The Hi-Spec 17pc jewelry making starter tool kit review

Gift a jewelry experience!

I LOVE seeing people get into jewellery making – it’s such a wonderful craft, and honestly, it’s changed my life. After running a big gift and jewellery business for years, I decided to downsize and go solo, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. Now I work from home, set my own hours, take as many coffee breaks as I fancy, walk/run everyday, and actually get to see my husband and son more (they work from home to) – not to mention sneak in the odd holiday or four throughout the year 😬. Freedom really is the best perk of this job if you can make it work, I say go for it 🤗

Anyway, back to the review!

As someone who’s been making jewellery for over twenty years, I’ve seen every kind of beginner’s starter kit – from the surprisingly brilliant to the utterly useless. So, in the run-up to Christmas (when these kits make perfect gifts for anyone curious or obsessed with jewellery-making), I’m road-testing a few to see which ones are actually worth buying and what you can really make with them.

First up: this compact little jewellery starter kit from Amazon – I just wanted to know if it’s just another pink, photo-perfect beginner set, or if it genuinely helps you learn the ropes.

First Impressions

It’s a compact little thing and comes in a sturdy grey case/box – 17 pieces in total (though one of those pieces is the grey box itself, so… 16 if we’re counting honestly!). Still, I do love that it comes neatly packed in its own transportable case. I’m all for keeping tools together and being organised. Do all the contents stay in the box when closing the lid I hear you ask…this is questionable and random…sometimes!

The Tools

You get a 3 plier set and a little jump ring helper taylors ring tool that’s supposed to make closing jump rings super easy. Personally, I prefer my two square nose pliers to do this job, but that might just be years of habit talking. For a beginner, it’s a great little tool to guide you. (To see what tools I use each day check out my resources page to give you an idea).

The pink cutters are excellent actually. Sharp, strong, and probably my favourite bit of the kit. The pliers themselves are on the smaller side, so if you’ve got bigger hands, they might feel a bit small. But for a beginner? Perfectly fine. If jewellery is your thing, you are likely going to upgrade the pliers to something a little more robust and slightly larger. When I used the set to make a few pieces I didn’t use all the tools as they are not things I use day to day, but all the items I can see you would use as a beginner at some point to try out and experiment.

The Findings Box

There’s a nice little mix of findings to get you started – clasps, various jump rings in different sizes, earring hooks, crimp beads, bails, that sort of thing – all silver plated (I’m guessing, they’re sterling in any case). I would’ve loved to have seen a few extras like headpins or crimp covers, just to open up more making possibilities, but what’s here is a solid starter selection and plenty of them – at 600pc!

Oh – and heads up: there aren’t any beads included, so you’ll need to grab your own, you won’t be able to just get stuck in straight away with this kit sadly. Think of it as a good excuse for a bead shopping spree – one of my favourite things to do! 🥰

Elastic & Extras

The elastic is beginner-level which is kinda expected in a starter jewellery kit. Great for a few projects and to test out if jewelry-making is your obsession – but once you get hooked (and you will 😋), you’ll want to upgrade to something way stronger and smoother to work with (view my recommendation right here). But great for getting the hang of making and lots on the reel to get quite a few pieces made.

My Masterpiece!

As part of my jewellery kit reviews, I decided to test the Hi-Spec 17-piece Jewellery Making Tool Kit properly – by actually making something sparkly. With my own beads and pearls, I created a delicate mother-of-pearl stretch bracelet and a pair of pearl droplet earrings. Nothing extravagant, but just enough to get a true feel for how the tools handle.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a great little kit for beginners, I do love it! – compact, tidy, and with just enough inside to help you dip a toe into jewelry-making (and we need more of you!). For under twenty pounds, it’s a lovely way to see if this craft could become your new obsession.

And honestly? It’d make a cute gift for anyone curious about making jewelry for friends and family to start with – especially if you pair it with a few pretty beads to get them started.

It’s on Amazon right now if you fancy giving it a try click here – I would love to hear your thoughts or see what you’ve made from your kit.

Enjoy creating!