ChiaGoo Interchangeable Knitting Needles
When you’ve been knitting long enough, you start to get particular about your tools.
The right needle can make a project fly by… the wrong one can turn even the most beautiful yarn into a chore.
When I made the switch to the ChiaoGoo Red Lace Interchangeable Needle Set, I never looked back.
I love these needles!
So much so that I quickly picked up the Blue Shorties set and eventually added the Red Shorties set as well.
I’ve spent a fortune on these needles and would love to someday add the Mini Set to my collection… (That probably tells you everything you need to know about how I feel about these needles.)
But there’s no denying that the ChiaoGoos are a serious investment.
And as someone whose always trying to find ‘value’ and knit as much as possible without breaking the bank, I think there’s definitely pros and cons to the set.
So if you’re weighing up whether the ChiaGoo Interchangeable Needles are worth your money, here’s the full picture:
what makes these needles exceptional
where they’re not so great
…and what types of knitting projects they’re best for!
ChiaGoo Interchangeable Needles Review
Quickly jump to:
- About ChiaoGoo
- What’s Included
- A deep dive:
- Pros
- Cons
About ChiaGoo
I have the 5″ metal ChiaGoo needle set, but I’ve heard great things about their SPIN line of bamboo tips as well.
I realized why once I did some research into the background of the brand!
ChiaoGoo is a Chinese company, created by a family originally from Linan (the ‘bamboo capital’ of China).
The father ran a workshop producing all sorts of bamboo household goods (chairs, tables, mattress sheets, rice barrels, baskets and steamers) but eventually focused on bamboo knitting needles.
His 4 sons took over the business, and often received specific requests from their mother for special knitting needles.
She was a prolific knitter and their first product ‘tester’, knitting not only for her family of 7 but also for friends and family as a small source of extra income.
It’s after her that the sons came up with the name ChiaoGoo, which means ‘highly skillful and crafty lady’.
Today, the ChiaoGoo brand designs and distributes its knitting tools in Troy, Michigan while its manufacturing facility is in Hangzhou, China.
Chiaogoo Twist Red Lace Set
The 5″ Interchangeable Set is ChiaoGoo’s flagship product.
Here’s what you get in the set:
Needle tips: 13 pairs of 5″ surgical-grade stainless steel lace tips, ranging from US 2 (2.75mm) to US 15 (10mm), covering the full range most knitters will ever need
Cables: Six cables in total (three small and three large) in lengths of 14″ (35cm), 22″ (55cm), and 30″ (75cm), making circulars of 24″, 32″, and 40″ respectively.
Small cables are for the lower end of the size range, large cables for the upper end – more on that later!
Accessories: Two cable connectors (one small, one large), four end stoppers (two small, two large), two tightening keys, a needle gauge, and a set of stitch markers.
Case: A zippered, binder-style fabric case with inner pockets for all the needle tips and one outer zippered pocket for the accessories.
Let’s dive deeper into the components…
Needle Tips
Let’s start our review of the ChiaGoos by analyzing the needle tips.
Size Range
The full ChiaoGoo interchangeable system spans US 000 (1.5mm) all the way to US 15 (10mm), a breadth that no other interchangeable system on the market currently matches.
Whatever you’re knitting, there’s a ChiaoGoo tip for it.
With the Red Lace Set, you get the most commonly used sizes, from US 2 (2.75mm) – US 15 (10mm). It’s ideal for knitting sweaters and accessories.
For smaller tips, you can purchase the Mini set, which spans US 000 (1.5mm) – US 1.5 (2.5mm) and is ideal for knitting shawls or fine-gauge sweaters.
For small circumference knitting, you can purchase the Blue Shorties set, which spans US 4 (3.5mm) – US 8 (5.0mm) and is ideal for knitting hats and sleeves OR the Red Shorties set, which spans US 0 (2.0mm) – US 3 (3.25mm) and is ideal for sock knitting.
Surgical Steel
The needles are made from surgical stainless steel with no coating, which gives them a finish that is simultaneously smooth and surprisingly grippy.
It’s an unusual combination that works well across a wide range of yarn fibers.
One detail I particularly appreciate: the needle sizes are laser-etched directly into the steel rather than printed on.
Printed markings can often rub off a beloved needle after a few months of use.
On the Red Lace tips, the size is marked there for the life of the needle.
Pointy Tips
But the top reason why I like ChiaoGoo’s needles is due to the way their tips are shaped.
