Like many crocheters, I own all kinds of hooks: aluminum, plastic, steel, resin and even the kind with bamboo handles which have been my favorite for years. We crafters are always trying to find the right fit. I bought these hooks for my birthday, mostly because I thought they were very pretty. I've used them heavily for a little more than a week and been pleasantly surprised.Visually, these things are gorgeous. Expect to get a lot of compliments, as I did from my crochet group! The coloring is not overstated, but reminds me of an art piece. The hooks are amazingly light compared to any other type of crochet hook I've used. They feel good in the hand, slide through all kinds of yarns like a breeze, with no snagging or friction. The sizes they provide will be sufficient for 90% of your crocheting needs, unless you're doing thread crochet or using jumbo yarn. These are some of the finest hooks I've ever used - and goodness knows, I've spent a small fortune on crochet sets over the past 40 years.I was worried that they wouldn't be ergonomically pleasing, but it's not bad at all. I have arthritis in my hands and because the hooks are so light, it doesn't hurt my hands. It took me about 1/2 hour to adjust to this new tool from my go-to hooks (aluminum with bamboo handles). Once I got my muscle memory, though, it was smooth sailing. I also changed hooks in the middle of a project to ensure that the knit picks hook size was accurate, and I can't tell where I stopped and started. That means the sizes of these hooks are spot on.My only complaint, like others here, is that the hook sizes are not marked. I really wanted to remove them from their plastic case and insert them into a fabric case which is prettier and easier to transport. In fact, I had purchased a special case for them, only to decide against it. I believe if you ever take out more than one from the pack or lose the insert telling you what size they are, it will take quite a bit to figure out what size is what. I wish there was a way to just carve or wood burn the size into the side of the hook. I tried using a small sticker with the size on the back end of the hook, but it wouldn't stick, and I"m unwilling to permanently alter my new hooks. I called KnitPicks and gave them this feedback, and they couldn't give me a good alternative without messing up the hook itself. In the meantime, I'm purchasing a Susan Bates hook sizer (http://www.amazon.com/gp/huc/view.html?ie=UTF8&newItems=C22DA2BXZB3IOP%2C1) in case I get lost!Bottom line: What wonderful crochet hooks! They are beautiful, don't snag on anything, breeze through all kinds of yarns, and are going to be replacing my eleventybillion other sets! They're not much more expensive than other quality hooks at your local craft / yarn store, (about $5/hook here) and completely worth it. I have a feeling that they will be part of my world for a long time to come!