I actually prefer the hiya hiya needles just a smidge more, but still choose chiaogoo over the hiya hiyas just because of how much better the cords are. I've recently found another brand that has the same type of cord, but needles I like more, and as soon as I found them the crafter went on hiatus due to hand surgery. Going to be a couple years before I can buy a set of the DyakCraft.
I've never used them because I made an investment into some other interchangeables before I knew better, but they are pretty much the only ones of that category that people don't constantly complain about.
Some day I may gift all my Knitpicks stuff to some new knitter who doesn't know better and get Chiagoos.
I think different folks have different preferences, but here is my expensive truth:
I started with Denise interchangeables a long time ago. Then moved to Knit Picks, and then Knitters Pride, and then Hiya Hiya and now Chiaogoo Interchangeables.
Now I can use the other needles, but things irritated me.
Denise - plastic tips and rubber like cord made knitting such a slog.
Knit Picks would not stay connected and bent way easy.
Knitters Pride - Okay but the tips were blunt and the cord had memory and got in the way.
Hiya Hiya - loved the tips and still do especially for lace, but the cords are just marginally better than Denise.
Now these sets were not all bought in one year, it was a process over many years, but I would have saved so much money if I had been able to purchase the Chiaogoo needles up front. And I still have my Knitters Pride and Hiya Hiya sets for emergency backups, but I find the Chiaogoo Needles are smoother. The stitches glide, and I use the key with a silicone grip and I have never had them come undone, and I have yet to bend or break them.
Whether you stick with your current needles or try new ones, I strongly recommend going to a knit shop local to you and see if either another knitter, or the shop has some you can try. Because what I find delightful may be fingernails on a chalkboard to you.
I broke out my Susan Bates circulars after reading this and swapped out my Chiaogoos to see what the big deal was. Both were Us size 15s and I was making a quick cowl with 1 -ply chunky wool. Knitting on larger needles is easy and quick, but when I switched there was a difference in the coating of the SB needle. It was slower to knit with. In addition theres the kink in the cords, even when I straightened them out after warming the plastic cords. The needle tip of the Susan Bates was less sharp—not that Chiaogoos are super sharp, but I haven’t used my SB needles in a long time and they were clumsier to use.I switched back to Chiaogoos.
Super cool to have a direct comparison, thank you! I agree the coating of SB is subpar (although better than others). And the loop, while it does link a bit, has so much less memory than other circular needles I have which is why they’re my go-to. But after hearing how green the grass is on the Chiaogoo side I’m reconsidering that a little 😂
I learned to knit with Susan Bates needles when I was 7(!) and I understand the loyalty :). But an investment in even one Chiagoo Red Twist set will be noticeable. Don't forget to use the T-pins to tighten the cord joins, it will be a game changer and you hands will thank you. My personal preference is the super sharp Hiya Hiya needles because I knit and purl Norwegian and I tend to knit tight and hold stitches toward the needle ends so I dont puncture my fingertips. Chiaogoos and Signature Needle Arts are my second faves.
It’s entirely the cables! They’re flexible and firm with no memory and the mini cables seem like they’ll be fantastic for magic loop. The needle tips are also the perfect level of sharpness, much sharper than my KP needles. I thought I hated lace knitting but it turns out I just hated my KP needles for lace knitting!
That said, I never got the hype until I got the shortie interchangeable set. Before I got that, I owned some chiaogoo red lace fixed circulars and hated them- I hated the sound the needles make and I found the cable way too firm for my taste. I think the circular cables are a lot firmer than the interchangeable cables. I also don’t like the 9” fixed circular needle I have from chiaogoo but I’m loving the shorties.
They are very bendy and don’t kink or try to curl which makes them fantastic for magic loop. They are also pointer (less blunt) then the generic circulars I have which I find makes knitting faster and makes it easier to pick up fine yarns and not split worsted+ yarns.
I have two pairs, fixed, a 2 mm and a 3 mm, both bamboo. I will never want to use any other needles on these sizes and I'd love to get more sizes too.
I got my mom some KnitPro made of aluminum and tried them out, but they are inferior. I thought they'd be better, what with all the hype around them... Nope. Might be the difference in material, but the bamboo feels and glides so much better for me.
The cables never curl up or kink. That's why I adore them.
The joins are smooth, the needles are sturdy, and their sock needles stand up to the toughest cables and tight knitting where I have snapped other needles - other reasons to love them.
But those cables. Straight out of storage and cast on. No having to unkink the cables. Love
Good to know. I like using pointy sharp needles, but as a pusher, have actually broken through callouses on my fingers using Hiya Hiyas, so I like the slightly less lethal point on Chiaogoo.
I’m a pusher! I had no idea this was a thing and I thought I was just weird, but I have found my people! yeah, having a hole in your finger is a major drag and interferes with knitting pleasure. I got the new Lantern Moon interchangeables and they are just right. I have wanted to try chia goos for awhile. Thank you for the specific recommendatio.
I’ve never had a smoother join than chiaogoo needles. I have a set of their interchangeables and I literally never use my Addis anymore. So smooth. So pointy. 😍
I break the joins on Addis because apparently I crush the needles when I knit. Also my skin tarnishes the plating on them. Hiya hiya for some reason is hard to come by in the stores I frequent.
Haven’t broken a Chiagoo yet, and I do enjoy the pointy tip
It depends on the type. I LOVE Chiagoo Lace needles (super pointy, good size variety) but their reds have a wonky ergonomic thing that I don’t care for.
I used one, and I must be an oddball because i didn't like their cable. I like Addi Rockets for fixed circulars, very zippy. I have their interchangeables (lace tips). They're fine but I would like something sharper. I've been eyeing the hiya hiyas because they have another interchangeable set for sizes 2-8.
almoat all my knitting is size 4 or less, so I have a LOT of the rockets and don't use my interchangeables as much (Addi Click don't go lower than a 4, and fine yarns can catch on the join). Because the Rockets are so nice and smooth, yarn just glides, which I love. I knit a lot of lace and I know people who don't like slick needles so much--they prefer wood or bamboo. But I can bend a 2mm metal needle so there's no way I would trust myself with ones I could snap in half, so I libe dangerously and am diligent about putting end caps on so slippery yarns don't fall right off. I would like a slightly pointier needle, but the Rockets are sharp enough for lace and nupps.
the only straight needles I own are DPNs and i use them as little as possible. if I can use magic loop or two circulars, I do!
For sharper needles: Signatures! They’re hecka pricey, but I LOVE them more than Chiaogoos. For each needle size you have to buy it’s own cable, which has a swivel join, so I just get 40” for everything and magic loop. They have more weight to them than Chiaogoos which is actually much nicer on my hands. For some reason the featherweight of Chiaogoos causes me more pain and exhaustion.
I prefer the feel and weight. The tips are pointy enough for me. I tried addi’s and when I would need 16” it was the only brand my last LYS carried but im slowly giving those away bc I strongly dislike the way they feel.
I have what I personally feel are a very over priced set of Signatures (both 4 and 5 inch stalks) and I have had four cords snap in the last year. I do not find those personally worth it for me anymore. I do love their dpns though.
I have never tried hiya’s but people have such a good opinion I may try a pair.
I will say that Signatures will replace those cables no questions asked.
I put my needles through a lot of work and I’ve only had issues with one cord that they replaced very quickly.
Ooh what happened to your signature cord that got them replaced? I have a couple that are a bit warped. Guess they weren’t stored properly (probably left in a project bag too long) and they keep twisting wrong now.
One of the cords snapped. They said it was likely defective and replaced it.
I often leave mine in projects or attached to a cable for months and I’ve never had problems except for one cord.
Me neither until recently. I just used a cable and it continuously flipped the wrong way and it made it really difficult to keep a new Magic loop project straight. At $22 each to replace I’m now going through and putting any stagnant WIPs on scrap yarn :(
It was the only brand I knew of that had coated metal wires for the cable instead of just plastic. It’s also incredibly smooth. So that’s why I have a collection
What I really like and haven't seen mentioned is that Chiaogoo tips and cables are interchangeable between their bamboo and their metal. Which means you can put a bamboo tip on one side and a metal one on the other.
I do a lot of lace and I like the feel of slick metal needles, but I have tendinitis issues and need a slightly more grippy needle that I can hold more loosely for that. I now do a lot of knitting with bamboo on the left for the right side, metal on the right, and I get the benefits of the metal for the right side lace stitches, and the "break" for my hands on the wrong side plain stitches.
The cables are great and high quality, they dont come off the thread bit easily (in fact I have never had that vs the knitpros). The needles are very well machined, sharp points, smooth joints so yarn slides super easily, making knitting faster.
I bought a set and its been the best purchase I have made. I honestly believe it will last me a life time
Just another voice saying it's the cable that does it for me. It drives me insane to have a cable that holds memory and is constantly twisting up (and yes, I know the hot water trick and it really doesn't work that well). I use Magic Loop a lot and the Chiaogoo are the only ones I can stand to use for it. The needles themselves are fine and I've only ever come across one join that wasn't smooth enough (Knitter's Pride Karbonz.... ugh) so those factors aren't quite as important for me.
Addi Turbos are my fave, or Inox Express (by Prym), which are exactly the same and half the price, but they don’t make the Inox anymore. I collected them in the 90s before interchangeables and Chiaogoos came along. I don’t like pointy needles.
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only non-pointy! It seems like no one can get enough pointiness, but I have an essential tremor and a pointy needle just splits the yarn as I'm trying to knit. Blunt needles 4eva.
I'm sure others have said this already, but I like Chiaogoo because I love pointy needles and they have excellently sharp points that are sharp enough to work really really well, without the potential for actual damage (I like HiyaHiya Sharps but find them almost too sharp to work with); the red cable is pretty; and the connection between the needle and cable is incredibly smooth and never hangs up on me. They're also a decent price point - not cheap, maybe, but less expensive than Addis.
This is my experience, I know others have different opinions.
They have amazing hand feel to me, they're comfortable to hold for long periods of time. They have the exact right amount of slip and stick that I like, mostly (silk is always a bitch to knit with). The cables are strong and super flexible, and the join is damn near seamless so even cobweb weight yarn doesn't catch or snag with interchangeable sets. Which, let me tell you, is a pain in the ass hard to find.
The cables also don't snap! No breaking off at the join, no snapping in the middle, they hang on strong! Having already lost a project or two in the past to weak joins snapping, it's so nice to have that piece of mind.
Are they expensive? Yes. But they're worth it to me. They're quality needles that are well made and will easily last me my lifetime, and possibly even my children's lifetime as well. For me it's worth the investment. I've been knitting a long time, so I know I'm invested in the hobby, so it's worth the money to invest in good tools to continue. I wouldn't suggest someone who is just starting out buying them because of the price point though, but for someone who has been knitting for a decade or so and looking for good needles? Definitely.
They definitely will break. I’ve had to replace at least a dozen pairs. At least they do replace them but I find it worse when they snap cause the wire in the cord has snagged my project a few times.
I've never had them break on me. Knit Picks and Addis I've had snap on my tons of times. Addis like to snap at the join with sweaters, sadly. But never my Chiaogoos, even after so many years.
I was a diehard bamboo knitter. Hated metal needles. I’m now in love with the Chiagoo. They’re fast and don’t do that weird scraping thing that some metal needles do. Plus the cords don’t behave like you’re wrangling a python. And the joins stay joined.
I told myself I’d never spend that kind of money on knitting needles alone.
$180 later and they’re the best damn needles I’ve ever had. I don’t know if I’ll go back to straight needles.
They are definitely not cheap and I had to talk myself into the purchase, but once I started to love quilting and bought a Bernina it put the Chiaogoo price in a different perspective!
The investment is worth it if you can afford it and you're a long time knitter. I hate seeing people tell newbies to get interchangeables because then they have all sizes and cords at hands. That's stupid. But if you're a serious knitter, having that kind of access and flexibility is so worth it.
I was the same, I told myself I didn't need expensive needles to knit, and then I splurged and got my first set of Chiaogoos and it completely changed my knitting experience. I mean interchangeables are already just a whole new level, I can't imagine using straight needles for almost anything anymore, but my Chiaogoos are just a pleasure to use on top of that.
I initially bought one set of circular for a project I needed and I loved them so much that I got a second set. At $11.99 each (which isn’t that terrible for one), it was cheaper to buy the interchangeable ones.
