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Best Knitting Needles for Beginners in 2022: Buying Guide

Due to various online trends, knitting has recently started regaining its popularity. If you want to try this fun pastime activity, all you need is your hands, yarn, and a pair of knitting needles. The first thing you need to do, as a beginner, is to find the best knitting needles that are comfortable and affordable for you.

A Quick Look at My Favorite Knitting Needles for Beginners

ImageProductFeaturesPrice
Bamboo Knitting Needles Set

Bamboo Knitting Needles Set

9.7
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Coopay Plastic Knitting Needles

Coopay Plastic Knitting Needles

9.5
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CHIAOGOO Stainless Circular Knitting

CHIAOGOO Stainless Circular Knitting

9.1
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Knitter's Pride Bamboo Knitting Needles

Knitter's Pride Bamboo Knitting Needles

8.8
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addi Knitting Needle

addi Knitting Needle

8.6
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Top 5 Best Knitting Needles for Beginners

5. BetyBedy Bamboo Knitting Needles Set

If you are looking for wooden needles, which are the most traditional, most common option when it comes to buying knitting needles, you should check out the BetyBedy Bamboo Carbonized Knitting Needles Set. The reason I put them on this list is that wooden needles are my personal favorite when it comes to knitting. They are made out of carbonized bamboo, which makes them more durable. This particular set is relatively cheap for its great quality. It comes in a pack of 36 pieces with a wide range of sizes.

Wooden needles like this have a great sturdy feel to them, and the yarn doesn’t slide off almost at all. They are single-pointed, just like the plastic knitting needles next on my list, making them an amazing starting point for any beginner. They are simple and easy to use, as they are light and smooth. The drawback is that wooden needles have a blunt tip which results in their lack of precision. Thus, they also slow you down, making the knitting process a bit slower than with, let’s say, metal ones.

Wooden knitting needles are still number one on my list for that exact reason. I recommend buying these bamboo knitting needles for their nice feel and comfort. They are perfect for beginners interested in making DIY sweaters, scarves, socks, or making the perfect handmade gift for your family and friends.

Also read what exactly is ribbed fabric.


4. Coopay Straight Knitting Needles

These knitting needles are very cheap but colorful, and they’re made out of plastic. They come in a 14-piece set of differently sized pairs ranging from 4mm to 10mm. Because these 10-inch knitting needles are made out of plastic, they are very light and perfect for teaching any beginner the basics of knitting for a very low price. This also makes them highly comfortable and easy to use for longer periods of time. They are single-pointed straight needles which means you won’t have to worry about the yarn falling off of your knitting needle. You won’t have any problem telling them apart, as their pretty, unique colors are easy to distinguish.

The pretty colors make them very attractive and eye-catching. Their plastic material makes them easy to hold and use which makes them especially good when it comes to teaching children. They also don’t make a lot of noise and are extremely cheap. However, I would also say this is a slight drawback due to their lack of quality. The fact that they are light, also makes them a lot easier to break in comparison to wooden, and especially metal knitting needles. So, I would say not to expect durability and long-term usage when buying these plastic needles.

That being said, if you are looking for a cheap pair or set of knitting needles and don’t plan on investing a lot of money, this Coopay Straight Plastic Knitting Set of needles is a great option for you.


3. ChiaoGoo Red Lace Stainless Steel Knitting Needles

When it comes to aluminum or metal needles, ChiaoGoo interchangeable set is exactly what you’re looking for. They are circular needles, which means there is a lace connecting two cords at each end. Circular needles are great for knitting flat pieces or knitting in the round for making projects such as sweaters, sweaters, hats, and even mittens.

I think ChiaoGoo is one of the best and most popular brands when it comes to knitting needles. The ChiaoGoo Red Lace Knitting Needles, in particular,r are a fan-favorite. Their best features, according to many knitters, are the pointy tips made out of steel, their smoothness, and the fact that their cable doesn’t tangle. I would say a slight drawback to these needles is the sizing. They don’t follow the standard US sizing. Their price is also slightly more expensive than the aforementioned needles, but reasonably so.

The reason you should buy these ChiaoGoo knitting needles is how slick, and fast they are. Their best feature is undoubtedly their very flexible cable, which doesn’t tangle no matter how many times you loop it.

Despite being made out of stainless steel, they have a much lighter feel than the addi knitting needles, which we’ll be reviewing later. Another great thing is that their TWIST sets are interchangeable, meaning you can change between sizes easily with just one cable.

Also read a blog regarding crochet and knitting


2. Knitter’s Pride Bamboo Knitting Needles

Knitter’s Pride along with addi and ChiaoGoo are some of the most famous brands when it comes to the production of knitting sets. This particular pair consists of single-pointed needles that are made out of bamboo. They have a pretty simple look to them with distinguishable not-too-big dark green stoppers. They are 10-inch-long straight knitting needles that come in size 8.

