Looking for some new needles? We can help! In this guide we'll cover the best knitting needles available to suit all levels of knitter, from beginner to pro.
Whether you're looking for the best circular knitting needles for making socks or jumpers, or you want to know the best brand of knitting needles to try for lace, cables and more, there'll be something in our list for you.
There are lots of different types of needles, with different functions and made from different materials, so if you need to know more about your options before you buy, check out our guide on how to choose the right knitting needles for your particular project. For help learning to knit take a look at our complete guide to knitting for beginners, which includes advice on how to hold your needles, and much more.
Get ready to find the best knitting needles to buy right now…
Best knitting needles in 2024
Addi Aluminium Single Point knitting needles
Best overall knitting needles
These needles are a great all rounder. Their short 20cm length means they're not unwieldy like longer needles can be for beginners – you don't need to worry about trying to tuck one under your arm or accidentally poking yourself in the ribs as you get to grips with the basics!
The white slip-resistant coating on these aluminium needles makes it easy to see your stitches, and helps prevent them falling off the tip while you're knitting. If you're looking for the best knitting needles for beginners, these are hard to beat!
Pony Aluminium Double Point knitting needles
Best double-pointed needles
Sometimes the simplest knitting needles are the best knitting needles, and you can't go wrong with these Pony Double Point pins! 20cm long and made from sturdy but lightweight aluminium, they're a trusty friend for hat and sock knitters, as well as being invaluable for making jumper sleeves, baby knits and more.
Sizes start at 2mm and go up in handy 0.25mm intervals up to 4mm, then switching to 0.5 increases for larger sizes. They come in a set of five, which means you can either divide your stitches across four needles (if you want two 'back' and two 'front' needles when working socks, for example), or keep one as a spare – very useful if you're as good at losing them as we are!
Just getting started? Why not check out our round up of the best knitting starter kits and essentials for beginners!
Korbond Single Point knitting needles
Best selling knitting needle
This high-quality plastic knitting needle is available in a full range of sizes, making it perfect for all yarn weights and project types.
Whether you're a beginner or an expert knitter, these needles offer the ideal balance of strength and comfort, and are the number one bestseller on Amazon!
Clover Takumi knitting needles
Best bamboo knitting needles
Bamboo knitting needles are popular amongst knitters of all abilities. They're warm and comfortable to hold, lightweight, and have plenty of grip for working with slippery yarns.
Clover Takumi are the best knitting needles to try if you're looking for sturdy bamboo pins at a great price. They're polished with a fine abrasive to give them a smooth finish, and are carefully made to ensure no splinters that might catch your yarn. The Takumi range includes straight needles in three lengths (23cm, 33/35cm and 40cm), and sizes from 2mm to 10mm. You can also buy them as circular and double-pointed knitting needles too.
If you're ready to get started, head over to our guide for how to do a knit stitch!
HiyaHiya Circular knitting needles
Best circular knitting needles
Fixed circular needles can be used for a wide range of projects, and are ideal for heavier knits such as jumpers and blankets where using straight needles can be hard on your wrists.
The best circular knitting needles have flexible cables (perfect for projects with smaller circumferences) and seamless joins to allow smooth movement of stitches. These circular knitting needles from HiyaHiya fit the bill perfectly. Weight can be a downside with some metal needles, but the stainless steel tips of these HiyaHiya needles have a hollow construction, so they're fantastically light to hold while still being durable - which is why we think they're the best circular knitting needles out there!
Give them a try – we think you'll be impressed!
- Buy now from Etsy (£7.03)
KnitPro Symfonie knitting needles
Best interchangeable knitting needles
If you've caught the knitting bug and are slowly amassing a varied collection of needles in different shapes and sizes, it may be worth investing in a set of interchangeables. Interchangeable knitting needles come in two parts, a tip and a cable, which you can mix and match to create the perfect tool for every project.
The eye-catching Symfonie range from KnitPro is a great first set of interchangeables that will last you for years. Made from layers of laminated birch wood, the tips not only look beautiful but also have plenty of strength and grip. They're easy to swap out using the cable keys, and you can also join the cables together using cable connectors (sold separately) for even more flexibility.
