I was worried about the flexibility of the cord. I have used the plastic cord before and it is bulky, stiff and awkward to use. The cording on this is flexible and has no memory to it.
I love to use my addi turbos. This set is very comparable to them!
I love ChiaoGoo lace needles. They are the best circular needles I've ever used. They're light weight, nice and smooth so yarn doesn't snag on them and the tips are pointier than other brands so I don't get yarn splitting.
That being said, Amazon should stop placing their inventory tag right over the area of the needle case that gives the size and length of the needle. Most of us knitters keep the needles in the cases for storage. We need to be able to see the size information easily. The tags covering that info are almost impossible to take off. And then they ship them in these new "tear at perforation" mailers that are IMPOSSIBLE to tear open. I've received lots of these mailers and never once have I been able to open them at the perforation. I always have to use a scissors. So much for their "frustration free" packaging
ChiaoGoo has become my favorite needles by far. I knit hats with sock weight yarn and these were perfect.
I have used HiyaHiya needles and the points aren't as sharp as the sharps. They don't split most of my sock yarns. The cable is heftier than my HiyaHiya blue or green cables so there is very little flopping. The stitches slide easily as I'm working so it's helped improve my speed.
The laser size etching is nice but it's kind of like trying to read one of those old thermometers. Mine matched up just right with my gauge tool so I can always fall back on that.
When choosing your needles be sure to check what type of points they have. The lace needles have a longer needle point which is great for finer weight yarns but would be more apt to split dk/sport/ worsted or low twist yarns.
Normally, I use a 42" needle with very flexible cable, for Magic Loop style knitting (replaces four double points.) However, when you are knitting a hat, a 16" circular is the right size for the number of stitches. This needle in size 3 is typically the one called for if you do Fair Isle style knitting a lot, with fingering weight yarn. So I generally need a few of these if I'm doing multiple projects.
The cable has no "memory" meaning any crimp or bend it has during knitting falls away when you release the needle. I find the cables soft and flexible.
I am comparing this needle to an Inox 16" size 3. The nickel is smoother than the enamel on the Inox, and the cable is the more flexible style rather than the old Inox clear nylon cable. I prefer a very flexible cable to a stiff one, so I prefer this needle. This needle compares favorably to Addi Turbos, which have a similar stainless steel needle with a slick finish.
Note to people with nickel allergies: Chiagoo has been reported to cause nickel allergies despite it's being stainless steel. Some stainless steels have nickel. These are not billed as "surgical" steel and so if you are thinking they won't upset you, maybe that's not true. If you have nickel allergies, I'd suggest carbon fiber or casein needles. I wouldn't even suggest wood--as some have metal caps to join to the cable, and those could have nickel. I do not have a strong nickel skin allergy (only in earring posts) so I can't verify that these will irritate you, but I have heard from other knitters that they do cause problems for some people.
Overall I like the needles. The cords on ChiaoGoo needles are very flexible and easy to work with. I do not like the tips of these needles. Very sharp points. I do recognize these are lace needles and lace knitting requires a pointed tip. My feeling is these are too sharp and pointed. I am a continental knitter and the tips scrape my finger as I pull the yarn through. I also feel as if one of the needles is rougher than the other needle creating a bit of a drag (defective?).
Feature Product
- 1 of 16" (41cm) ChiaoGoo Red Lace (Stainless Steel) Circular Knitting Needles, Size US 0 (2mm)
- ChiaoGoo Red Lace circulars are made of high grade stainless steel and come with a bright red, highly flexible, multi-strand, nylon-coated, steel cable allowing your yarn to easily slide end-to-end
- Each item is light weight and durable, precisely machined with satin finish with perfectly tapered tips
- Size is permanently laser etched on each item for added convenience and easy storage
- ChiaoGoo products are mostly made in Hangzhou, China, distributed from Troy, MI (USA) and adheres to the latest environment-friendly manufacturing processes; most products are 100% recyclable
Description
ChiaoGoo Red Lace circulars are made of high grade stainless steel and come with a bright red, highly flexible, multi-strand, nylon-coated, steel cable allowing your yarn to easily slide end-to-end. Each item is light weight and durable, precisely machined with satin finish with perfectly tapered tips. Size is permanently laser etched on each item for added convenience and easy storage. ChiaoGoo products are mostly made in Hangzhou, China, distributed from Troy, MI (USA) and adheres to the latest environment-friendly manufacturing processes; most product are 100% recyclable.
I bought these circular needles to knit a sweater for my little dog. This was my first time using circulars so I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm pleased they've survived knitting four dog sweaters so far. I knit a bit tight so sometimes it was a little difficult to pull stitches onto the tips but it wasn't too much trouble. I was worried I'd pull too hard and break the cable off but they held up nicely. My only complaint is the tips are a little pointy and slightly irritate my fingers after a few hours. Overall I'm happy with my purchase and would gladly recommend these circular needles to any knitter.
The basic logistics of these needles are great. They are sturdy but lightweight and the size is engraved on the needle, which makes them much more easily identifiable than other brands (I'm looking at you, addi!). The cables are great. They never fight me. Joins are smooth. Points are perfect. I can do really fine work and NO SPLITTING! ChiaoGoo Red Lace have become my circular of choice.
I've become a huge fan of the ChiaoGoo circulars thanks to a GridJunkie recommendation. They're less expensive then some of the popular brands and very well made. So far I haven't run into one I've purchased (and I have almost a dozen now) that isn't completely smooth at the joins and wonderful to knit with, no matter the yarn. That has not been the case with the way-too-expensive Addi Turbos that I thought would be "the answer to every knitters dream." NOT. (You can tell I'm still irritated about the money I wasted on Addis with their rough joins.) So this is one product "Made In China" that's impeccable.
Based on the glowing reviews, a bit more cost effective, 'no memory' cord also needing size 5, 16" circulars right away I ordered. I knitted off addi's 20" onto ChiaoGoo's 16" and noticed the difference immediately! The ChiaoGoo's knit smoother and faster due to a sharper point and I think because they are made out of surgical-grade steel, which is very smooth, as opposed to brass coated with addi's . Now I that have the ChiaoGoos's to compare them to, addi's needles kind of scrape against each other and ChiaoGoo's smoothly slide as your knitting. I find them more comfortable, smoother to knit with and I am knitting faster. From here on out when I need needles I will be going with ChiaoGoo.
I often switch between these needles and the Addi's whose needles have a more rounded end. It might depend on how you knit. If you tend to split the yarn as you knit, then go with the Addi needle which makes that less likely. But if that is not a problem for you but picking up stitches is, then I recommend going with this brand which makes things like that easier with a more pointed needle end.
One thing I prefer in this brand is that the needles are more pointed, making easier work of lighter weight yarn and patterns that call for smaller needle sizes. This is now my go to needles for hats! Love them.
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