What is the BellaCoco Athena Crochet Hook?

These hooks were launched at the end of 2021 by Sarah-Jayne of BellaCoco Crochet. They are available exclusively through her Crochet Society website. They are named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom - but are they a smart choice?

Keep reading for our verdict and an exclusive 10% off if you want to try these hooks!

Testing the hooks

We asked three crocheters who have different crocheting styles (including one left-handed crocheter) to try the Athena hooks. Our crocheters each tried:

• Granny squares to test for everyday crocheting
• Tight dc crocheting for amigurumi
• Tapestry crochet with different colours

After testing them out, we asked each person to score the hooks out of 5 for looks, feel, performance and value for money. You'll find their average scores and comments below.

Looks

As a first impression, they look really unique and stylish. The soft tone of the packaging works really well with the pop of colour on the hooks themselves. They are all the same colour but the hook size is printed on the handle. The print is on the small side so if you have poor eyesight, it might be difficult to see. There is a visible ridge down the middle of the hooks which slightly detracts from the first impression but it's not really too noticable.

Beyond the hooks themselves is the case they're presented in. This is really lovely, with a classic cream exterior which will look lovely in anyone's craft room. It's clear that attention has been paid to the details - right down to the custom BC monogram on the zip pull. If you like this design, it's worth noting that BellaCoco offers a matching tote in the same material for stylish crocheting on the go.

Average score: 4/5

Feel

The hooks are lighter than we first thought they would be from looking at the pictures. Although the handle is chunky, it's very well-balanced and easy to hold. There's just enough weight there for you to be able to feel the quality, but not so much that it feels too heavy in your hand. You can feel the ridge down the middle and the end of the hook is perhaps more pointed than some would like, but the positives far outweigh both of these points. Our favourite thing about the feel is the soft finish, which feels almost velvety.

Average score: 4.5/5

Performance

What makes this hook really special is the unique shape, which we've never seen anywhere else. It worked well for every tester, no matter their crocheting style, as it's easy to find a place for your fingers and thumbs to rest comfortably. The hook tip itself is super-smooth and glides easily through any yarn. You really couldn't ask for more from your hooks.

Average score: 5/5

Value for money

The Athena hooks aren't available to buy individually, only as part of a set. This set includes a good-quality pouch so this should be taken into account when weighing up value for money. The set of eight hooks and a case is £34.99.

We think the case would be at least £10 to buy on its own, meaning that the price of the individual hooks is only about £3 - which is incredible! Even if you excluded the case, the total price of the set divided by eight is just £4.37. Comparable ergonomic hooks include the Addi Swing (£9.49 each), Tulip Etimo Rose (£6.99) so these really are a fantastic price.

Average score: 5/5

Buyer's Review

Tess of Tess Loves This Yarn posted a first impressions review video of the Athena hooks, with a side-by-side comparison of her favourite Clover hooks.

Tess's Pros:
The contouring of the handle gets an A+ rating! It's really unique and works well for both a pencil grip and a knife grip.

Tess's Cons:
The style of the hook tip itself is tapered rather than inline. This is very much a question of personal preference - if you're used to a more compact hook tip, it might take some getting used to, but if you use tapered hooks all the time, it's not a problem at all!

Overall Verdict

Are these hooks worth the price? We think so, yes. We totally understand that crafters are being careful with their money right now, but you really won't be disappointed with this purchase. If you're looking for an ergonomic crochet hook set that will look good on your shelf as well as being a joy to work with, you won't do better than this set.

Total score: 18.5/20

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