Buy the needle tips and cables individually, or get them as a set complete with a handy carry case. Why not check our our roundup of the best essential knitting tools for more accessories?
- Buy now from Lovecrafts (£57.99)
Addi Lace knitting needles
Best needles for lace knitting
Addi have a reputation for being the best brand of knitting needles for lace knitting – and for good reason. Their specially designed lace needles have extra-sharp 'Turbo' tips to make working knitting decreases, nupps, and more in fine (and sometimes fiddly) laceweight yarn a doddle. Add to that a super-smooth join between the needle and the cable and you have an all-round winner for lace knitting. And if you don't like to knit lace, but you do like to knit at speed, you might just love them too!
Addi Lace needles are available in sizes 1.5mm to 8mm and lengths from 40cm to 150cm. They come with Polished White Bronze tips, or you can choose Brass tips if you prefer a slightly more resistant surface.
Feeling confused? Check our our knitter's glossary for all knitting jargon unravelled!
- Buy now from Lovecrafts (£9.99)
Knitting beginner's guides
Learn to knit with our complete guides for beginner knitters. Whether you want to know what tools you need or how to make your first stitches, we can help!
ChiaoGoo Red Circular knitting needles
Best for sock knitting
Which side of the sock knitting divide do you fall on: double-points or circulars? If you're all about the circular needles then you need to try these small-circumference ones from ChiaoGoo. No more wrangling with long wires for the magic loop method, just round and round in endless circles – sock knitting bliss!
With their satin finish and tapered tips making them suited to working with lighter yarns, plus a slight bend in the needle tips for added comfort in your hands, we think these are the best circular needles for sock knitting.
Check out how to do a stocking stitch (stockinette stitch) for beginners!
LYKKE Driftwood knitting needles
Best luxury knitting needles
No they're not cheap, but yes they're worth it! These gorgeous LYKKE straight single-pointed needles are handcrafted in Kathmandu, Nepal, and some of the revenue from their sale goes towards programmes that benefit the local community.
They're made from birch wood, which is warm, smooth and light to hold, and come in a smart faux leather case for easy storage and portability. The set includes 12 pairs of 14-inch single-pointed needles in sizes from 3.5mm to 12mm, so whether you're knitting with laceweight or super-chunky yarn, they've got you covered. Why not treat yourself?
Interested in branching out? Check out our roundup of the best fingering yarns.
Pony Maple knitting needles
Best knitting needles for children
It's tempting to buy the cheapest needles you can for teaching kids to knit, just in case they lose interest after a few rows, but we think one of the keys to keeping them going is making sure they have high-quality tools, right from the start. A good pair of knitting needles can be the difference between a fun first experience of knitting and an off-putting one.
With that in mind we'd recommend Pony's Maple needles as the best brand of knitting needles for children. Made from sustainable hardwood, they have enough grip to keep their first stitches in place, and are light and comfortable for little hands to hold. Their short length also makes them ideal for kids. They come in sizes 3.25mm to 4.5mm, ideal for working with 4ply and DK yarns.
Want some for yourself too? Look out for the full-size needles in the same range.
- Buy now from The Knitting Network (£5.19)
Prym Yoga knitting needles
Best cable knitting needle
These innovative cable needles are for more than just cabling – they can also be used as stitch markers, stitch holders and auxiliary needles. Plus the droplet-shaped needle tips mean that they're handy for picking up dropped stitches too.
The shaft of the needle has a wire core, making it fully flexible so it can bend into the shape you need. You can even wrap it around your wrist when it's not in use! The Prym Yoga comes in two sizes, 4mm and 7mm, and is sold in packs of two.
Don't make your cable needles an afterthought: invest in one that will be a must-have tool for all your knitting projects.
Needles for everyone
We've recommended the best knitting needles for every knitter, so hopefully you've found some inspiration!
Get kitted out with Gathered
Now you've found your best knitting needles, we can help you choose the rest of the tools for your project bag.
Check out our guide to knitting starter kits, which includes advice on must-have knitting accessories plus 10 of the best knitting kits for beginners!
