Last, but not least, I want to talk about whether it is worth investing in an interchangeable needle set or not. Even if you take the cheapest option, it is still a lot of money. So, if you are still feeling unsure, you should consider starting with a smaller set or simply buying singles. One cable, one interchangeable needle, and try things out. If you like it, buy the whole set. As the singles are compatible, you really didn’t waste money. Still, here are a few things to consider: PROs The coating of the Knitter’s Pride needles tends to change color over time. I felt like mentioning it, even though I doubt it matters. Knitting ease

Some knitters, like me, are hyper-sensitive. Knitting produces sounds, and those largely depend on the needles you are using. Addi, on the other hand, has quite the big step, but it’s somewhat tapered, so it works remarkably well in action and never runs the risk of the yarn getting trapped in between the gap. Tight knitters WILL notice it, however, as they push stitches from the cable onto the needle. I’d definitely say the other three brands are better in that regard. It does have to be noticed, however, that Knitter’s Pride offers the overall smoothest transition between the main part of the needle and the cable. The other brands all have multiple sections where the needles get wider bit by bit. How tight is the join Anyway, about this article, I discovered Knitpro (Knitter’s Pride) interchangable needles a few years ago and love them. I use the Nova tips which I am still building a collection of. Yes, they do undo occasionally, however, for the ease of knitting with them, that is a small price to pay. I also really don’t like the fact that both ChiaoGoo and HiyaHiya work with two different cable sizes. The smaller needle sizes need a different cable (where the screw is smaller) than the bigger needles. For example with addi, the same cable works on a 3.5mm needle and an 8 mm needle. With CG or HH, you need a different cable, and different cable extenders, and different cable stoppers, etc. I feel this contradicts the whole versatility idea behind an interchangeable knitting needle set.

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The larger sets usually have 13 pairs of needles from US size 2 to 15, 4 cables, 2 cable connectors, 2 small and 2 big tip adaptors, and between 2 needle stoppers. Much like ChiaoGoo, the HiyaHiya sets usually come in a sewn fabric bag with 2 compartments. HiyaHiya has by far the sharpest points of the lot. So, as a pure lace needle, this would probably be my favorite. If you push on your needle tips a lot, then be aware that HiyaHiya will be a poor choice. These needles hurt quite a bit when you do that (there are simple ways to move stitches forward without pushing the tips). And then, of course, there are the cable stoppers. You can use them to put a work in progress on hold, while you use the needles for a different project. The Knitter’s Pride stoppers are pure plastic and a bit flimsy (but do the job), HiyaHiya offers somewhat cute-ish panda stoppers (were not part of my small set, sorry), while the ChiaoGoo stoppers are very solid and the best of the lot. All four needles are very light. The 5mm needles were all in the same range. ChiaoGoo & HiyaHiya weighs ~8 grams, while Knitters Pride is 9, and addi 10 are grams. Considering that your yarn/project will be considerably heavier, you will not really notice these needles – even for the bigger sizes. Addi only provides a largish cable extender instead you can use it as a makeshift stopper as well. So, actually, that is kind of smart, though the extender is a bit too long to use for actual cable extending in my opinion. ( Note: Cable extenders for Knitter’s Pride and ChiaoGoo can be bought separately but are usually not part of the small sets.)

Interchangeable knitting needles can only be engineered down to a size US 4 (3.5mm), so you’ll need to go with fixed circulars for those teeny tiny projects.When you turn to lace, or you are an English knitter/thrower, then things can look quite different. Here, you might actually enjoy the bonus friction, as it prevents your needles from sliding out of those stitches. Knitting noises Hi, Norman. Nice comparison article. I have only used the other brands of interchangeable needles for a few minutes at a fiber event, just to try them out (not counting a truly vintage Boye set I learned on), so I can’t speak to them, but I do have some remarks on the ChiaoGoo interchangeables. Knitter’s Pride has the shortest tapered tip, the longest end, and the best transitions without “kinks”. I always felt this allowed for pretty seamless and fast knitting as your project will easily slide along. That being said, if you frequently knit with big needle sizes (like these 5.5/6.0 mm needles), the longer tapered end ChiaoGoo and addi offers, can be a nice advantage for lace patterns. KnitPro's Zing needles are made from superior grade light-weight metal and come in a spectrum of vibrant and lively colours. Each size comes in a size specific metallic shade with laser printed sizes and shiny silver tips. Ideal for new knitters as well as the more experienced.

That being said, you can sort of massage the kinks out in all cases. Putting the cables into hot water also helps to straighten them out/ get rid of the memory effect. What I have no way of really testing is how durable the “fixed” kink is in the long run. I would assume it does indeed damage the plastic a lot more structurally, which cannot be fixed, while the metal wire is less prone to break at that point. Then again, if that theory held true, probably the coating would break, which would be equally as bad, I guess. Those, however, are just guesses. In all my years of knitting, a cable never snapped. Let’s talk about the sets as a whole. In all fairness, I have to mention that my Knitter’s Pride set is some 10 years old now, and I only bought replacement needles in the meantime. But other than the fancy wooden box, the content is, as far as I can see, still the same: Knitter’s Pride The contents of my Knitter’s Pride Nova Platina deluxe set with a standard set in a plastic pouch below We also offer short tip needles so you can create those smaller projects like hats and sleeves with ease. Both HiyaHiya and ChiaoGoo are pure stainless steel. That means, the surface is not totally smooth and has these…well striations I guess. Depending on the yarn you use, you will notice quite a bit of friction, and whenever the needles touch, they don’t slide across each other effortlessly. You can also lengthen the cable using cable extenders or even use the needle tips separately as regular straight needles. There’s just so much you can do with Interchangeable Knitting Needles. Made For All Kinds Of ProjectsThese sets ARE expensive. So, only worth it for intermediate knitters who really make use of the full possibilities of a set. If you only ever knit with 3mm / US 3 needles, you really don’t need the full set. You can attach two different needle sizes to a cable for interesting new possibilities. That way, you can combat having a different gauge with knits and purls. Or use a round tip for extra fast knitting in the return row, and a sharp tip for the right side with all the complicated stitches. With the magic loop technique, you are also set for most circular projects with a very small diameter. I am sure you have considered buying an interchangeable knitting needle set. Maybe you already own one. It’s certainly one of the most important knitting tools and the advantages are many: Instead of buying a new pair of needles for every new project, you can use the very same set every time and adjust the needle size and cord length according to your preferences and the requirements of the pattern. One needle set may give you up to 500 different combinations. Addi, being the longest off the lot, could be a nice option for men with bigger hands. A close look at the material & quality of the interchangeable needle tips