy but their sizes are limited and generally are sold out really quickly! The ranges generally are from 3.25 to 4.0mm onwards which are larger than what I usually use, and their 4.0mm hooks run out fast.

Then back in December 2023, they sent out an email saying they were releasing a limited-edition partial glitter range, which was the Moonlight Streamline Glitter Crochet Hook and it was so gorgeous! Knowing the sizes run out fast, I decided to just go ahead and get the 4.0mm size (the smallest available) and I was also willing to pay for the shipping costs. The smallest sizes are all currently sold out.

First Impressions Using Furls Crochet Hook

For the purposes of crocheting my amigurumi, most of my yarn are either sport or fingering which is too light for the 4.0mm hook I bought from Furls. I did have a range of milk cotton yarn which is slightly heavier weight (5-ply) and closer to DK weight rather than sport weight. So I tested my Furls crochet hook on my milk cotton yarn.

If you are interested to find out more about milk cotton yarn, check out this article “Milk Cotton Yarn perfect for Amigurumi - 10 reasons why!”.

I had a lot of assumptions about the hook before I started using it and I was so wrong. Firstly, it was NOT heavy at all, definitely bulkier than the Clover Soft Touch but not really a lot heavier. The grip was pretty natural and the sliding motion of the yarn over the hook was effortless. Secondly, it was not too big for my small hands, which was a consideration because my Clover Soft Touch in comparison is significantly thinner and smaller.

User Experience with Furls Crochet Hook

Now that I have my trusty and pretty Furls Crochet Hook, it is a strong contender against my Clover Soft Touch, in fact I am thinking of buying back a whole range of the milk cotton yarn, to use with it! It is too thick to be used with my Scheepjes Catona yarn. I do feel the added comfort and reduced strain on my hands and wrists are worth the investment, especially if I was based in USA and bought it locally.

In terms of user experience, I do not feel there is not much difference in ergonomics between the Furls Crochet Hook and Clover Soft Touch Hook, as I was able to use it for many hours with no pain in my wrists and no recurrence of my carpal tunnel. As a side note, this hook is so much prettier than the Clover Soft Touch, which will make it look amazing in videos!

Pros of getting a Furls Crochet Hook

Ergonomic Design: Reduce hand strain and discomfort during prolonged crocheting sessions.
High-Quality Materials: Crafted from premium materials like exotic woods, metals, and resins.

Smooth Crocheting Experience: Smooth yarn glide and minimizing snagging.
Variety of Collections: Diverse range of collections, allowing crocheters to choose hooks based on personal preferences.
Limited Editions: The brand releases limited-edition hooks, creating a sense of exclusivity for collectors and enthusiasts.

Cons of getting a Furls Crochet Hook

High Price: Furls hooks are considered expensive compared to other crochet hooks on the market, which may be a deterrent for budget-conscious crafters.
Heavier Weight: Some users find Furls hooks to be heavier than standard hooks.
Limited range of smaller hook sizes: Size ranges from 3.25mm (D) through to 15mm (Q).
Availability: Certain Furls collections and limited editions may have limited availability, making it challenging to purchase specific hooks.
Care Requirements: Hooks made from exotic woods or other specialized materials may require specific care to maintain their appearance and longevity.
Costly shipping costs if not living in USA: Only relevant for crocheters not living in USA, which was what I experienced since I live all the way in Singapore.

For more details on the breakdown of the Pros and Cons and all the specifications of the hook itself, check out this article “Furls Crochet Hook Review: Crochet Hook for Comfort and Efficiency”.

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What is Clover Soft Touch Crochet Hook and Why You Should Consider it

In this section, I’m going to talk about how Clover Soft Touch crochet hooks help with my wrist pain while crocheting, how I found out about it, my first impressions and my user experience with it and finally a short summary of pros and cons of it.

How Clover Soft Touch Crochet Hooks helps with making crocheting painless

There are a few factors including the general overall ergonomic design with a soft pad in the middle that helps with crocheting even for long periods of time. Also, its lightweight design also makes it easy to handle, especially for crocheters like me with small hands!

In terms of durability, the Clover Soft Touch Crochet Hook is built to last. The steel hook is strong and sturdy, and the soft handle is designed to withstand regular use and wear. I have used mine really since I started learning how to crochet, which is about 8 years already! In addition, I have dropped it multiple times without any damage to it and minimal scratches.

I will talk more about pros and cons later below.

How I Found Clover Soft Touch and Why I Bought it

When I first started off crocheting, I only invested in a cheap ball of yarn and a cheap metallic crochet hook from a Japanese value dollar store. I just wanted to test out crocheting for a start, so I did not want to invest too much money at first. Only after I got my first book on learning how to crochet and started developing significant wrist pain with only a short period of crocheting, then I decided to find out if there was a way to reduce the pain.

At that time, I went to a popular specialty local craft store to source for more interesting types of yarn and possible more crochet hook options. That was where I sought the advice of long-time crocheter and owner of the store, and she suggested to try out the Clover Soft Touch series. To minimize the cost, I just got one crochet hook at one size only to test out.

First Impressions Using Clover Soft Touch Crochet Hook

After trying out the crochet hook, the grip felt so much relaxed and there was less tension in my index finger and thumb when making multiple circular wrist movement. For the first time that day, I was able to crochet for a few hours with no pain at all. Which helped a lot with making my work more uniform and less tense, because I was struggling with very high tension and curled up crochet stitches with my first hook. The grip was also definitely easier with a thicker shafter than a thin metallic hook.