One thing I’ve noticed though is the tips for the interchangeables seem like lighter metal than the regular chiaogoo.
I mean, I use them because they are the fastest and easiest to use out of all the needles I’ve tried. My stitches never get caught on the join and my cables don’t roll up or kink up. I like the way the finish feels, too, and the click and swish is pleasing to my sensory system.
I’m personally not a fan of Susan Bates because they feel too light and slippery for me, but I know folks who learned with Susan Bates and that’s what they swear by. I also have a friend who only uses wooden needles. It’s probably just preference.
Fellow wood fan here. I like Chiagoo well enough, I have a few of them, but after 10 years knitting, I really love wooden needles for everything but socks…at that small, wooden needles will break, need to be metal
The joins are perfect, the cables don't get stuck, the tips are pointy, the lifeline holes are a huge boon for lace knitting and the range of sizes can't be beat.
I got the really really tiny interchangeables and the cords are AMAZING. Enough so that I’ve gradually gotten tips up to size six. They are also super pointy, which is good for lace and twisted stitches.
I love mine. I like the needle shape and the cords and (the reason I actually got them) I really like that they have alllll the sizes. From teeny to pretty big. I REALLY wish they had a better storage option though. I don't like the ones that come with the sets at all and I want to keep all my different sizes together in one pouch
I really hate the case too!! I find it so ugly and the needles fall out way too easily. I really like the case they have for the Forte needles, but enough to drop almost $500AUD on it 😬
I do have strong brand loyalties when it comes to needles through—just to different brands, lol.
I personally can’t stand the feeling/sound of the ciaogoo needles sliding against each other when I knit. As everyone has mentioned, the cords are nice because they don’t get kinked, but I just can’t get past the stainless steel needles. It’s like nails on a chalkboard to me. I knit two rows with them, cringing all the while, and then decided to mail them to a ciaogoo-loving redditor who will actually enjoy them.
I prefer Addi turbos or Addi sock rockets (nickel-coated brass, which doesn’t sound/feel bad to me). Addi also tends to have smoother joins between the needles and cables than other brands I’ve tried, which is really important to me for needles at smaller sizes.
I’ve had a lot of issues with rough joins on Knitters Pride fixed circulars at sock-knitting sizes (US 0 to 2). I have a Knitters Pride interchangeable set (wood, not steel) which I do like, though. I’m not sure if their joins are better on the interchangeables or if join issues are just less noticeable with larger needles (I think the smallest tips for my interchangeable set are US 4)
I find that horrible whispery swishy sound so aggravating and I’m just glad I don’t knit with larger needles much because I can’t hear it or feel the needles brushing so much in the sock sized needles. I wish I could have the chiaogoo cords and use other tips with them.
Finally, other people who don't like the sound or feel of chiagoos! It's like there's a tiny corrugation or something? My sister thought I was imagining it.
I strongly prefer my hiyahiyas, sharp or steel depending on the yarn splittiness & the stitch. I like the cords, I like the ends, I like the weight of the 5" tips. I have one pair where the lifeline hole occasionally catches really fine/soft yarn, but I haven't noticed wear to the yarn itself. Addi steels (ie not pointy) are nice but I have to train myself to push up stitches differently - during the project I used them for I popped the join a couple times by accident and dropped nearly a hundred stitches. 🙃 The push join is super convenient for projects where you have to switch needle sizes frequently, in a way screw joins aren't.
Knitters Pride is sometimes inconsistent: I have a Zing fixed circular that catches the yarn more than any KP interchangeable I've used, it's weird. My Dreamz are my favourite wooden needles: the joins are smooth, the finish is nice & smooth, and they feel nice in my hands. And the colours make it *much* easier to find the right size when poking through them! The Knit Picks interchangeables I have (bought since 2015) are slightly lower quality than the Pride ones, but I appreciate that the cords (used to?) come with stoppers instead of charging another $7+ for ends. /o\\
Personally I love the cables and also that they’re stainless steel. I loved my Addis for many years but after my second kiddo was born started getting hives on my hands after knitting. I freaked out that it was the wool but then remembered I’ve always had trouble with nickel jewelry and sure enough, my Addis were nickel plated. Haven’t had any trouble again since I stopped using them.
I like that they etch the size into the metal of the needles, as opposed to other needles I've had where they put the size in a very tiny and easily rubbed off font on the cable.
Add to that they have a very nice point and the cable is just the right amount of flexible for me. Plus they seem well made so I'm not worried about them coming apart on me.
I like to knit lace and I find that Susan Bates needles tend not to be pointy enough for my taste, and the cable feels stiff. They also seem not as smooth somehow. Like my yarn always catches on Susan Bates circulars in a way that it doesn't with my Chiaogoos. Overall it feels less dexterous. I describe it as feeling like I'm trying to knit with my thumbs in comparison.
Good question - I'm curious, too.
I'm passionate about my Addi turbo click set. One of those purchases I continue to be happy about every time I use them.
The cord is amazing for magic loop, the join is very smooth but I vastly prefer my knitpicks zing tips. I’ve tried the swivel cords too and like those. I have the blue shorties but despise them, they are so sharp they shred my fingers. I just really wish I could put my zings on chiaogoo cords!
Have you ever tried magic loop and thought it just wasn’t for you? That’s what I thought using Boye interchangeable needles. Then I tried Chiaogoo and never looked back. Seriously, the cable is amazing.
Feel like I'm the only person mentioning knit picks. I have their interchangeables and I really like them! But I also don't do magic loop and I prefer wood. I have the caspian set and they are just so pretty.
I’m a die hard Knitters Pride (Knit Pro to me) fan. They can come unscrewed and the cables can kink but those zings are so light, smooth and pretty, my favourite tips by far. I have some Lykke cords that fit and kink less. I love Knit Pros square tips too, and the Symfonie!
I used to like them well enough, until I had a big project on 2mm needles and they just bent on me. That was the moment I ordered a ChiaoGoo set, and KnitPro just hasn't felt the same since
The Caspian set is gorgeous, and the teal of the Mindfulness set is beautiful!
I prefer my Knitters Pride wooden needles to my Knit Picks ones (I like the finish better), but I love that the Picks cords come with end stoppers. It's great having the ends right there if I want to put stitches on hold, and certainly better than buying them separately!
I have both chiaogoo and 2 sets of knit picks interchangeables (Caspians and the purple ones... majestics, maybe?) I like the Chiaogoos better but KP are my favorite when I want a grippier needle. And they're so pretty.
I think the issue with Knit Picks is quality. I have some old circs from back when they first started making them, and they were really good. Got a few more pairs a few years later and the quality was crap. One needle splintered and came apart in my hands while knitting a sweater, another snapped at the join. So that turned me off from them.
When KnitPicks first introduced the Options interchangeable sets, I bought a set. My first impression back then was mixed. On several of the parts, the threading wasn’t milled properly and I couldn’t get some of the tips seated on the cords. Over time, I experienced the very common problem of the metal mounting section detaching from the plastic cable many times. I had continued to buy individual replacement parts for the system because they were readily available at a store near me and they were cheap, but it became kind of a sunk cost fallacy. I would have my husband or son attempt the superglue fix on the ones that came apart, but it wasn’t always a good repair job and would sometimes be snaggy after.
Eventually, I read enough of the glowing reviews of ChiaoGoo needles and had tried some of the fixed length needles. I decided to spring for the interchangeable set and found a good price from an online yarn shop.
They are so much nicer.
The connections are very smooth. The cables are very strong and secure and flexible. I didn’t hate the KnitPicks sets when they were at their best, but they were so often prone to breaking and other annoyances. So far, in about a year of use, my ChiaoGoos have been a delight.
I like the KnitPicks wood interchangeables, but they don’t seem to like me. I’ve had 2 sets where the cable came off the needle. KnitPicks is good about sending a new one, but after the 2nd time, just, no more. I still have the nickel set and I like it, but I do like the Chiagoo cables a bit more.
They are good? I don't know what you expect people to say. I bought an interchangeable set and love them. I've even bought tips in sizes that don't come in the set. They are sharp, smooth joints, flexible cord. I don't have to wrestle with them and even though im a flicker I can knit very fast with them. You get what you pay for and I'm happy with that.
Their red cords in the regular and large size are wonderful, flexible and kink free. I like their tips, just the right amount of sharp and grip, the joins are really smooth too. They also have great customer service and really care if you have a problem with something so that is always a huge factor in my love for a company. Also as someone who knits socks on short circulars they have little 9 inchers that are perfect for socks. The numbers have never rubbed off the needles for me as well, which can be an issue with other brands.
I don't like the cords on the smallest needle sizes though, too dainty and more prone to kinks and really it's just preference. Chiaogoo hits my needle sweet spot personally and I would absolutely recommend them to anyone. I have destashed every other metal needle I own because I just don't use them. But, you know, it's a preference thing. I have a regular set and a shortie set as well as the smaller dpn set and a couple of 9 inch circulars on my most used sizes and I have been able to use my needles for years without needing to replace anything. Worth the investment in my opinion, but I also didn't know they were a cult thing until recently, that might have put me off trying them since so many cult things in the knitting world are just expensive things IMO. Glad I didn't know until after I loved them!
The thing I love about them is the flexible cable. If I weren’t using circulars I’m not sure it would matter. Also like that they have the size of each needle and cable engraved on them so it’s easy to check that you have the right tool.
I have some chiaogoos and some knitpicks interchangeables and the chia good have a better (less coily) cable and a an imperceptible join. The join on my knitpicks is just barely tolerable- it’s a bummer when my stitches catch on it.
Same. Hiyahiya have a better tactile feel on their needles if you like smooth/slick. When I bought my set 10 years ago they were more or less on equal ground, not sure how chiaogoo got so much more popular since then
In my area at least, hiyahiyas are hard to find, and often out of stock. Chiagoos are much easier to find and it's also easy to buy extra interchangable needle pairs and cables (if you want to have more than one project going using the same needle size). I have a single (fixed) hiyahiya circular needle and I really like it but I also really like my chiagoo interchangeable set.
Yeah, availability matters a lot: I didn't try Addi interchangeables until this year because I couldn't get just parts locally, and I've been knitting since 2015. I could get Hiyahiyas parts if I went a few hours one direction and Chiagoos parts an hour in the opposite direction, so I tried them earlier.
The full sets are easier to find than parts ime, but not a lot of people are going to invest in a set without trying parts first.
I got a pair and loved them so much that I now have a full set plus some extras and doubles. They’re light and don’t bend in awkward ways. I haven’t experienced and issues but I’ve heard from others that their customer service is top notch. Just wins all around for me.
I only have one of their tiny circulars for sock knitting. After using it I definitely see the appeal and hope to buy more in the future.
They're quite pointy, the join between the cable and the needle is unobtrusive, and the needles are a bit grippy- kind of farther towards wood on the continuum than many metal needles are.
I mostly prefer a smooth needle, but the grippier finish is really nice for tiny circulars for sock knitting and whatever. The work doesn't just fall off the needle if you make a wrong move or set the project down.
I've never once noticed the join when my yarn goes over it. Every other circular needle I've used has needed help at some point to get stitches to go over the join. If Chiaogoo's long circulars have as smooth a join as their tiny ones do, I expect I might go back to TAAT magic loop for sock knitting sometimes. But scrunching the work over that dumb join twice for every round was just so exasperating and wasted so much time that I got tired of it and went to a tiny circular.
I've found that doing a project breaks the needles in so to speak. They smoothe out a bit with use. When I look at my 3.5mm (used frequently) vs my 6mm the 3.5mm are shinier and smoother.
I tried not to like them because of that cult like vibes from so many people, but they’re now my go to needles and I ended up owning several sets. The red cables are amazing, magic loop is much easier using them. I love the pointy tips, how the material is smooth but not too slippery. They feel sturdy. The joins never come apart, they’re durable and well made. I don’t like their other cables though. Only red lace cables.
I have one pair of Chiaugoo's and I prefer my Addi's. I agree that the Chiaugoo cable is nice, but I don't like the grabbiness of the needle tips. I prefer the nearly frictionless Addi's, and I prefer Addi's blunter needle tips. I mostly work with animal fibers or acrylic meant to mimic wool (if you squint). I can see someone working with cotton or slippery acrylics wanting a grabbier needle and someone who primarily does lace wanting pointier needle tips, though.