The Red Lace tips are very sharp. Not quite stiletto-sharp, but close.
I often get asked how my knitted sweaters have such even tension for a relatively new knitter… and I think it’s partly due to the ChiaoGoo needles!
The needles you use have an enormous impact on tension and stitch definition in your finished project. So the pointy tips of the ChiaGoo’s helps you knit any project – from simple stockinette to intricate lace to chunky cables – with ease.
Because the taper is long and precise, you can work right on the tip when a stitch demands it. This is especially helpful when working shaping, making increases or decreases.
Meanwhile, the transition to the body of the needle is smooth, creating an even flow as you knit.
When I was knitting my Jenny Jacket (an all-over textured cardigan), I tried using my first set of beginner needles for the sleeves.
These were a much more affordable set, with a shorter, blunter tip.
I found working the textured stitch nearly impossible and quickly bought the ChiaGoo blue shorties so I could continue the project with the brand’s pointier tips.
I used these really affordable interchangeable needle sets when I was first starting, but the tips just don’t compare. Once I got the ChiaoGoos, I switched and never looked back!
4″ vs 5″ Tips
The complete Red Lace set is available in two tip lengths: 4″ and 5″. The right choice comes down largely to hand size and personal preference.
For knitters with larger hands, the 5″ tips offer a more comfortable hold and a more natural knitting position. Personally, I use the 5″ set.
But for knitters with smaller hands, the 4″ tips might provide a better fit.
The 4″ have a handy bonus: the shorter the tip, the smaller the circumference you can knit in the round without needing to resort to magic loop or shorties!
But if you knit a lot of socks or other small-diameter projects and want to avoid both magic loop, traveling loop or DPNs, I recommend going with Shorties.
ChiaoGoo offers two Short Interchangeable Sets, a Blue Set that’s ideal for knitting sleeves and a Red Set with smaller tips that’s ideal for knitting socks.
The Shorties are a whole other conversation though, and I’ll cover them in a separate review.
Cables
The Red Lace cables are made from multi-strand steel coated in red nylon, and they’re in a class of their own.
The defining characteristic is their complete lack of memory.
If you’ve ever knitted with a circular needle whose cable curls and coils relentlessly – fighting you the entire time, getting tangled in your yarn, requiring a bath in boiling water just to temporarily behave – you’ll understand why this matters.
The ChiaoGoo Red Lace cables lie flat from the moment you take them out.
And they stay that way!
No coiling, no kinking, no wrestling them into submission mid-project.
For large, sprawling projects like shawls or blankets where cable behavior can make or break the experience, this is a significant advantage.
ChiaoGoo Cables and Magic Loop
One caveat worth mentioning: the memory-free quality that makes these cables so good for flat and large circular projects works against them slightly for magic loop.
Because the cable is designed to stay straight, it resists being folded and can feel springy when looped.
Personally, I never do magic loop as I much prefer using shorties, but it’s something to keep in mind if you want to use just one needle set for a sweater project!
For knitters who prefer more grip and find slick metal needles too fast, ChiaoGoo also offers a bamboo version of the interchangeable system.
It’s a handy alternative, especially for knitting with slippery summer yarns. But the Red Lace remains my personal preference!
The Join
The needle tips attach by screwing into the cable ends, which is secured with a T-shaped tightening tool.
It’s a simple, satisfying system, and the connection point where cable meets metal is effortlessly smooth. In all my time using these, I’ve never had a tip work itself loose.
Some people who dislike the ChiaoGoos say the tip becomes loose. I wonder if they’re properly tightening the connection?
The kit comes with red rubber hearts, which you can use to grip the join and ensure it’s fully tightened.
If there’s one thing to highlight, I think it’s that the ChiaoGoos have a flawless join – better than all other interchangeable knitting needle brands on the market.
There’s virtually no transition or noticeable kink, and it’s noticeably smooth as you knit. If you tend to prefer fixed circulars because you hate your stitches getting snagged on the join, I recommend trying ChiaoGoos!
Cable Extenders and Adapters
The set also includes cable extenders and adapters, so I wanted to quickly mention them.
The extenders allow you to join two cables together to create a longer needle. This can be useful for large-circumference projects like sweaters.
ChiaoGoo’s extenders are well-designed: compact, with an extra keyhole for tightening, and without the bulky rigid bridge you get with some competitor brands. They stay out of your way.