User Experience with Clover Soft Touch

My Clover Soft Touch is still my go to crochet hook after all these years, though I would say my newer Furls Crochet Hook is a close contender. Now I decide mostly on the size of the project required and sometimes just to change things up, I switch between both hooks.

For my Clover Hook, it still very much maintains the same build and texture but the hook labels have all but faded. I bought a 3mm and a 2mm one and the differences are pretty obvious even without the labels but it is kind of frustrating that the numbers are almost completely gone. If you decide to buy in 0.5mm graduations, this will likely be more of a problem. 

Pros of getting a Clover Soft Touch Crochet Hook

Comfortable grip: This can help prevent hand fatigue and cramping.
Smooth hook: This can help prevent snagging and splitting of yarn.

Wide range of sizes: From 0.5mm to 6.5mm.
Lightweight: This can be especially helpful for intricate projects and for small hands like mine.

Cons of getting a Clover Soft Touch Crochet Hook

Price: These hooks are more expensive than some other brands on the market.
Limited colours: The hooks only come in one colour - a combination of orange and grey, which are pretty dull colours.
Not suitable for all types of yarn: While the smooth hook is great for most types of yarn, it may not be the best choice for very slippery or fuzzy yarns.
Faded Hook Label: The label of the hook size tends to fade with time especially with repeated use.

For more details on the breakdown of the Pros and Cons and all the specifications of the hook itself, check out this article “What You Must Know About Clover Soft Touch Crochet Hook Before You Buy!”.

Furls Crochet Hook vs Clover Soft Touch: User Experience

The closest I have for comparison would be my 3.0mm Clover Soft Touch vs my 4.0mm Moonlight Glitter Furls Crochet Hook. I would say the latter is bulkier than the former hook, but it works out well with heavier weight yarn. Both hooks do not result in much strain after crocheting for a few hours, but I would say I do tend to crochet faster with my Clover Soft Touch than my Furls hook.

It might just be a matter of getting used to a larger hook but in terms of crocheting efficiency, the Clover hook might be slightly better for me. If I had to choose between my Furls hook and my Etimo Tulip hook for bulkier yarn, I would probably pick the Furls hook.

To read more about my Etimo Tulip hook, check out “What You Must Know About Etimo Tulip Crochet Hook Before You Buy!”.

Also, there is another comparison post between my Clover Soft Touch and my Etimo Tulip hook here, “Clover Soft Touch vs Etimo Tulip Crochet Hook - Find Out Which is the Best Crochet Hook for Amigurumi”.

Furls Crochet Hook vs Clover Soft Touch: Effectiveness at preventing wrist pain

I would have to say both are equally good at preventing wrist pain when crocheting for long hours at a stretch. I will likely use them interchangeably depending on the size of my amigurumi. Like I mentioned, as the sizes for Furls are limited, they do not have size 2.0 or 3.0mm hooks, the smallest is 3.25mm and 4.0mm for some ranges.

Both ergonomic designs help with reducing wrist strain, the effectiveness may vary from person to person, and personal preferences play a crucial role. Trying both types of hooks to see which feels more comfortable for your hands and wrists is a good approach. As for me, I would definitely want to try using my Furls more frequently and still revert back to my Clover hook when I want to speed up my crochet projects.

Furls Crochet Hook vs Clover Soft Touch: Pricing

When it comes to buying crochet hooks, price is an important factor to consider. Furls Crochet and Clover Soft Touch crochet hooks are both popular options, but how do they compare in terms of price?

Clover Soft Touch crochet hooks are generally priced between $10 and $20.00 per hook, although I have seen some sources that are lower about $5, depending on the size. I personally bought it for about $7 for the smaller less expensive ones. Furls crochet hooks, on the other hand, are priced between $30 and $110.00 per hook, depending on which range you are looking at, which is significantly on the higher end. I bought mine at a 15% discount but the shipping cost was so high, it was more than what the discount covered.

For me, I felt that I wanted to pamper myself with a limited-edition Furls hook, which I knew if I did not snap up, will definitely be sold out in the size I wanted. It is not only an investment in my wrist health, I wanted to try using it in my crochet tutorial videos as well! Pin the image below for future reference.

furls crochet hook versus clover crochet hook

Conclusion of choosing a crochet hook

Overall, both the Furls Crochet and Clover Soft Touch crochet hooks are excellent choices for crocheters of all skill levels. Each hook has its unique features and appearances that make it distinctive, and it ultimately it boils down to the personal preference of the crocheter.

If you are looking for an ergonomic lightweight thinner crochet hook that will help you crochet faster and more efficiently, whilst paired with lighter yarn weight (think fingering or sport weight), then the Clover Soft Touch hook is the better choice.

On the other hand, if you prefer working with heavier yarn weight like worsted yarn, then you can consider using Furls Crochet Hooks instead, as their hook ranges are larger in size. It is equally ergonomic for the wrist and can be used for hours. Also, if you are like me, and love aesthetically beautiful hand-crafted things, then use Furls as well!

If you love crocheting and would like to invest more time into this relaxing hobby, consider getting both and experimenting with them – you might end up needing both anyway! I am even considering getting more Furl hooks because they are so pretty!