By The ARTnews Recommends Editors

Ideal for making jewelry, sculpting wirework, and even home fixes, craft wire is a versatile material for creative tasks that call for custom supports. Made of metal—typically aluminum or copper—it has some level of flexibility to allow artists to create angular bends, curves, spirals, and more. The most common wire sizes are 22–20 gauge, but you can also find extremely thin and thick ones to suit your needs. Our picks below will help you stock up smartly.

Benecreat’s wire is good-looking and easily bendable, making it a great versatile wire to keep in your craft kit. Made of solid aluminum, it has just the right balance of flex and structure, being able to form intricate shapes or wrap objects without collapsing. We like that it comes in a range of gauge sizes and colors, so you can mix and match wire types while knowing that the quality will be consistent.

For a wire that offers strong support, we like this aluminum option from TecUnite. Only available in heavier gauges (between around 9 and 14), it requires the use of a wire cutter to snip off segments. Capable of holding its shape without any support, it is ideal for wrapping around itself to create wire sculptures. It is also an excellent choice to create foundations for all kinds of art, from small figurines to costumes.

PandaHall’s wire presents a great combination of bendability, color, and cost. You get 10 rolls of metallic wire in various colors, including black, green, and two shades of blue. These wires have a similar structure to others that cost at least twice as much, being easy to manipulate with fingers while still capable of holding shapes. The quality of the aluminum, however, is not as high as the competition, and the colors rub off with prolonged handling. But for casual crafts that don’t require longevity, these will serve you well.

Darice offers another good all-purpose craft wire that is made of silver-plated copper. This 20-gauge wire can be bent with ease to make jewelry and ornaments, with a medium-hard structure that holds angles and knots well. The silver color, however, is not as hard-wearing as we’d like, and it can scratch off if nicked with a cutting tool.

This set of 15 wires allows you to experiment with two gauge sizes and an assortment of colors. They are soft on the skin, highly bendable, and come kink-free, making them a great option for young hands. What really sets these aside from our other picks is that they are PVC-coated, which enables them to bond with polymer clay to make all kinds of structured ceramics. They are also safe to stick in the oven for up to 30 minutes at 265˚ Fahrenheit, so you can make your designs permanent.

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