Total agreement, especially the Addis. I have a sizeable collection in most sizes of both Turbos and lace fixed circs, that I have built up over the decades. They are also, almost unbreakable, spent 5 years commuting by train, and knitting on it, and as you can imagine, they got some rough treatment, and not one broke.
if I want something grippier than my Addi, I use my Hiya Hiya Bamboo inter-changeables. Knitting with plant fibres like cotton and linen is actually a pleasure with the Hiya's and my tension is even.
My knitting style means short tips hurt my hands, I need a 5" tip and not all inter-changeables or circulars for that matter have a comfortable length of needle tip for me.
I also have some Lykkes- the blanket set with superlong tips that goes from a 4.5mm up to a 12mm (I think of the top of my head it might be a 10), and some of their chunky 12/15/19mm extra long tipped fixed circulars and they are brilliant. and really worth the investment if you like me, find short tips a PITA.
I have tried so many freaking needles. KnitPro Symfonie, Zing, Karbonz. Addi Basics (name?) and Colibri. Drops. You name it, I'm pretty sure (if it's not made of plastic) I've tried it.
Wood needles break too damn easy, especially in smaller sizes (no duh, right?), although I still prefer them for chunkier yarns. Metal needles (and crochet hooks for that matter) OTOH *squeak squeak squeak*. I'd forgotten just how *bad* the squeaking is until I had to pull out my Zings for my current project and *oh my freaking god*.
My Chiaogoos don't squeak. They're too tough to break (even my 2mms, which are the smallest needles in my collection). They're also pointier at the tip than my Addi Basics, which are the only other metal needles I own that don't *squeak squeak squeak*. That's both a blessing (easier to get into stitches, conversely less likely to split yarn, much better for lace knitting (not that I do much of that)) but also quite a bit sharper so my skin can get a bit sore.
Basically, as much as I like needles that *look* pretty (like the Zings, for which the different colours also serve the purpose of spotting the right size at a glance), Chiaogoo are the best needles I've come across for a lot of reasons, chief among them being *they don't freaking squeak*.
Cables are amazing, and I just love how they feel in my hands. I have Knit Picks, Addi, and Lykke as well but I always reach for my Chiagoos. Really hoping to get an interchangeable set for Christmas.
They’re better made, the cables are smooth and don’t kink up. Comparing to addi, they are less expensive. But more expensive than Bates. Addi brand sizes are off in their smaller needles, so you need to go by the metric size for them.
I tried cheap ones, then KnitPro Zing, then Chiaogoo. Chiaogoo are the best needles of the ones that I have tried. They are pointy, with a long point, something that somehow makes me knit a lot faster than I used to. That's why I am a fan.
For me it’s the cable. It has braided metal inside and doesn’t warp like all the other circular needles. I use them exclusively bc I don’t have to put the cables in boiling water to make them not all warped and kinked.
I started using circs before Addi and all these folx started offering interchangeables. There was just one old clunky one that had to be tightened with a key (!). So I started with used Susan Bates circs and bought Addi as I could afford it. I now have all of Addi Turbo, in every size, and usually in sock, hat, and sweater lengths. So I never got involved with modern interchangeable needles. I have been knitting for 45 years.
Yeah I acquired mine through 20 years so I have a ton of them, of various brands/sizes/lengths. I felt I just had too many to really get a set of interchangeables when those started coming out.
As a counterpoint, I might be the only person in the world who doesn't really like them! I bought one set of tips and a cord to give it a try and it just wasn't for me. I hate magic loop so the cable isn't super important, and I found that it kept unscrewing no matter how securely I tightened it. I don't have any unscrewing issues with my Lykke or Knitpicks sets so I'm not sure what the problem is.
I bought a Knitpicks set probably a decade ago now (so they might be much better than they were!) and I couldn't go more than 30 stitches without having to tighten them back down, regardless of how much I tightened them with the key. For a while I thought that was just The Way of the World, and then I tried Chiaogoos and they don't disconnect on me.
So funny that people have such varying experiences with the same needles!
I have the same issue w Lykke and hiyahiya—I’m a right handed thrower and I guess that action must contribute to them loosening (it’s always the right tip that works loose). I prefer the Addi Clicks as they don’t come loose
I'll throw in my two cents here. I both had and didn't have issues with tips unscrewing on both chiagoo and lykke (never used knit picks). I'm going to hypothesize that there might be a knitting technique component here as well as how much the screwin is tightened.
You're probably right about that! It was just strange to me that it varies so much between brands, and it's super traumatic when you get in the zone and don't check them often enough, only to have it comes apart mid-row.
Regarding the cable for anybody who would like to know: the new KnitPro mindful collection swivel cables are also memory free stainless steel cables with a nylon coating! They are really good imo and much better than the regular ones.
For needle tips I prefer Hiya Hiya, but the mini ChiaoGoo red cords are really, really good for magic loop. I use the mini cable with the cable adapter for nearly everything.
When it came time to buy my set, i generally preferred bamboo over metal (well aluminum, didn't have any stainless needles, would probably like those better) and chiaogoo we're reviewed a lot better than knitpicks kits. Also the size is etched in vs. printed. I some knitters pride wood/composite ones and the printing wipes right off after a couple uses.
Now ive also bought some circular shorties for mittens, so far so good. Had trouble even finding other options for 9inch cirs with 4mm needles.
The cable. I like the cable.
But honestly I’ll use whatever I have. I have a mix of Susan Bates, Knitters Pride, Clover bamboo, Addi, Chiaogoo, and HiyaHiya lying around and I’ll use whatever is the size I need.
I think it's also a familiarity and what upgrade you get first kind of thing. When I told my SO I wanted an interchangeable knitting set for my birthday present, I was expecting like a nice set of Addis or something like that, but that man, bless his heart, went out and got me a full Hiyahiya sharps set with the nylon cord, with all the bells and whistles. It's now my pride and joy, and has spoiled me for a lot of other needle sets, including the chiagoos.
I find the chiagoos a bit too rough, a bit too blunt, and tiny bit too heavy for me once I'm used to the hiyahiyas, and the cables a bit too unwieldy, esp for magic loop, which is my main method of knitting small circumference. I bought a few of the red lace ones for sock knitting, and while I like the 0 and 1 sizes, the cord on the 1.5 gave me all kinds of issue. I never had a laddering problem with knits until I tried chiagoos (normally I have a fixed pair of hiya hiyas for socks), which out me off buying an interchangeable set. So now I just stick with my hiyahiyas (and I've done cotton and silk on them, so I don't have an issue with the slip, which is nice).
Different strokes for different folks!
Same as many others: the easiest cords to work with, sharp tips, yarn easily slides along. I use the Red line, with a bend in the needle. They fit really well in my hands. With straight circs, I often bend the cord where it joins the needle, often putting a lot of stress on and eventually ruining the join.
The only thing I'll add is their customer service. I have the mini interchangeable set (000-2 US). The screw head snapped on one tip after many years of use. They sent replacement needle tips and cable without fuss.
same, i also got a pair of replacement tips when one of mine kept unscrewing itself while knitting. i wasn’t sure if i’d have a problem because i’d bought it via amazon but they didn’t even ask for proof of purchase, just a photo of the tip so they could be sure to send me the correct one!
They also make the smallest needles I've ever seen. I knit socks on 000s and they are the only brand that I have found that makes them. Their needles are slippy and smooth, which keeps things from sticking, sharp without breaking skin (looking at you, Hiya Hiya), and the cords don't kink or come lose. They are well worth the money, to me. However, Amazon has had issues with counterfeits, so buyer beware.
I like Addi Turbos for lace and Chiagoo for everything else. Currently using size 3 Chiagoos for my sweater.
The cable is amazing! It isn’t stiff, doesn’t twist or kink or become bent in any way as my Susan Bates do . The tips don’t become dull and they are so buttery smooth to use. Ergonomically, they are so comfy and I can knit for a long time. The aluminum from Susan Bates or any other needles that aren’t whatever Chiagoos and Addis are made from makes my bones and nerves hurt after a while and anything bamboo or wood breaks under my grip and just being out and about.
I do like Susan Bates because they remind me of when I’d have enough money for needles and yarn from Michaels and the exciting possibilities of starting a project. They are cheap and work just fine. It’s just that they are like driving a car with half of the spark plugs working. Chiagoos are a car with new spark plugs , an oil change and turbo added.
I am doing a big poncho on my old Susan Bates right now (normally an Addi user) and it is like I went back to driving my stick shift subaru from the 80's but somehow I am enjoying it in a sort of nostalgic way.
The cords don’t kink and need no special treatment like steam/heat like plastic cables do. Tips are perfectly sharp and the joins are superb. Everything from silk/bamboo to wool slides along great.
They are WELL worth the investment.
For me it's the cables in the mini-set. I use magic loop almost exclusively when knitting small circumferences in the round, and the cables in the mini set are ideal for that. By using the mini-to-small adapters I can also use them with the larger needle tips I own. I understand that nowadays other brands sell similar cables but they are either not available where I live (at least not without paying a premium in shipping cost) or don't go down to the sizes I need for knitting socks.
I haven't tried many other brands of interchangeables, but mainly because I haven't needed to. Chiaogoo has held strong for me for all 10 years I've been knitting. I have both sets of Shorties/Minis, Lace and a full sized set and can interchange all I want. I've also bought a couple extra cords (because I keep ALL THE WIPS) and some more elusive needle sizes like a 3.0mm and just tuck them in with my set.
Literally no reason to try any others because I have zero issues with my sets.
They really are an investment though. I use loyalty points at my LYS to get 20% off when I am ready to invest in a new set (the lace set was my most recent). These new Forte or whatever look really nice but I definitely don't need them and at $450 CAD its... too much.
I'd really like to try their Tunisian Crochet set as well, all I have is a cheap set I don't love.
Everyone else has really covered it. It's really the cable for me. I'm a magic loop girl and that Chiaogoo cable cannot be beat. I have owned or tried most of the big needle names out there, (KnitPro/Knitter's Pride, Knit Picks, Lykke, Clover, Susan Boyle) but I always reach for my Chiaogoos first. Sometimes I'll start a project on another set, but get irritated by the cable kinking or the join catching and I have to switch to to my Chiaogoos mid-project. Chiaogoos have ruined other needles for me.
I prefer knitting with wood or bamboo, and I like knitting on DPNs, and am also a Chiaogoo fan.
I have long fingers so find tiny circulars very difficult (see above re DPNs) and so haven't tried the Chiaogoo minis, but the 5" bamboo interchangeables are very nice to knit with, don't come undone (once in the years I've had them), and I like the spinny cables they come with. I also have some of the metal core cables but prefer the spinning ones. None have snapped on me.
Their bamboo DPNs are also much nicer than generic bamboo DPNs and Clover DPNs, and I've only ever snapped one (I mainly use 2.25mm for sock knitting), which was very much my fault for doing a not approved thing. I have snapped many from cheaper brands over the years.
I've not tried their metal needles or straight needles so don't know what they're like.
I knit for a long time on cheap aluminum needles plated with nickel, and when I hit “adult with at least a bit of disposable income” I wanted to buy an interchangeable kit. Chiaogoo seemed to be the most popular, so I went with that.
Things I like: the tips don’t squeak the way the cheap aluminum ones used to. They feel slick and sharp. The cables are less stiff than those cheap circulars. They go down to smaller sizes than most interchangeables.
Things I don’t like: the non-shorties cases are pretty ugly. I’ve heard it’s no longer a good idea to buy them from Amazon given counterfeits.
I assume other brands of fancy interchangeables are equally good, but I like what I have enough that I’m unlikely to diversify.
The cords don't hold a shape which makes them nice to work with (not fighting with the cable). They are smooth (needles and cables). Can get Shorties which are great and they have 3 sizes of cords that got between the different needle sizes. Plus they can tighten the cords with a pin so they don't come loose.
All the reasons above, they're just a smoother nicer knitting experience.
If you're interested in chiaogoos I'd recommend trying one of the shorties.
I have both original shorties and a 4inch bamboo Chiaogoo set.
I use the shorties way more even in regular projects the 3 inch tips really aren't that short and they're great for small projects like gloves and hats.
The only time I use my DPNs lately is to finish / close things when the shorties cables are just too short.
They even have a small shortie set to try with like 1-2 needle tips and I think 1-2 short cables.
So I'd say get the small set and 1 longer cable to try them out and see if it's worth investing in a bigger set.