Meanwhile, the adapters allow you to connect a small cable to a large tip or a mini cable to a small tip. It’s a practical workaround for the small/large cable compatibility issue.
These also have a clever bonus: attaching an adapter effectively adds a little length to your tip, turning a 4″ tip into something closer to 4.5″.
But every extender and adapter adds another join to your needle, and another potential point of instability.
I find I rarely need to reach for either the extenders or adapters.
Case and Accessories
The Complete Set comes with a solid range of accessories included:
- 1 nylon drawstring project bag
- 1 fabric case with 29 labelled inner pockets and one outer zippered pocket
- Bag of stitch markers (24 total, in 4 styles)
- Needle gauge
- 2 tightening keys
- Cable connectors (one small, one large)
- End stoppers (two small, two large)
First, the positive: the fact that all of this is included is nice! Everything arrives ready to use and neatly organized.
But I feel like out of everything in the ChiaoGoo Red Lace Set, the accessories are where they miss the mark.
Let’s analyze each quickly.
The case is practical.
The 29 labelled pockets keep your tips organized and easy to find.
It opens binder style, with all the Small needle tips on one side and all the Large needle tips on the other. I appreciate that the sizes are labelled in both US + metric sizes.
There are also 2 extra slots if you have extra tips you want to add in. I find it’s handy to slide in a crochet hook there. The all-around zip closure means you can throw this in a bag without worrying about losing anything.
On the front cover, there’s a zippered side pocket where all the aforementioned accessories are stored.
The case size is great too. It’s about the size of a small notebook, so it’s very easy to throw in a bag if you like to knit on the go.
Functionally, the ChiaoGoo case does its job well. It’s very practical and keeps everything neat and organized.
Aesthetically… it’s ugly. Like, really ugly!
I’m not a fan of the high-contrast black and white print, or the grandma-style fabric.
It’s honestly a let-down for a premium priced product and I think pretty much every other brand on the market includes a nicer case with their interchangeable sets.
But there are tons of aftermarket needle cases and I’ve seen people even make / sew their own!
I’ve seen people rave about these leather needle cases that can be customized with pages for all your various tips and cables.
So there are lots of beautiful options you can buy separately if the look matters to you.
The stitch markers are a miss.
They’re resin rings in four colours and styles, which sounds fine in theory.
But when I tried to use even the smallest red rings, I found them clunky and oddly shaped.
They’re also too large for the needle tips and just slid right over my stitches, which totally defeated the point. I also find fixed rings impractical, as you can’t remove them while they’re on the cords.
I much prefer basic lightbulb safety pins like these.
The end stoppers are poorly made.
These screw onto the cable ends to hold live stitches when you need to free up your tips for another project, which is a useful feature in principle.
Again, I found these difficult to use in practice.
When it came to removing the end stopper, it tended to get stuck.
The little metal join would stay connected to the cable, and just the plastic stopper would come off. So I was left with the teeny tiny metal piece stuck to my cable join!
It’s not a dealbreaker, but I don’t use these at all after that disaster.
Instead, I got these star end stoppers. A whole pack was just a couple dollars and they also come in lots of other cute shapes and animals.
I also like this spool of barber cord for whenever I want to move my project off the cables and do a mid-project try on or wet block.
Overall, I’d say that you’re really buying the ChiaoGoo set for the needles and cables.
So the accessories are just a bonus!
It’d be nice if they were a bit more premium, to match the rest of the Red Lace set quality, and also to make the price more palatable, but maybe that’s me being nitpicky.
But I find that people often like to gift knitters with small accessories and cases, so it’s likely you’ll have an opportunity to fully customize your knitting tools to your liking over time.
And for ideas or inspiration, you can check out my Gift Guide for Knitters here!
How ChiaoGoos Compare to the Competition
I haven’t used all these sets personally, but have asked around to friend, researched community forums and compared the product specs.
For anyone researching all the various options, here’s howthe ChiaoGoo Red Lace sits in the interchangeable needle landscape.
The most direct rival is the HiyaHiya Sharp Interchangeable Set.
These are also stainless steel, also ideal for knitting lace or any kind of technical knitting. The HiyaHiya Sharps are generally considered the sharpest tips on the market, sharper even than the ChiaoGoo Red Lace.
So if maximum tip sharpness is your priority, HiyaHiya has an edge.
The trade-off is that many feel the HiyaHiya cables don’t have the smoothest joins, and that the tips can be uncomfortably sharp for knitters who push against the tip with a finger.
