Comparison of DPNS for all you knitters out there!

 Which Double Pointed Needles are the Best?

Which double pointed knitting needles (aka, DPNS) to choose?? That was a question I asked all the time when I first started using them until, finally, enough time passed that I ended up ordering several different types (ok, pandemic shopping but, still.....). 

This is my review of the needles I have used. Bear in mind, this is just my opinion....your mileage may vary! 

Disclaimer #1: I am a sock knitter, almost exclusively. I knit a lot of socks on 9" circular needles but also use dpns regularly. 

Disclaimer #2: I have only been knitting seriously for about 2 years....opinions could possibly change with more years of knitting.

Disclaimer #3: I am a fairly tight knitter which means I hardly ever have problems with my stitches falling off the needles (or the needles falling out of the stitches). 

I knit mostly English style but sometimes flicking or Norwegian.

Which double pointed needles are the best??

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​CLOVER dpns:
​Price on Amazon - about $8.00

Pros: 
*they are wood/bamboo (& who doesn't love wood!)
* warm in the hands
* lightweight
* smooth

Cons:
* smooth does not equal slick (my stitches don't really glide along these needles, which    I think slows me down a little)
​* not especially sharp although this varies even within the same set of needles

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​ADDI dpns:
Price on Amazon - about $15.00

Pros:
*super smooth....I mean SUPER smooth, like    a dream
* extremely lightweight (aluminum)
* I don't find them cold (altho if you knit       outside in the snow, they might feel cold...?)
 SO SMOOTH...

Cons:
*not super sharp which is no problem for me but if you do lots of tiny SSK or other more complex stitches, you might find it a problem 

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HIYAHIYA dpns:
​Price on Amazon about $13.00

Pros:
* smooth (but, strangely, not as smooth as the Addis
* nice pointy needles (side note, you can also order HiyaHiya "sharps" which i did but returned;    you could open a vein with those needes....+ have you ever sat on a super sharp steel             needle? Ouch. No thanks, but you might love them if you are more careful than I am and don't   use your finger to push the needle one way or the other)

Cons:
​* made of steel so, naturally, not as lightweight as Prym or Addi...which, by the way, you don't      really notice until you knit with one of the others

These are wonderful needles and I use them a lot but, still, I prefer the Addis.

PRYM dpns:
Price on Amazon about $8.00
​
Pros:
* super lightweight (made of some high tech plastic)
* very slightly flexible which seems like a nice little break for your hands
* interesing tip  - kind of a tiny little paddle shape. That puppy gets right up UNDER those tiny,     tight stitches. LOVE. So I call these SHARP (although they won't damage or poke a hole in your fingers or any other body part)

​Cons:
​* not super smooth but smooth enough and, if I didn't knit so tightly, the stitches would glide but still, if super smooth is what you want, these might not be for you. 

Pro or con?? the shape is triangle which is supposed to be better for your hands but I don't really think it matters much in this tiny size. (2.5 mm)

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CHIAOGOO dpns:
Price on Amazon about $13.00

Pros:
* very very smooth but with a matte or         brushed surface so less smooth than Hiya or   Addi
* pointy enough tip; no problems or complaints from me about this tip

Cons:
​* made of steel, so less lightweight that either Prym or Addi

These are great needles and I use them a lot. If I use them along with Hiyas, I can tell the difference in smoothness. The matte finish is not a deal breaker but I still prefer the extreme smoothness of Hiya or Addi.

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In conclusion....

For me and the way I knit, the best double pointed needles are tied for first place with Prym and Addi double pointed needles in the lead and the HiyaHiyas in second place. The Addis for the weight and the smoothness, the Pryms for the weight and the super sharp (but not dangerous) little "teardrop" shaped tip. The Hiyas are extremely smooth which I love. 

My least favorite needles are the Clover bamboo needles but I do use them in a pinch. Although lightweight, they are not smooth enough for my tight knitting nor are the points consistently sharp enough for me. 

Click here to see my newest review - Nova Platina double pointed needles for knitting.

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