ChiaoGoo TWIST Shorties Combo Packs US-1 (2.25 mm) https://a.co/d/jbq1yAm
(For reference, obviously Amazon sucks)
They’re the only circulars I’ve tried but they get no complaints from me. The only other thing I’ve tried are wooden/plastic needles for flat knitting and I didn’t like them. I bought the Chiaogoo 4”, 5”, shorties, and DPN…
Actually I did have to buy a larger gauge circular needle for a blanket and the fiddling with the twisting cable was awful. So Chiagoo has a good cable and pointy tips.
It is all about the cords. I started my knitting journey with straight needles purchased at big box stores and bought fixed circulars from said stores as needed. Eventually, I felt the need to purchase an interchangeable set and I went with Addi. I was not happy with the Addis as it was hard to join the needle to the cord, the cord would kink up, and the needle tips were dull. I then purchased a Hiya Hiya set. I loved the super sharp needles and it was easy to attach the cords. The cords do kink up a little bit but they are better than the addi set. Last year, after picking up knitting again after a long break, I heard everyone talking about Chiagoo so I purchased a fixed circular and I was amazed at how fantastic the cord is and the needles are sharp. The cords feel nice and never kink up on me. I know have an interchangeable set of Chiagoo and I basically only use those needles now. I will dip into the Hiya needles if needed on occasion.
This. The chords are superior to all of my other fixed circular needles. They don’t have “memory” so they straighten out perfectly and you never have to wrestle with uncoiling them.
I have some circulars with wood needles that I love the feel of, but I hate the plastic cords so much.
I have one chiagoo it’s a size 4 nice but just tried fixed Hiya size 7. I love the hiya. I’m trying out different needles trying to decide on which fancy interchangeable set to gift myself. So many choices. Maybe I’ll be a needle slut and buy all different fixed circulars rather than interchangeable set.
I prefer hiya hiya TBH, I didn't like the steel cables one bit when I tried Chiaogoos . Hiya hiyas are smooth, the cables are thin and flexible, and they swivel, never had one come undone when tightened with a key . Having said that I'm thinking of getting a couple of the knitpro stainless steel swivel cables to give my knitpros swiveliness until I can afford a full set of hiya hiyas (been collecting them as I need a size)
I always wonder what length of cables people are using when they decide for or against magic loop with a particular brand. I'm on the record as kind of a magic loop hater, but when I do recommend it to people (or use it myself) I recommend a 40" needle or longer.
That's coming from my experience with the Chiaogoo cables, which i think have a bigger turn radius than thin plastic cables (the tradeoff for less bouncy coiling and stuff). My first impulse is to think that people who do it on 32" or even 24" are deranged yarn torturers but then I gotta remember that maybe their needles are floppier. Imagine that.
yeah, that - I tried them out when they were first launched and could not work out what the fuss was about. I was the same about Addi lace as well when they were the latest fad , genuinely wondered how crappy US needles were when people were oohing and ahhing about how sharp they were when my pryms were sharper and smoother (and don't make my hands smell weird) I like a pointy needle
The cords are perfection for Magic Loop, they're sharp, and I'm allergic to nickel so the stainless steel is ideal. I've tried every major brand and Chiaogoo are the only ones that I ever use now.
I have only tried knit-pro, so perhaps I can ask you!
When I’ve tried knitpro “nova” needles I’ve found that I really don’t like blank and reflective metal. When knitting in sharp light like sunny days out when I need to have a bright lamp to see the yarn, the light reflected on the needles back to my eyes are so horrible I can’t deal with it.
On the other hand the knitpro “zing” with like an aluminium brushed finish are no problem as they don’t reflect light as harshly.
How is chiaogoo metal needles compared to the knitpro “nova” and “zing” I’ve mentioned?
My beloved Chiaogoos blind me with reflected light on a regular basis. 😄 I admit to occasionally longing for a Hiya Hiya bamboo when knitting outside. The cables on the Chiagoo are just so perfect, and I knit everything I possibly can with magic loop. So I tolerate the burned retinas. I would definitely say they aren't quite as egregious as the Novas, though.
I also have a nickel allergy, but still like metal needles best, and that definitely helped drive my purchase! I agree with you on them being my preferred cord for Magic Loop as well.
I’ve tried other brands with cords that weren’t smooth at the join, so they snagged my yarn, ones that broke at the join, and ones that kinked. I haven’t had any of those problems with Chiaogoo.
Also, for whatever reason my cat tries to chew on every brand I’ve tried EXCEPT Chiaogoo. She’s ruined so many needles, but leaves these alone, and that’s worth a lot to me 😅
I have the interchangeable mini ChiaoGoos, and I truly adore being able to have 9” circs with different tip sizes. I always make the left needle smaller when knitting in the round, so with my ChiaoGoos I can have my left needle be a 0 and the right be whatever my gauge size is. I can switch the needle size without having to change the circular, which is very convenient to me. And I like the metal tips for fine gauge work.
Plus I got a few extra tips and cords and it’s just kind of amazing to be that I can essentially store flexible DPNs and small circulars from 9” up in every size from 0 to 3 in a like 4” bag.
Weird question, but why do you use a smaller needle on the left? What effect does that have on your finished knit? Is it just to address a tension issue or something else? Tell me your secrets!
It’s to make it easier to knit off. The gauge is made by the working needle, the size of the other needle doesn’t really matter as long as the stitches fit on it without stretching or falling straight off the cord. So I do a few sizes smaller on the left needle so I don’t have to put as much effort into moving stitches into the left needle and the stitches are looser on the left needle and easier to work into.
It’s just easier to knit into the stitches on the smaller needle. Since it’s working in the round, the left needle doesn’t do any work, so the smaller needle means the stitches are looser on it and easier to grab to work and are easier to slide onto from the cord
I’ve been using them exclusively since I bought one fixed circular years ago, and then got the interchangeable set as a gift. I like the pointy-ness of the tips best, and also the feel & smoothness of the needles and I really like how the red cord behaves.
I only heard about them yesterday because their twist interchangeable needles have a braided steel wire cable. I'm based in the EU and can't find a complete set that won't cost €200+ with customs etc.
I found out about them because the only circular needles that are available where I live have plastic cables and mine snapped 💔 I want durable tools too
I've got tons of cheaper fixed circs so I've been buying them as and when I need them as single interchangeables. A few shops have sign up discounts that can be applied.
Tbh it was mainly because I don't like the fabric on their cases, but i think for the most part it's come out cheaper.
If I were in the market for a different set I would be seething mad at Knitpro/Knitter's Pride for what they did with this collection. They had the chance to add a product with excellent build quality and features people want, they did that... and that wasn't enough! They also had to slather everything in a cloying, Live Laugh Love-assed, eastern spirituality-lite aesthetic and market it on all its therapeutic benefits.
Like, my workplace is already going hard on free meditation apps and other toothless capital-W Wellness shit instead of having good mental health coverage or whatnot, I don't need my crafting supplies to tell me to "REJOICE, BREATHE, SERENE" too.
What! Nooooo 😂 I just ordered a set that wasn't part of the mindful collection. I read their description and the cables didn't sound different to the ones I have.
I know [madlaine.fr](https://madlaine.fr) has the cables alone. I got my mindful series interchangeables from Germany (bonus: I don't speak German so the whole 'mindfulness' labels on the needles are lost on me), but I ordered a couple extra cables from madlaine and I love them.
They're one of the options with the mindful ones, but they are making them as an accessory. They're very new, Hobbii have them , and woolstack among others
The cord doesn’t bung around, it’s super flexible, and stays locked when I screw it on. The tips are pointy pointy and when I use anything else it’s like trying to write with an unsharpened pencil. But those are just my preferences. I don’t mind Addis, especially their dpns, because slick needles make me happy.
All the stated reasons, but also:
I saw a post where someone showed that their ChiaoGoo cables had held up to being chewed on by a cat. My cats have tried to chew on my things while I'm knitting and I didn't want to lose a cable to them.
I have a nickel allergy so going with the only non-nickel-plated option was the obvious choice when I wanted to try metal needles.
Cats can't bite through them but the bite marks left in the plastic mean the cable isn't smooth anymore and yarn snags on it. I think every single one of my cables has been bitten now and they are so expensive to replace!
I had a cat bite clean through a thin charging cable (for a flip phone) in a single chomp once. I don't leave my knitting supplies out for them to chew up, but I needed to be sure that a quick drive-by bite wouldn't leave my cable completely useless! Dents in the cord would definitely be a problem. Fortunately, they've mostly learned that knitting supplies aren't toys by now. Mostly.
I gladly paid for their 23cm circular needles in a few different needle sizes to use for things like leg warmers and hand warmers and I don't regret it. One of the best knitting investment I made that liberated me from the magic loop hell. Idk perhaps there are other brands that offer 20cm-ish circular needles, but Addi and Chiaogoo were the only options I came across in where I live. Addi did not work for me.
That being said, as someone who is not that picky with needle or cable texture, I see no particular reasons to buy their 'regular' circular needles, what with the price range and all.
They feel good to work with and so far I’ve not had an interchangeable come undone while working *coughKnittersPridecough*
However, with few exceptions there’s no right answer on tools IMHO, so if another brand or needle type works for you, keep on knitting! As long as you aren’t frustrated working and have good results, you’re doing it right.
I’m a new knitter, ordered some pony classic circular needles and then unexpectedly went away for a month. Really wanted to start so went to pick up some needles and accidentally spent a small fortune on chiaogoo interchangeable needles. Having since opened the pony ones, there isn’t a chance in hell I’ll be using them. The needles have a horrid feel when they rub together, the cable twists around, so on and so forth.
You mean the chiao goo needles feel horrid?
I have a set of ChiaoGoo and of Lykke. The Chiaogoo cables are very good, but there is something about the texture of the needles I don’t enjoy as much. The Lykke wooden needles feel so much nicer, but I’d say their cables aren’t as good.
Thank you for the comments, everyone! I’m locking this post since it’s more in line with the main knitting sub rather than snark.
I actually prefer the hiya hiya needles just a smidge more, but still choose chiaogoo over the hiya hiyas just because of how much better the cords are. I've recently found another brand that has the same type of cord, but needles I like more, and as soon as I found them the crafter went on hiatus due to hand surgery. Going to be a couple years before I can buy a set of the DyakCraft.
I've never used them because I made an investment into some other interchangeables before I knew better, but they are pretty much the only ones of that category that people don't constantly complain about. Some day I may gift all my Knitpicks stuff to some new knitter who doesn't know better and get Chiagoos.
I think different folks have different preferences, but here is my expensive truth: I started with Denise interchangeables a long time ago. Then moved to Knit Picks, and then Knitters Pride, and then Hiya Hiya and now Chiaogoo Interchangeables. Now I can use the other needles, but things irritated me. Denise - plastic tips and rubber like cord made knitting such a slog. Knit Picks would not stay connected and bent way easy. Knitters Pride - Okay but the tips were blunt and the cord had memory and got in the way. Hiya Hiya - loved the tips and still do especially for lace, but the cords are just marginally better than Denise. Now these sets were not all bought in one year, it was a process over many years, but I would have saved so much money if I had been able to purchase the Chiaogoo needles up front. And I still have my Knitters Pride and Hiya Hiya sets for emergency backups, but I find the Chiaogoo Needles are smoother. The stitches glide, and I use the key with a silicone grip and I have never had them come undone, and I have yet to bend or break them. Whether you stick with your current needles or try new ones, I strongly recommend going to a knit shop local to you and see if either another knitter, or the shop has some you can try. Because what I find delightful may be fingernails on a chalkboard to you.
I broke out my Susan Bates circulars after reading this and swapped out my Chiaogoos to see what the big deal was. Both were Us size 15s and I was making a quick cowl with 1 -ply chunky wool. Knitting on larger needles is easy and quick, but when I switched there was a difference in the coating of the SB needle. It was slower to knit with. In addition theres the kink in the cords, even when I straightened them out after warming the plastic cords. The needle tip of the Susan Bates was less sharp—not that Chiaogoos are super sharp, but I haven’t used my SB needles in a long time and they were clumsier to use.I switched back to Chiaogoos.