The Red Lace ChiaoGoos strike a slightly more balanced point: very sharp, but wearable across a long session.
The Addi Click Lace uses a different philosophy entirely.
Addi’s connection system works with a twisting spring lock, rather than a screw-in key. It therefore requires no separate tool to swap cables, a pretty elegant design!
The lace tips have a long taper, and the white bronze coating makes them faster and more slippery than uncoated steel. This is great for knitters who prioritize speed and primarily knit stockinette.
However, the needle size range is much more limited. It starts at 3.5mm (compared to ChiaoGoo’s 1.5mm).
A nd the click connection system has a history of coming loose mid-project for some knitters.
The Knitter’s Pride Karbonz is the most different of the three.
The only carbon fiber needle from a major brand, the Karbonz offers a unique combination of lightweight feel with nickel-plated brass tips.
It’s a a finish that sits somewhere between wood and metal in terms of grip, making them an interesting option for knitters who find pure steel too slippery but want something faster than wood.
The tips are pointy but not as sharp as the Chiaogoo Red Lace, and the flexible cables are well-regarded for magic loop – something the Red Lace cables, as I mentioned, are less suited to.
Overall, I personally feel like the Chiaogoo Red Lace is the best all around option.
If you knit lace, fine gauge, or anything technically demanding across a wide size range, the Chiaogoos are the most versatile.
But if magic loop is central to your knitting, take a look at the Karbonz. If you want the absolute sharpest tips available and don’t mind the trade-offs of loose connections, consider HiyaHiya.
ChiaoGoo Red Lace Complete Set Review
Pros
Cons
I touched on most of these throughout the review, but it’s worth pulling the criticisms together in one place.
Presentation
The Red Lace Set case, as I mentioned, is functional but uninspiring.
For a set at this price point, the plain fabric pouch feels like an afterthought. It’s not that I expect anything extravagant, but I’ll be honest – the kitschy case really put me off buying the ChiaoGoos at first.
Pretty much every other competitor set on the market makes more considered, well-designed cases – in sleek neutral colors, out of leather or hard materials.
The accessories are poorly designed, especially the stitch markers and cable stoppers. Since there’s a thriving market for aftermarket needle cases and knitting accessories, I’ve built out my knitting tool kit separately.
In general, I think ChiaoGoo could have put more design and consideration into the case and accessories, considering how much the Interchangeable Needle set costs.
With that said, everyone knows the needle tips and cables are the most important aspects in an interchangeable needle set and it’s there that ChiaoGoo shines.
Cable Compatibility
One aspect of the Red Lace system that’s worth understanding before you buy is the small/large cable split. As I mentioned, the set comes with two distinct cable sizes:
- small cables for the lower end of the needle range
- large cables for the upper end
What this means is you need to be mindful of which cable you’re reaching for, rather than simply grabbing any cable from the case.
For most projects, this is a non-issue.
If you’re knitting a sweater on US 7s or a chunky scarf on US 10s, you’ll be working within one cable size throughout and you’ll barely think about it.
Where it matters is on projects that span the boundary between small and large cables.
A recent example from my own knitting:
I just finished Camisole No 9, a fingering-weight summer tank using fine cashmere yarn. The project required tiny needle tips ranging from 1.5mm to 3.0mm.
Because that range crosses the mini/small cable boundary, I found myself needing to manage two different cable types (mini and small) within the single project.
I’d swap between them depending on which needle size I was using at any given stage.
It’s not a dealbreaker to me, but it did add a layer of cable management that was a little annoying.
Ultimately, what ChiaoGoo has engineered here are exceptionally sharp, precise tips and ultra-smooth cables with no jog at the join.
And in order to achieve that across the complete range of needle sizes, different cable sizes are a necessary part of the system.
For most projects, it’s not something you’ll encounter beyond remembering to reach for the right cable.
But if you regularly work on fine gauge projects with needle sizes that fall on the border between mini and small, it’s worth keeping in mind!
Price
This is an expensive set, and there’s no getting around it.
For beginner knitters who are new to the craft or not yet sure which brand of interchangeable needles are right for them, the investment is significant.
With that said, these are tools built to last a knitting lifetime.
As someone whose kept buying more ChiaoGoo sets, I’d argue the cost-per-use case makes itself over time. I’m certainly thrilled and don’t feel the need to try other brands or look elsewhere.
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