Their simplistic design makes them a common pick for casual knitting enthusiasts who don’t worry too much about how stylish their needles are. Like all wooden needles, they have a soft, warm feel to them. This pair, however, is made out of smooth Japanese bamboo making it cost about as much as the whole BetyBedy Bamboo Needles 36-piece-set.

If you don’t mind the minimalist look, and want your needles made out of quality Japanese bamboo, Knitter’s Pride Bamboo Knitting Needles are the pick for you.


1. Addi Knitting Needles

These super cute 8-inch knitting needles come in a US size 6. The reason they are on this list is that their sizing is great and I think straight knitting needles are the best starting option for any beginner.

As such, they are obviously single-pointed. What I mostly love about them though, is their adorable heart design stoppers on the end of the knitting needle. They are made out of aluminum, so they have a slick feel to them.

They also have a white coating which easily allows you to see the stitches. Despite being a benefit, this is also my only drawback to them. The coating starts to wear off pretty quickly after consistent usage which could potentially damage the yarn you are using.

These addi Knitting Needles are one of the smaller needles on this list, making them great for any beginner, but mostly for children. Each of the hearts is made in

a different color, so a child would be able to differentiate between the needles to know how to use them properly. They’re very stylish and unique, so they’re not just functionally useful, but decoratively too.

Also, read a tutorial on how to stop your ribbons from fraying


Buying Guide

Size

Knitting needle sizing is usually just proportional to whatever type of yarn you are using. For example, when using lightweight knitting yarn you will need smaller-sized needles, and when using bulky yarn or worsted weight yarn, you’ll need bigger-sized needles.

As a beginner, knitting with larger needles gives a sense of comfort and security. But they should be suitable for the size of the standard yarn you will be using. Thus, medium-sized knitting needles, for example, US size six, seven, or eight (which are 4.0 mm, 4.5 mm, and 6.0 mm , respectively) would be best.

Type

Knitting needles come in three main types: straight needles, double-pointed needles (or DPNs which I’ve avoided in this list), and circular needles. Straight needles are the most common type of needles, and they are the traditional choice. With straight needles, you can only make flat pieces.

DPNs are made to be able to knit in the round and usually come in sets of 5 or 6. One needle is always used as your right-hand knitting needle, and the rest are used to hold your knitting together. Circular needles are used for both knittings in round and flat pieces.

My advice is to hold off on interchangeable knitting needles and circular needles as a beginner. They come in sets and are definitely worth the investment. However, I suggest trying out standard circular needles that aren’t interchangeable first to get a better feel for them and find out what you like. No two knitters are the same, so find what works best for you.

Material

The most commonly used materials for knitting needles are wood, aluminum, or plastic. Even though wooden ones are more expensive, I would personally vouch for bamboo knitting needles for beginners. They are long-lasting and comfortable to use.

A great eco-friendly option is the needles made out of carbonized bamboo, which gives the needles an amber hue and a significant difference in color. For more experienced knitters who care about the speed of their knitting, I recommend aluminum ones. However, this could be frustrating for beginners as the yarn slides off of the needles way faster this way.

Plastic knitting needles, on the other hand, are the least expensive option for beginners and offer the widest range of options. They can be found in any craft store and can be seen as the middle ground between the previous two options. The yarn slides off the needle nicely, but it’s not as slippery and fast as it would be with any kind of metal knitting needle.

Price

The usual price for any knitting pair or set isn’t very expensive. They can easily be found in a craft shop or online in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Price varies according to the type and quality of the knitting needle you are looking for, so if you’re just starting out, you can go for cheaper variants.

This makes knitting an affordable hobby and a very useful one at that. Knitting can be hard to get into, but once you get the hang of it, you can make any type of clothing for your friends and family yourself. If you really enjoy knitting, you could even turn it into something more than a hobby by selling your handmade knit pieces!

Frequently Asked Question

Is knitting difficult to learn?

Knitting isn’t difficult to learn at all. You can learn the basics of knitting in just a few hours. Although the art of knitting isn’t difficult to learn, it definitely takes a lot of patience to master fully.

It takes about 80 hours of practice for you to get really good at knitting, and then you can make all sorts of interesting simple, or intricate patterns of knitwear.

Who is knitting suitable for?

It is a myth that knitting is for old people. It is suitable for all ages. Whether you’re middle-aged and looking for a new hobby or you’re young and need a new way to spend the winter holidays, knitting can be the perfect fit for you. 

What are the benefits of knitting?

You would think knitting is just a fun and creative way to spend your leisure time. However, studies show that it also helps with reducing stress and lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

It can also help strengthen your patience, dexterity, and even your math skills.

Also, read some great ideas to gift to your fellow knitters.

Final Words

Knitting can be hard to get into because a lot of people lack the patience to do so. Nonetheless, knitting can be a very enjoyable activity.

Knitting can also bring people closer together. One of my fondest memories as a child is being taught how to knit by my grandma, even though she had aluminum needles which were honestly pretty frustrating to use for me, especially as a beginner.

That’s exactly why I think finding a good starting pair of knitting needles is crucial to making the best of your new hobby.