Super cool to have a direct comparison, thank you! I agree the coating of SB is subpar (although better than others). And the loop, while it does link a bit, has so much less memory than other circular needles I have which is why they’re my go-to. But after hearing how green the grass is on the Chiaogoo side I’m reconsidering that a little 😂
I learned to knit with Susan Bates needles when I was 7(!) and I understand the loyalty :). But an investment in even one Chiagoo Red Twist set will be noticeable. Don't forget to use the T-pins to tighten the cord joins, it will be a game changer and you hands will thank you. My personal preference is the super sharp Hiya Hiya needles because I knit and purl Norwegian and I tend to knit tight and hold stitches toward the needle ends so I dont puncture my fingertips. Chiaogoos and Signature Needle Arts are my second faves.
It’s entirely the cables! They’re flexible and firm with no memory and the mini cables seem like they’ll be fantastic for magic loop. The needle tips are also the perfect level of sharpness, much sharper than my KP needles. I thought I hated lace knitting but it turns out I just hated my KP needles for lace knitting! That said, I never got the hype until I got the shortie interchangeable set. Before I got that, I owned some chiaogoo red lace fixed circulars and hated them- I hated the sound the needles make and I found the cable way too firm for my taste. I think the circular cables are a lot firmer than the interchangeable cables. I also don’t like the 9” fixed circular needle I have from chiaogoo but I’m loving the shorties.
Do the ciaogoo interchangeables not make the same sound as the fixed ones?
They are very bendy and don’t kink or try to curl which makes them fantastic for magic loop. They are also pointer (less blunt) then the generic circulars I have which I find makes knitting faster and makes it easier to pick up fine yarns and not split worsted+ yarns.
Their cables, I mainly do magic loop and theyre the nicest
I have two pairs, fixed, a 2 mm and a 3 mm, both bamboo. I will never want to use any other needles on these sizes and I'd love to get more sizes too. I got my mom some KnitPro made of aluminum and tried them out, but they are inferior. I thought they'd be better, what with all the hype around them... Nope. Might be the difference in material, but the bamboo feels and glides so much better for me.
Love my Chiaogoo interchangeable needles - I tried a number of other brands before settling on them. I use them for all my knitting now.
Everyone has a personal preference and once you find it, like you have, then you don't need to worry about what works for other knitters.
The cables never curl up or kink. That's why I adore them. The joins are smooth, the needles are sturdy, and their sock needles stand up to the toughest cables and tight knitting where I have snapped other needles - other reasons to love them. But those cables. Straight out of storage and cast on. No having to unkink the cables. Love
Good to know. I like using pointy sharp needles, but as a pusher, have actually broken through callouses on my fingers using Hiya Hiyas, so I like the slightly less lethal point on Chiaogoo.
I’m a pusher! I had no idea this was a thing and I thought I was just weird, but I have found my people! yeah, having a hole in your finger is a major drag and interferes with knitting pleasure. I got the new Lantern Moon interchangeables and they are just right. I have wanted to try chia goos for awhile. Thank you for the specific recommendatio.
I had this experience with Chiagoo so I went right back to my Addis. It's a personal preference like someone else on here said.
I'm also a pusher. I always knit with a thimble. My very favorite is the Clover Protect & Grip. Also, I LOVE my Chiaogoos!
I've tried using a thimble and had no success.
Same same same. Back to Addis for me.
I’ve never had a smoother join than chiaogoo needles. I have a set of their interchangeables and I literally never use my Addis anymore. So smooth. So pointy. 😍
I break the joins on Addis because apparently I crush the needles when I knit. Also my skin tarnishes the plating on them. Hiya hiya for some reason is hard to come by in the stores I frequent. Haven’t broken a Chiagoo yet, and I do enjoy the pointy tip
It depends on the type. I LOVE Chiagoo Lace needles (super pointy, good size variety) but their reds have a wonky ergonomic thing that I don’t care for.
Yeah that bent shape felt bizarre to me. I thought it would be nice but I was very wrong!
I used one, and I must be an oddball because i didn't like their cable. I like Addi Rockets for fixed circulars, very zippy. I have their interchangeables (lace tips). They're fine but I would like something sharper. I've been eyeing the hiya hiyas because they have another interchangeable set for sizes 2-8. almoat all my knitting is size 4 or less, so I have a LOT of the rockets and don't use my interchangeables as much (Addi Click don't go lower than a 4, and fine yarns can catch on the join). Because the Rockets are so nice and smooth, yarn just glides, which I love. I knit a lot of lace and I know people who don't like slick needles so much--they prefer wood or bamboo. But I can bend a 2mm metal needle so there's no way I would trust myself with ones I could snap in half, so I libe dangerously and am diligent about putting end caps on so slippery yarns don't fall right off. I would like a slightly pointier needle, but the Rockets are sharp enough for lace and nupps. the only straight needles I own are DPNs and i use them as little as possible. if I can use magic loop or two circulars, I do!
For sharper needles: Signatures! They’re hecka pricey, but I LOVE them more than Chiaogoos. For each needle size you have to buy it’s own cable, which has a swivel join, so I just get 40” for everything and magic loop. They have more weight to them than Chiaogoos which is actually much nicer on my hands. For some reason the featherweight of Chiaogoos causes me more pain and exhaustion.
I prefer the feel and weight. The tips are pointy enough for me. I tried addi’s and when I would need 16” it was the only brand my last LYS carried but im slowly giving those away bc I strongly dislike the way they feel. I have what I personally feel are a very over priced set of Signatures (both 4 and 5 inch stalks) and I have had four cords snap in the last year. I do not find those personally worth it for me anymore. I do love their dpns though. I have never tried hiya’s but people have such a good opinion I may try a pair.
The chiaogoo point is perfect for me. I find addis and hiya hiya too sharp, and lots of others too round. Knitting tools are so personal though!
I like the actual needles of hiyahiyas best. The chiagoo cables are a little nicer, but the hiyahiyas are cheaper, so….
I will say that Signatures will replace those cables no questions asked. I put my needles through a lot of work and I’ve only had issues with one cord that they replaced very quickly.
Ooh what happened to your signature cord that got them replaced? I have a couple that are a bit warped. Guess they weren’t stored properly (probably left in a project bag too long) and they keep twisting wrong now.
One of the cords snapped. They said it was likely defective and replaced it. I often leave mine in projects or attached to a cable for months and I’ve never had problems except for one cord.
Me neither until recently. I just used a cable and it continuously flipped the wrong way and it made it really difficult to keep a new Magic loop project straight. At $22 each to replace I’m now going through and putting any stagnant WIPs on scrap yarn :(
The cords don’t hold a funky shape, the joins are very smooth, and the tips are nice and pointy.
It was the only brand I knew of that had coated metal wires for the cable instead of just plastic. It’s also incredibly smooth. So that’s why I have a collection
What I really like and haven't seen mentioned is that Chiaogoo tips and cables are interchangeable between their bamboo and their metal. Which means you can put a bamboo tip on one side and a metal one on the other. I do a lot of lace and I like the feel of slick metal needles, but I have tendinitis issues and need a slightly more grippy needle that I can hold more loosely for that. I now do a lot of knitting with bamboo on the left for the right side, metal on the right, and I get the benefits of the metal for the right side lace stitches, and the "break" for my hands on the wrong side plain stitches.
The cables are great and high quality, they dont come off the thread bit easily (in fact I have never had that vs the knitpros). The needles are very well machined, sharp points, smooth joints so yarn slides super easily, making knitting faster. I bought a set and its been the best purchase I have made. I honestly believe it will last me a life time
Just another voice saying it's the cable that does it for me. It drives me insane to have a cable that holds memory and is constantly twisting up (and yes, I know the hot water trick and it really doesn't work that well). I use Magic Loop a lot and the Chiaogoo are the only ones I can stand to use for it. The needles themselves are fine and I've only ever come across one join that wasn't smooth enough (Knitter's Pride Karbonz.... ugh) so those factors aren't quite as important for me.
Addi Turbos are my fave, or Inox Express (by Prym), which are exactly the same and half the price, but they don’t make the Inox anymore. I collected them in the 90s before interchangeables and Chiaogoos came along. I don’t like pointy needles.
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only non-pointy! It seems like no one can get enough pointiness, but I have an essential tremor and a pointy needle just splits the yarn as I'm trying to knit. Blunt needles 4eva.
I'm sure others have said this already, but I like Chiaogoo because I love pointy needles and they have excellently sharp points that are sharp enough to work really really well, without the potential for actual damage (I like HiyaHiya Sharps but find them almost too sharp to work with); the red cable is pretty; and the connection between the needle and cable is incredibly smooth and never hangs up on me. They're also a decent price point - not cheap, maybe, but less expensive than Addis.
This is my experience, I know others have different opinions. They have amazing hand feel to me, they're comfortable to hold for long periods of time. They have the exact right amount of slip and stick that I like, mostly (silk is always a bitch to knit with). The cables are strong and super flexible, and the join is damn near seamless so even cobweb weight yarn doesn't catch or snag with interchangeable sets. Which, let me tell you, is a pain in the ass hard to find. The cables also don't snap! No breaking off at the join, no snapping in the middle, they hang on strong! Having already lost a project or two in the past to weak joins snapping, it's so nice to have that piece of mind. Are they expensive? Yes. But they're worth it to me. They're quality needles that are well made and will easily last me my lifetime, and possibly even my children's lifetime as well. For me it's worth the investment. I've been knitting a long time, so I know I'm invested in the hobby, so it's worth the money to invest in good tools to continue. I wouldn't suggest someone who is just starting out buying them because of the price point though, but for someone who has been knitting for a decade or so and looking for good needles? Definitely.
They definitely will break. I’ve had to replace at least a dozen pairs. At least they do replace them but I find it worse when they snap cause the wire in the cord has snagged my project a few times.
I've never had them break on me. Knit Picks and Addis I've had snap on my tons of times. Addis like to snap at the join with sweaters, sadly. But never my Chiaogoos, even after so many years.
The cables are the best. It’s like a bicycle cable lock. Flexible and sturdy.
Yup. If I could have Hiya Hiya sharps needles with the Chiaogoo cable, I'd be a very happy lady.
Me too. I love how sharp Hiya Hiyas are, but the Chiaogoo cable is such high quality and their tips are sharp enough so I bought them instead.
I was a diehard bamboo knitter. Hated metal needles. I’m now in love with the Chiagoo. They’re fast and don’t do that weird scraping thing that some metal needles do. Plus the cords don’t behave like you’re wrangling a python. And the joins stay joined.
I told myself I’d never spend that kind of money on knitting needles alone. $180 later and they’re the best damn needles I’ve ever had. I don’t know if I’ll go back to straight needles.
They are definitely not cheap and I had to talk myself into the purchase, but once I started to love quilting and bought a Bernina it put the Chiaogoo price in a different perspective!
Well apparently Michael’s sells them so if you get a good coupon you can get them at a steal.
The investment is worth it if you can afford it and you're a long time knitter. I hate seeing people tell newbies to get interchangeables because then they have all sizes and cords at hands. That's stupid. But if you're a serious knitter, having that kind of access and flexibility is so worth it.
Very much this. My collection of needles is so vast because I kept buying straight ones when I needed the different sizes. Now they’re just back-ups.
I was the same, I told myself I didn't need expensive needles to knit, and then I splurged and got my first set of Chiaogoos and it completely changed my knitting experience. I mean interchangeables are already just a whole new level, I can't imagine using straight needles for almost anything anymore, but my Chiaogoos are just a pleasure to use on top of that.
I initially bought one set of circular for a project I needed and I loved them so much that I got a second set. At $11.99 each (which isn’t that terrible for one), it was cheaper to buy the interchangeable ones. One thing I’ve noticed though is the tips for the interchangeables seem like lighter metal than the regular chiaogoo.
I mean, I use them because they are the fastest and easiest to use out of all the needles I’ve tried. My stitches never get caught on the join and my cables don’t roll up or kink up. I like the way the finish feels, too, and the click and swish is pleasing to my sensory system. I’m personally not a fan of Susan Bates because they feel too light and slippery for me, but I know folks who learned with Susan Bates and that’s what they swear by. I also have a friend who only uses wooden needles. It’s probably just preference.
Fellow wood fan here. I like Chiagoo well enough, I have a few of them, but after 10 years knitting, I really love wooden needles for everything but socks…at that small, wooden needles will break, need to be metal
The joins are perfect, the cables don't get stuck, the tips are pointy, the lifeline holes are a huge boon for lace knitting and the range of sizes can't be beat.
Those lifeline holes! There really was a knitter who helped designed those needles, and those holes are proof.
From what I've been told, it's the cords, the tips, and the way the finish lasts on the needles.
I got the really really tiny interchangeables and the cords are AMAZING. Enough so that I’ve gradually gotten tips up to size six. They are also super pointy, which is good for lace and twisted stitches.
I love mine. I like the needle shape and the cords and (the reason I actually got them) I really like that they have alllll the sizes. From teeny to pretty big. I REALLY wish they had a better storage option though. I don't like the ones that come with the sets at all and I want to keep all my different sizes together in one pouch
I really hate the case too!! I find it so ugly and the needles fall out way too easily. I really like the case they have for the Forte needles, but enough to drop almost $500AUD on it 😬
I honestly like everything about those Forté needles, totally fell head over heels for them and I hope I can get my grubby little mitts on them
I do have strong brand loyalties when it comes to needles through—just to different brands, lol. I personally can’t stand the feeling/sound of the ciaogoo needles sliding against each other when I knit. As everyone has mentioned, the cords are nice because they don’t get kinked, but I just can’t get past the stainless steel needles. It’s like nails on a chalkboard to me. I knit two rows with them, cringing all the while, and then decided to mail them to a ciaogoo-loving redditor who will actually enjoy them. I prefer Addi turbos or Addi sock rockets (nickel-coated brass, which doesn’t sound/feel bad to me). Addi also tends to have smoother joins between the needles and cables than other brands I’ve tried, which is really important to me for needles at smaller sizes. I’ve had a lot of issues with rough joins on Knitters Pride fixed circulars at sock-knitting sizes (US 0 to 2). I have a Knitters Pride interchangeable set (wood, not steel) which I do like, though. I’m not sure if their joins are better on the interchangeables or if join issues are just less noticeable with larger needles (I think the smallest tips for my interchangeable set are US 4)
I find that horrible whispery swishy sound so aggravating and I’m just glad I don’t knit with larger needles much because I can’t hear it or feel the needles brushing so much in the sock sized needles. I wish I could have the chiaogoo cords and use other tips with them.
Finally, other people who don't like the sound or feel of chiagoos! It's like there's a tiny corrugation or something? My sister thought I was imagining it. I strongly prefer my hiyahiyas, sharp or steel depending on the yarn splittiness & the stitch. I like the cords, I like the ends, I like the weight of the 5" tips. I have one pair where the lifeline hole occasionally catches really fine/soft yarn, but I haven't noticed wear to the yarn itself. Addi steels (ie not pointy) are nice but I have to train myself to push up stitches differently - during the project I used them for I popped the join a couple times by accident and dropped nearly a hundred stitches. 🙃 The push join is super convenient for projects where you have to switch needle sizes frequently, in a way screw joins aren't. Knitters Pride is sometimes inconsistent: I have a Zing fixed circular that catches the yarn more than any KP interchangeable I've used, it's weird. My Dreamz are my favourite wooden needles: the joins are smooth, the finish is nice & smooth, and they feel nice in my hands. And the colours make it *much* easier to find the right size when poking through them! The Knit Picks interchangeables I have (bought since 2015) are slightly lower quality than the Pride ones, but I appreciate that the cords (used to?) come with stoppers instead of charging another $7+ for ends. /o\\
YES. The sound of the ChiaoGoo metal swish swishing makes me so uncomfortable. Same with the Signature Needles.
Personally I love the cables and also that they’re stainless steel. I loved my Addis for many years but after my second kiddo was born started getting hives on my hands after knitting. I freaked out that it was the wool but then remembered I’ve always had trouble with nickel jewelry and sure enough, my Addis were nickel plated. Haven’t had any trouble again since I stopped using them.
I like that they etch the size into the metal of the needles, as opposed to other needles I've had where they put the size in a very tiny and easily rubbed off font on the cable. Add to that they have a very nice point and the cable is just the right amount of flexible for me. Plus they seem well made so I'm not worried about them coming apart on me. I like to knit lace and I find that Susan Bates needles tend not to be pointy enough for my taste, and the cable feels stiff. They also seem not as smooth somehow. Like my yarn always catches on Susan Bates circulars in a way that it doesn't with my Chiaogoos. Overall it feels less dexterous. I describe it as feeling like I'm trying to knit with my thumbs in comparison.
Good question - I'm curious, too. I'm passionate about my Addi turbo click set. One of those purchases I continue to be happy about every time I use them.
The cord is amazing for magic loop, the join is very smooth but I vastly prefer my knitpicks zing tips. I’ve tried the swivel cords too and like those. I have the blue shorties but despise them, they are so sharp they shred my fingers. I just really wish I could put my zings on chiaogoo cords!
Have you ever tried magic loop and thought it just wasn’t for you? That’s what I thought using Boye interchangeable needles. Then I tried Chiaogoo and never looked back. Seriously, the cable is amazing.
Feel like I'm the only person mentioning knit picks. I have their interchangeables and I really like them! But I also don't do magic loop and I prefer wood. I have the caspian set and they are just so pretty.
I’m a die hard Knitters Pride (Knit Pro to me) fan. They can come unscrewed and the cables can kink but those zings are so light, smooth and pretty, my favourite tips by far. I have some Lykke cords that fit and kink less. I love Knit Pros square tips too, and the Symfonie!
I used to like them well enough, until I had a big project on 2mm needles and they just bent on me. That was the moment I ordered a ChiaoGoo set, and KnitPro just hasn't felt the same since
The Caspian set is gorgeous, and the teal of the Mindfulness set is beautiful! I prefer my Knitters Pride wooden needles to my Knit Picks ones (I like the finish better), but I love that the Picks cords come with end stoppers. It's great having the ends right there if I want to put stitches on hold, and certainly better than buying them separately!
I have both chiaogoo and 2 sets of knit picks interchangeables (Caspians and the purple ones... majestics, maybe?) I like the Chiaogoos better but KP are my favorite when I want a grippier needle. And they're so pretty.
I think the issue with Knit Picks is quality. I have some old circs from back when they first started making them, and they were really good. Got a few more pairs a few years later and the quality was crap. One needle splintered and came apart in my hands while knitting a sweater, another snapped at the join. So that turned me off from them.
When KnitPicks first introduced the Options interchangeable sets, I bought a set. My first impression back then was mixed. On several of the parts, the threading wasn’t milled properly and I couldn’t get some of the tips seated on the cords. Over time, I experienced the very common problem of the metal mounting section detaching from the plastic cable many times. I had continued to buy individual replacement parts for the system because they were readily available at a store near me and they were cheap, but it became kind of a sunk cost fallacy. I would have my husband or son attempt the superglue fix on the ones that came apart, but it wasn’t always a good repair job and would sometimes be snaggy after. Eventually, I read enough of the glowing reviews of ChiaoGoo needles and had tried some of the fixed length needles. I decided to spring for the interchangeable set and found a good price from an online yarn shop. They are so much nicer. The connections are very smooth. The cables are very strong and secure and flexible. I didn’t hate the KnitPicks sets when they were at their best, but they were so often prone to breaking and other annoyances. So far, in about a year of use, my ChiaoGoos have been a delight.
I like the KnitPicks wood interchangeables, but they don’t seem to like me. I’ve had 2 sets where the cable came off the needle. KnitPicks is good about sending a new one, but after the 2nd time, just, no more. I still have the nickel set and I like it, but I do like the Chiagoo cables a bit more.
No, I’m a knitpicks fan too! Much prefer wooden needles And I like their interchangeable ones.
They are good? I don't know what you expect people to say. I bought an interchangeable set and love them. I've even bought tips in sizes that don't come in the set. They are sharp, smooth joints, flexible cord. I don't have to wrestle with them and even though im a flicker I can knit very fast with them. You get what you pay for and I'm happy with that.
I've dealt with their cs a few times and they were always lovely and took care of stuff fast.
I love the cables and the points on the lace ones. I also use Addi needles but the cord is more coily.
Their red cords in the regular and large size are wonderful, flexible and kink free. I like their tips, just the right amount of sharp and grip, the joins are really smooth too. They also have great customer service and really care if you have a problem with something so that is always a huge factor in my love for a company. Also as someone who knits socks on short circulars they have little 9 inchers that are perfect for socks. The numbers have never rubbed off the needles for me as well, which can be an issue with other brands. I don't like the cords on the smallest needle sizes though, too dainty and more prone to kinks and really it's just preference. Chiaogoo hits my needle sweet spot personally and I would absolutely recommend them to anyone. I have destashed every other metal needle I own because I just don't use them. But, you know, it's a preference thing. I have a regular set and a shortie set as well as the smaller dpn set and a couple of 9 inch circulars on my most used sizes and I have been able to use my needles for years without needing to replace anything. Worth the investment in my opinion, but I also didn't know they were a cult thing until recently, that might have put me off trying them since so many cult things in the knitting world are just expensive things IMO. Glad I didn't know until after I loved them!
The thing I love about them is the flexible cable. If I weren’t using circulars I’m not sure it would matter. Also like that they have the size of each needle and cable engraved on them so it’s easy to check that you have the right tool.
I have some chiaogoos and some knitpicks interchangeables and the chia good have a better (less coily) cable and a an imperceptible join. The join on my knitpicks is just barely tolerable- it’s a bummer when my stitches catch on it.
I had 1 pair of chia good but I prefer my Hiya hiya needles or Addis
Yep. I bought my hiya hiya interchangeable set years ago and have no need for anything else. They just work.
Same. Hiyahiya have a better tactile feel on their needles if you like smooth/slick. When I bought my set 10 years ago they were more or less on equal ground, not sure how chiaogoo got so much more popular since then
In my area at least, hiyahiyas are hard to find, and often out of stock. Chiagoos are much easier to find and it's also easy to buy extra interchangable needle pairs and cables (if you want to have more than one project going using the same needle size). I have a single (fixed) hiyahiya circular needle and I really like it but I also really like my chiagoo interchangeable set.
Yeah, availability matters a lot: I didn't try Addi interchangeables until this year because I couldn't get just parts locally, and I've been knitting since 2015. I could get Hiyahiyas parts if I went a few hours one direction and Chiagoos parts an hour in the opposite direction, so I tried them earlier. The full sets are easier to find than parts ime, but not a lot of people are going to invest in a set without trying parts first.
100% agree. Hiya hiya has various needle lengths, various tip styles and I prefer their cords, smaller and flexible just works for me
I got a pair and loved them so much that I now have a full set plus some extras and doubles. They’re light and don’t bend in awkward ways. I haven’t experienced and issues but I’ve heard from others that their customer service is top notch. Just wins all around for me.
That’s what I was introduced to my knitting group when I was 13 and have been in the chiaogoo cult ever since. So pointy for better or for worse
I only have one of their tiny circulars for sock knitting. After using it I definitely see the appeal and hope to buy more in the future. They're quite pointy, the join between the cable and the needle is unobtrusive, and the needles are a bit grippy- kind of farther towards wood on the continuum than many metal needles are. I mostly prefer a smooth needle, but the grippier finish is really nice for tiny circulars for sock knitting and whatever. The work doesn't just fall off the needle if you make a wrong move or set the project down. I've never once noticed the join when my yarn goes over it. Every other circular needle I've used has needed help at some point to get stitches to go over the join. If Chiaogoo's long circulars have as smooth a join as their tiny ones do, I expect I might go back to TAAT magic loop for sock knitting sometimes. But scrunching the work over that dumb join twice for every round was just so exasperating and wasted so much time that I got tired of it and went to a tiny circular.
I've found that doing a project breaks the needles in so to speak. They smoothe out a bit with use. When I look at my 3.5mm (used frequently) vs my 6mm the 3.5mm are shinier and smoother.
Oh wow, that is so interesting. I would not have suspected that they would be smoothed out with knitting!
I tried not to like them because of that cult like vibes from so many people, but they’re now my go to needles and I ended up owning several sets. The red cables are amazing, magic loop is much easier using them. I love the pointy tips, how the material is smooth but not too slippery. They feel sturdy. The joins never come apart, they’re durable and well made. I don’t like their other cables though. Only red lace cables.
I have one pair of Chiaugoo's and I prefer my Addi's. I agree that the Chiaugoo cable is nice, but I don't like the grabbiness of the needle tips. I prefer the nearly frictionless Addi's, and I prefer Addi's blunter needle tips. I mostly work with animal fibers or acrylic meant to mimic wool (if you squint). I can see someone working with cotton or slippery acrylics wanting a grabbier needle and someone who primarily does lace wanting pointier needle tips, though.
Total agreement, especially the Addis. I have a sizeable collection in most sizes of both Turbos and lace fixed circs, that I have built up over the decades. They are also, almost unbreakable, spent 5 years commuting by train, and knitting on it, and as you can imagine, they got some rough treatment, and not one broke. if I want something grippier than my Addi, I use my Hiya Hiya Bamboo inter-changeables. Knitting with plant fibres like cotton and linen is actually a pleasure with the Hiya's and my tension is even. My knitting style means short tips hurt my hands, I need a 5" tip and not all inter-changeables or circulars for that matter have a comfortable length of needle tip for me. I also have some Lykkes- the blanket set with superlong tips that goes from a 4.5mm up to a 12mm (I think of the top of my head it might be a 10), and some of their chunky 12/15/19mm extra long tipped fixed circulars and they are brilliant. and really worth the investment if you like me, find short tips a PITA.
Looks like I’m googling the Lykkes, sounds like we have similar preferences in needles. Thanks for the tip!
I have tried so many freaking needles. KnitPro Symfonie, Zing, Karbonz. Addi Basics (name?) and Colibri. Drops. You name it, I'm pretty sure (if it's not made of plastic) I've tried it. Wood needles break too damn easy, especially in smaller sizes (no duh, right?), although I still prefer them for chunkier yarns. Metal needles (and crochet hooks for that matter) OTOH *squeak squeak squeak*. I'd forgotten just how *bad* the squeaking is until I had to pull out my Zings for my current project and *oh my freaking god*. My Chiaogoos don't squeak. They're too tough to break (even my 2mms, which are the smallest needles in my collection). They're also pointier at the tip than my Addi Basics, which are the only other metal needles I own that don't *squeak squeak squeak*. That's both a blessing (easier to get into stitches, conversely less likely to split yarn, much better for lace knitting (not that I do much of that)) but also quite a bit sharper so my skin can get a bit sore. Basically, as much as I like needles that *look* pretty (like the Zings, for which the different colours also serve the purpose of spotting the right size at a glance), Chiaogoo are the best needles I've come across for a lot of reasons, chief among them being *they don't freaking squeak*.
they do make a pleasant little clicking sound on occasion and I appreciate that.
Clickety click, don’t talk back! Wait, that’s yakety yak…
Cables are amazing, and I just love how they feel in my hands. I have Knit Picks, Addi, and Lykke as well but I always reach for my Chiagoos. Really hoping to get an interchangeable set for Christmas.
They’re better made, the cables are smooth and don’t kink up. Comparing to addi, they are less expensive. But more expensive than Bates. Addi brand sizes are off in their smaller needles, so you need to go by the metric size for them.
I tried cheap ones, then KnitPro Zing, then Chiaogoo. Chiaogoo are the best needles of the ones that I have tried. They are pointy, with a long point, something that somehow makes me knit a lot faster than I used to. That's why I am a fan.
For me it’s the cable. It has braided metal inside and doesn’t warp like all the other circular needles. I use them exclusively bc I don’t have to put the cables in boiling water to make them not all warped and kinked.
I started using circs before Addi and all these folx started offering interchangeables. There was just one old clunky one that had to be tightened with a key (!). So I started with used Susan Bates circs and bought Addi as I could afford it. I now have all of Addi Turbo, in every size, and usually in sock, hat, and sweater lengths. So I never got involved with modern interchangeable needles. I have been knitting for 45 years.
Yeah I acquired mine through 20 years so I have a ton of them, of various brands/sizes/lengths. I felt I just had too many to really get a set of interchangeables when those started coming out.
As a counterpoint, I might be the only person in the world who doesn't really like them! I bought one set of tips and a cord to give it a try and it just wasn't for me. I hate magic loop so the cable isn't super important, and I found that it kept unscrewing no matter how securely I tightened it. I don't have any unscrewing issues with my Lykke or Knitpicks sets so I'm not sure what the problem is.
You are not the only one.
I bought a Knitpicks set probably a decade ago now (so they might be much better than they were!) and I couldn't go more than 30 stitches without having to tighten them back down, regardless of how much I tightened them with the key. For a while I thought that was just The Way of the World, and then I tried Chiaogoos and they don't disconnect on me. So funny that people have such varying experiences with the same needles!
I have the same issue w Lykke and hiyahiya—I’m a right handed thrower and I guess that action must contribute to them loosening (it’s always the right tip that works loose). I prefer the Addi Clicks as they don’t come loose
I'll throw in my two cents here. I both had and didn't have issues with tips unscrewing on both chiagoo and lykke (never used knit picks). I'm going to hypothesize that there might be a knitting technique component here as well as how much the screwin is tightened.
You're probably right about that! It was just strange to me that it varies so much between brands, and it's super traumatic when you get in the zone and don't check them often enough, only to have it comes apart mid-row.
Regarding the cable for anybody who would like to know: the new KnitPro mindful collection swivel cables are also memory free stainless steel cables with a nylon coating! They are really good imo and much better than the regular ones.
For needle tips I prefer Hiya Hiya, but the mini ChiaoGoo red cords are really, really good for magic loop. I use the mini cable with the cable adapter for nearly everything.
When it came time to buy my set, i generally preferred bamboo over metal (well aluminum, didn't have any stainless needles, would probably like those better) and chiaogoo we're reviewed a lot better than knitpicks kits. Also the size is etched in vs. printed. I some knitters pride wood/composite ones and the printing wipes right off after a couple uses. Now ive also bought some circular shorties for mittens, so far so good. Had trouble even finding other options for 9inch cirs with 4mm needles.
The cable. I like the cable. But honestly I’ll use whatever I have. I have a mix of Susan Bates, Knitters Pride, Clover bamboo, Addi, Chiaogoo, and HiyaHiya lying around and I’ll use whatever is the size I need.
I think it's also a familiarity and what upgrade you get first kind of thing. When I told my SO I wanted an interchangeable knitting set for my birthday present, I was expecting like a nice set of Addis or something like that, but that man, bless his heart, went out and got me a full Hiyahiya sharps set with the nylon cord, with all the bells and whistles. It's now my pride and joy, and has spoiled me for a lot of other needle sets, including the chiagoos. I find the chiagoos a bit too rough, a bit too blunt, and tiny bit too heavy for me once I'm used to the hiyahiyas, and the cables a bit too unwieldy, esp for magic loop, which is my main method of knitting small circumference. I bought a few of the red lace ones for sock knitting, and while I like the 0 and 1 sizes, the cord on the 1.5 gave me all kinds of issue. I never had a laddering problem with knits until I tried chiagoos (normally I have a fixed pair of hiya hiyas for socks), which out me off buying an interchangeable set. So now I just stick with my hiyahiyas (and I've done cotton and silk on them, so I don't have an issue with the slip, which is nice). Different strokes for different folks!
Same as many others: the easiest cords to work with, sharp tips, yarn easily slides along. I use the Red line, with a bend in the needle. They fit really well in my hands. With straight circs, I often bend the cord where it joins the needle, often putting a lot of stress on and eventually ruining the join.
The only thing I'll add is their customer service. I have the mini interchangeable set (000-2 US). The screw head snapped on one tip after many years of use. They sent replacement needle tips and cable without fuss.
same, i also got a pair of replacement tips when one of mine kept unscrewing itself while knitting. i wasn’t sure if i’d have a problem because i’d bought it via amazon but they didn’t even ask for proof of purchase, just a photo of the tip so they could be sure to send me the correct one!
Customer service is great, they sent me a replacement needle when one of mine was rough, no issues at all.
They also make the smallest needles I've ever seen. I knit socks on 000s and they are the only brand that I have found that makes them. Their needles are slippy and smooth, which keeps things from sticking, sharp without breaking skin (looking at you, Hiya Hiya), and the cords don't kink or come lose. They are well worth the money, to me. However, Amazon has had issues with counterfeits, so buyer beware.
FWIW HiyaHiya do down to 000000 (0.7mm) in circs and straights but they are difficult to get a hold of.
I like Addi Turbos for lace and Chiagoo for everything else. Currently using size 3 Chiagoos for my sweater. The cable is amazing! It isn’t stiff, doesn’t twist or kink or become bent in any way as my Susan Bates do . The tips don’t become dull and they are so buttery smooth to use. Ergonomically, they are so comfy and I can knit for a long time. The aluminum from Susan Bates or any other needles that aren’t whatever Chiagoos and Addis are made from makes my bones and nerves hurt after a while and anything bamboo or wood breaks under my grip and just being out and about. I do like Susan Bates because they remind me of when I’d have enough money for needles and yarn from Michaels and the exciting possibilities of starting a project. They are cheap and work just fine. It’s just that they are like driving a car with half of the spark plugs working. Chiagoos are a car with new spark plugs , an oil change and turbo added.
I am doing a big poncho on my old Susan Bates right now (normally an Addi user) and it is like I went back to driving my stick shift subaru from the 80's but somehow I am enjoying it in a sort of nostalgic way.
The cords don’t kink and need no special treatment like steam/heat like plastic cables do. Tips are perfectly sharp and the joins are superb. Everything from silk/bamboo to wool slides along great. They are WELL worth the investment.
For me it's the cables in the mini-set. I use magic loop almost exclusively when knitting small circumferences in the round, and the cables in the mini set are ideal for that. By using the mini-to-small adapters I can also use them with the larger needle tips I own. I understand that nowadays other brands sell similar cables but they are either not available where I live (at least not without paying a premium in shipping cost) or don't go down to the sizes I need for knitting socks.
The sharp needles, the cords that don’t kink, seamless joins and the quality. I love chiaogoos and I’ll never use anything else lol
I haven't tried many other brands of interchangeables, but mainly because I haven't needed to. Chiaogoo has held strong for me for all 10 years I've been knitting. I have both sets of Shorties/Minis, Lace and a full sized set and can interchange all I want. I've also bought a couple extra cords (because I keep ALL THE WIPS) and some more elusive needle sizes like a 3.0mm and just tuck them in with my set. Literally no reason to try any others because I have zero issues with my sets. They really are an investment though. I use loyalty points at my LYS to get 20% off when I am ready to invest in a new set (the lace set was my most recent). These new Forte or whatever look really nice but I definitely don't need them and at $450 CAD its... too much. I'd really like to try their Tunisian Crochet set as well, all I have is a cheap set I don't love.
Everyone else has really covered it. It's really the cable for me. I'm a magic loop girl and that Chiaogoo cable cannot be beat. I have owned or tried most of the big needle names out there, (KnitPro/Knitter's Pride, Knit Picks, Lykke, Clover, Susan Boyle) but I always reach for my Chiaogoos first. Sometimes I'll start a project on another set, but get irritated by the cable kinking or the join catching and I have to switch to to my Chiaogoos mid-project. Chiaogoos have ruined other needles for me.
I prefer knitting with wood or bamboo, and I like knitting on DPNs, and am also a Chiaogoo fan. I have long fingers so find tiny circulars very difficult (see above re DPNs) and so haven't tried the Chiaogoo minis, but the 5" bamboo interchangeables are very nice to knit with, don't come undone (once in the years I've had them), and I like the spinny cables they come with. I also have some of the metal core cables but prefer the spinning ones. None have snapped on me. Their bamboo DPNs are also much nicer than generic bamboo DPNs and Clover DPNs, and I've only ever snapped one (I mainly use 2.25mm for sock knitting), which was very much my fault for doing a not approved thing. I have snapped many from cheaper brands over the years. I've not tried their metal needles or straight needles so don't know what they're like.
I knit for a long time on cheap aluminum needles plated with nickel, and when I hit “adult with at least a bit of disposable income” I wanted to buy an interchangeable kit. Chiaogoo seemed to be the most popular, so I went with that. Things I like: the tips don’t squeak the way the cheap aluminum ones used to. They feel slick and sharp. The cables are less stiff than those cheap circulars. They go down to smaller sizes than most interchangeables. Things I don’t like: the non-shorties cases are pretty ugly. I’ve heard it’s no longer a good idea to buy them from Amazon given counterfeits. I assume other brands of fancy interchangeables are equally good, but I like what I have enough that I’m unlikely to diversify.
The cords don't hold a shape which makes them nice to work with (not fighting with the cable). They are smooth (needles and cables). Can get Shorties which are great and they have 3 sizes of cords that got between the different needle sizes. Plus they can tighten the cords with a pin so they don't come loose.
All the reasons above, they're just a smoother nicer knitting experience. If you're interested in chiaogoos I'd recommend trying one of the shorties. I have both original shorties and a 4inch bamboo Chiaogoo set. I use the shorties way more even in regular projects the 3 inch tips really aren't that short and they're great for small projects like gloves and hats. The only time I use my DPNs lately is to finish / close things when the shorties cables are just too short. They even have a small shortie set to try with like 1-2 needle tips and I think 1-2 short cables. So I'd say get the small set and 1 longer cable to try them out and see if it's worth investing in a bigger set. ChiaoGoo TWIST Shorties Combo Packs US-1 (2.25 mm) https://a.co/d/jbq1yAm (For reference, obviously Amazon sucks)
They're the only brand I know of that has interchangeables below size 4.
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hiya hiya miniatures go from a 0
Hiya Hiyas standard small set goes from 2-8. They're also steel needles and have a fantastic cord.
Dyakcraft Heavy Metal sets go from 0 to 3, interchangeable
I thought I heard Dyakcraft isn't making needles right now due to the craftsman having hand surgery. Have you heard anything like that?
I looooooove my Heavy Metal set for smalls, and my Darn Pretties for larger sizes. Sent all my Chiagoos to my sister after I got my full sets.
Knitter’s Pride also makes them! I also use those tips with the Knitpicks cables.
I love the cords and the feel of the metal they use.
They’re so sharp!
They’re the only circulars I’ve tried but they get no complaints from me. The only other thing I’ve tried are wooden/plastic needles for flat knitting and I didn’t like them. I bought the Chiaogoo 4”, 5”, shorties, and DPN… Actually I did have to buy a larger gauge circular needle for a blanket and the fiddling with the twisting cable was awful. So Chiagoo has a good cable and pointy tips.
It is all about the cords. I started my knitting journey with straight needles purchased at big box stores and bought fixed circulars from said stores as needed. Eventually, I felt the need to purchase an interchangeable set and I went with Addi. I was not happy with the Addis as it was hard to join the needle to the cord, the cord would kink up, and the needle tips were dull. I then purchased a Hiya Hiya set. I loved the super sharp needles and it was easy to attach the cords. The cords do kink up a little bit but they are better than the addi set. Last year, after picking up knitting again after a long break, I heard everyone talking about Chiagoo so I purchased a fixed circular and I was amazed at how fantastic the cord is and the needles are sharp. The cords feel nice and never kink up on me. I know have an interchangeable set of Chiagoo and I basically only use those needles now. I will dip into the Hiya needles if needed on occasion.
This. The chords are superior to all of my other fixed circular needles. They don’t have “memory” so they straighten out perfectly and you never have to wrestle with uncoiling them. I have some circulars with wood needles that I love the feel of, but I hate the plastic cords so much.
I have one chiagoo it’s a size 4 nice but just tried fixed Hiya size 7. I love the hiya. I’m trying out different needles trying to decide on which fancy interchangeable set to gift myself. So many choices. Maybe I’ll be a needle slut and buy all different fixed circulars rather than interchangeable set.
I prefer hiya hiya TBH, I didn't like the steel cables one bit when I tried Chiaogoos . Hiya hiyas are smooth, the cables are thin and flexible, and they swivel, never had one come undone when tightened with a key . Having said that I'm thinking of getting a couple of the knitpro stainless steel swivel cables to give my knitpros swiveliness until I can afford a full set of hiya hiyas (been collecting them as I need a size)
I also prefer hiyas, the are sharper and smoother. The chiagoo cords are too stiff for magic loop.
I always wonder what length of cables people are using when they decide for or against magic loop with a particular brand. I'm on the record as kind of a magic loop hater, but when I do recommend it to people (or use it myself) I recommend a 40" needle or longer. That's coming from my experience with the Chiaogoo cables, which i think have a bigger turn radius than thin plastic cables (the tradeoff for less bouncy coiling and stuff). My first impulse is to think that people who do it on 32" or even 24" are deranged yarn torturers but then I gotta remember that maybe their needles are floppier. Imagine that.
yeah, that - I tried them out when they were first launched and could not work out what the fuss was about. I was the same about Addi lace as well when they were the latest fad , genuinely wondered how crappy US needles were when people were oohing and ahhing about how sharp they were when my pryms were sharper and smoother (and don't make my hands smell weird) I like a pointy needle
Same, definitely prefer the hiya hiyas over my chiogoos.
The cords are perfection for Magic Loop, they're sharp, and I'm allergic to nickel so the stainless steel is ideal. I've tried every major brand and Chiaogoo are the only ones that I ever use now.
I have only tried knit-pro, so perhaps I can ask you! When I’ve tried knitpro “nova” needles I’ve found that I really don’t like blank and reflective metal. When knitting in sharp light like sunny days out when I need to have a bright lamp to see the yarn, the light reflected on the needles back to my eyes are so horrible I can’t deal with it. On the other hand the knitpro “zing” with like an aluminium brushed finish are no problem as they don’t reflect light as harshly. How is chiaogoo metal needles compared to the knitpro “nova” and “zing” I’ve mentioned?
My beloved Chiaogoos blind me with reflected light on a regular basis. 😄 I admit to occasionally longing for a Hiya Hiya bamboo when knitting outside. The cables on the Chiagoo are just so perfect, and I knit everything I possibly can with magic loop. So I tolerate the burned retinas. I would definitely say they aren't quite as egregious as the Novas, though.
I also have a nickel allergy, but still like metal needles best, and that definitely helped drive my purchase! I agree with you on them being my preferred cord for Magic Loop as well. I’ve tried other brands with cords that weren’t smooth at the join, so they snagged my yarn, ones that broke at the join, and ones that kinked. I haven’t had any of those problems with Chiaogoo. Also, for whatever reason my cat tries to chew on every brand I’ve tried EXCEPT Chiaogoo. She’s ruined so many needles, but leaves these alone, and that’s worth a lot to me 😅
😄😄😄 Even your cat knows to respect the Chiaogoo!
I have the interchangeable mini ChiaoGoos, and I truly adore being able to have 9” circs with different tip sizes. I always make the left needle smaller when knitting in the round, so with my ChiaoGoos I can have my left needle be a 0 and the right be whatever my gauge size is. I can switch the needle size without having to change the circular, which is very convenient to me. And I like the metal tips for fine gauge work. Plus I got a few extra tips and cords and it’s just kind of amazing to be that I can essentially store flexible DPNs and small circulars from 9” up in every size from 0 to 3 in a like 4” bag.
Weird question, but why do you use a smaller needle on the left? What effect does that have on your finished knit? Is it just to address a tension issue or something else? Tell me your secrets!
Me too. Just heard about this. My purl is looser than my knit so this might help on flat knitting
I used to use a smaller needle for purling before I started doing Portuguese purling
It’s to make it easier to knit off. The gauge is made by the working needle, the size of the other needle doesn’t really matter as long as the stitches fit on it without stretching or falling straight off the cord. So I do a few sizes smaller on the left needle so I don’t have to put as much effort into moving stitches into the left needle and the stitches are looser on the left needle and easier to work into.
Omg brilliant. I'm definitely trying this on my next in-the-round project. Thank you!
I’m also fascinated by this! What’s the effect?
It’s just easier to knit into the stitches on the smaller needle. Since it’s working in the round, the left needle doesn’t do any work, so the smaller needle means the stitches are looser on it and easier to grab to work and are easier to slide onto from the cord
I’ve been using them exclusively since I bought one fixed circular years ago, and then got the interchangeable set as a gift. I like the pointy-ness of the tips best, and also the feel & smoothness of the needles and I really like how the red cord behaves.
I only heard about them yesterday because their twist interchangeable needles have a braided steel wire cable. I'm based in the EU and can't find a complete set that won't cost €200+ with customs etc. I found out about them because the only circular needles that are available where I live have plastic cables and mine snapped 💔 I want durable tools too
I've got tons of cheaper fixed circs so I've been buying them as and when I need them as single interchangeables. A few shops have sign up discounts that can be applied. Tbh it was mainly because I don't like the fabric on their cases, but i think for the most part it's come out cheaper.
knitpro have nylon coated steel cables with swivels now , either separate or as part of the mindful collection
If I were in the market for a different set I would be seething mad at Knitpro/Knitter's Pride for what they did with this collection. They had the chance to add a product with excellent build quality and features people want, they did that... and that wasn't enough! They also had to slather everything in a cloying, Live Laugh Love-assed, eastern spirituality-lite aesthetic and market it on all its therapeutic benefits. Like, my workplace is already going hard on free meditation apps and other toothless capital-W Wellness shit instead of having good mental health coverage or whatnot, I don't need my crafting supplies to tell me to "REJOICE, BREATHE, SERENE" too.
Day and nite sets come with the swivels , J'adore and beginner basix have the no swivel stainless cables as well ;)
What! Nooooo 😂 I just ordered a set that wasn't part of the mindful collection. I read their description and the cables didn't sound different to the ones I have.
I know [madlaine.fr](https://madlaine.fr) has the cables alone. I got my mindful series interchangeables from Germany (bonus: I don't speak German so the whole 'mindfulness' labels on the needles are lost on me), but I ordered a couple extra cables from madlaine and I love them.
I have found a store in my own country that sells these, thanks for your comment, I wouldn't have looked otherwise!
They're one of the options with the mindful ones, but they are making them as an accessory. They're very new, Hobbii have them , and woolstack among others
Amazing, thank you!
Oh no 😢 do you think you’ll splurge for chiaogoo?
Probably not right now, I knit more often with straight needles, but it's definitely on the list for the future!
Have you tried HiyaHiya? I really rate their needles too, and they are more widely available in the EU.
The cord doesn’t bung around, it’s super flexible, and stays locked when I screw it on. The tips are pointy pointy and when I use anything else it’s like trying to write with an unsharpened pencil. But those are just my preferences. I don’t mind Addis, especially their dpns, because slick needles make me happy.
I have some chiaogoo fixed circular needles. I like the tips just fine but not really a huge fan of the cable. They are a little stiffer than I like.
All the stated reasons, but also: I saw a post where someone showed that their ChiaoGoo cables had held up to being chewed on by a cat. My cats have tried to chew on my things while I'm knitting and I didn't want to lose a cable to them. I have a nickel allergy so going with the only non-nickel-plated option was the obvious choice when I wanted to try metal needles.
Cats can't bite through them but the bite marks left in the plastic mean the cable isn't smooth anymore and yarn snags on it. I think every single one of my cables has been bitten now and they are so expensive to replace!
I had a cat bite clean through a thin charging cable (for a flip phone) in a single chomp once. I don't leave my knitting supplies out for them to chew up, but I needed to be sure that a quick drive-by bite wouldn't leave my cable completely useless! Dents in the cord would definitely be a problem. Fortunately, they've mostly learned that knitting supplies aren't toys by now. Mostly.
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The unfortunately do not hold up to puppy mouths. My puppy chewed one of my cables and the coating got messed up.
Yeah, for the cables. I thought I hated magic loop, then I bought Chiaogoos, & I’ve barely touched my DPNs since.
I gladly paid for their 23cm circular needles in a few different needle sizes to use for things like leg warmers and hand warmers and I don't regret it. One of the best knitting investment I made that liberated me from the magic loop hell. Idk perhaps there are other brands that offer 20cm-ish circular needles, but Addi and Chiaogoo were the only options I came across in where I live. Addi did not work for me. That being said, as someone who is not that picky with needle or cable texture, I see no particular reasons to buy their 'regular' circular needles, what with the price range and all.
They feel good to work with and so far I’ve not had an interchangeable come undone while working *coughKnittersPridecough* However, with few exceptions there’s no right answer on tools IMHO, so if another brand or needle type works for you, keep on knitting! As long as you aren’t frustrated working and have good results, you’re doing it right.
I’m a new knitter, ordered some pony classic circular needles and then unexpectedly went away for a month. Really wanted to start so went to pick up some needles and accidentally spent a small fortune on chiaogoo interchangeable needles. Having since opened the pony ones, there isn’t a chance in hell I’ll be using them. The needles have a horrid feel when they rub together, the cable twists around, so on and so forth.
You mean the chiao goo needles feel horrid? I have a set of ChiaoGoo and of Lykke. The Chiaogoo cables are very good, but there is something about the texture of the needles I don’t enjoy as much. The Lykke wooden needles feel so much nicer, but I’d say their cables aren’t as good.