The HiyaHiya cables are pretty similar to the addi cables but even thinner yet. They are also very flexible. There is a strong memory effect, but they are equally well suited for magic loop in my opinion. I always feel the cable is a tiny bit too flimsy, and I do believe HiyaHiya has the worst connection to the cables. Bending characteristics KnitPro's Zing needles are made from superior grade light-weight metal and come in a spectrum of vibrant and lively colours. Each size comes in a size specific metallic shade with laser printed sizes and shiny silver tips. Ideal for new knitters as well as the more experienced. All four of them are fairly easy to use. In the case of Knitter’s Pride, HiyaHiya, and ChiaoGoo, you insert a little pin into a little hole in the cable, then you screw the needle onto the cable and use the pin to really screw tight. The ChiaoGoo pin is maybe a tiny bit more durable, but the difference is marginal at best. To detach the cables, you insert the pin again and unscrew the needles. Pretty straightforward and simple. This is how you join the cables with the needles (HiyHiya as an example)

The only set available at the time of doing this test was a smaller lace set, which only came with 8 needles ( 2.75 mm to 5 mm), 4 cables, 2 connectors, 1 pin, 2 rubber patches, and quite a nice needle size card. Getting a 4″ HiyaHiya set and working with the needle extenders might offer you the greatest variability if you are knitting projects with diverse needle requirements (small circumference circular projects, big lace shawls, etc). Not only does this give you endless possibilities and working comfort, but also lets you reduce the clutter and unnecessary expenditure of buying multiple fixed circulars. The best part is, you can also use the needle tips for other projects and save your stitches in your WIP projects. Take the tips off and attach end caps to the cable and that’s all. I personally believe in buying the best tools available for your craft. But if you are not a pure lace knitter and need extra sharp points, I am not sure you can justify almost twice the cost. The Knitter’s Pride needles are, on a fundamental level, very similar to ChiaoGoo. Sure, there is a slight difference when it comes to the joins. The cables, on the other hand, are a matter of preference, and so is having a galvanized needle or a pure stainless steel needle (almost no grip vs a bit of grip). This means knitting feels a bit harder and slower, but in reality, it somehow isn’t (I recorded a video of me knitting with all 4 brands and counted the stitches I could knit in 20 secs). Still, the sharp tips mean you are more likely to split the yarn if you are going fast. That being said, I feel HiyaHiya is a tiny bit smoother and easier to knit than ChiaoGoo.

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My dad always told me “buy cheap stuff, and you’ll buy twice”. While there are certainly exceptions, I found that adage to be remarkably close to the truth. The last thing you want is a broken needle/cable on a live project. Both HiyaHiya and ChiaoGoo are pure stainless steel. That means, the surface is not totally smooth and has these…well striations I guess. Depending on the yarn you use, you will notice quite a bit of friction, and whenever the needles touch, they don’t slide across each other effortlessly. Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. Cables and cable stoppers allow you to put a WIP on hold easily, letting you use the needles for a different project.

I have been knitting for around 54 years, having taught myself from Mary Thomas’s Knitting Patterns, a marvelous book which gives resources for designing motifs far more than any other book I have come across, as it describes the way various kinds of stitch are created, from knit and purl. through cables, to lace and faggot stitch. This book was published in 1934, her subsequent book, Mary Thomas’s Knitting Book, which I got at a later date was published in 1938, and tells about the history of knitting, gives many cast on techniques and information on designing garments. ChiaoGoo is probably the best set to invest for knitters who like to knit with very small needle sizes and durable cables (though I personally do prefer the fixed carbon needles by Knitter’s pride, but that’s a different story as these tiny sizes are not available as an interchangeable set; the big ones are). Knitter’s Pride is a great budget option that is still almost up to all the other brands in terms of quality and durability. I do believe that the Nova Platina is the fasted knitting needle around, though the round-tipped addi sets are a very close second. Listen, I totally understand why you would need a different cable below 3mm. But CG makes the cut at 5.5 mm. A lot of knitters never touch those 2.00 mm or even 1.50 mm needles anyway, so I wouldn’t call getting a different set of cables and accessories for those a disadvantage. But 4.00 mm is quite the common size for a lot of projects – and so is 6.00 mm for blankets and sweaters.I also really don’t like the fact that both ChiaoGoo and HiyaHiya work with two different cable sizes. The smaller needle sizes need a different cable (where the screw is smaller) than the bigger needles. For example with addi, the same cable works on a 3.5mm needle and an 8 mm needle. With CG or HH, you need a different cable, and different cable extenders, and different cable stoppers, etc. I feel this contradicts the whole versatility idea behind an interchangeable knitting needle set. HiyaHiya is the shortest of the lot (but they do offer needle extenders ), Knitter’s Pride is in the middle, and addi has the longest needles. The difference is only a couple of millimeters, but those can make quite a big difference depending on the size of your hand. From left to right: Knitter’s Pride, HiyaHiya, Addi, Chiaogoo

I do have to say, that Knitter’s Pride does have the strongest connection, though. I am always having “problems” unscrewing them – that never happens to me with ChiaoGoo. But that’s actually quite noteworthy, because the easier they unscrew, the easier it can happen accidentally. HiyaHiya usually is pretty damn tight as well, though weirdly enough, some needles have a problem with their screws. Some knitters, like me, are hyper-sensitive. Knitting produces sounds, and those largely depend on the needles you are using. These tips are standard length - approximately 12cm (4.75") long, a popular length for day-to-day use and medium / large projects.That being said, you can sort of massage the kinks out in all cases. Putting the cables into hot water also helps to straighten them out/ get rid of the memory effect. What I have no way of really testing is how durable the “fixed” kink is in the long run. I would assume it does indeed damage the plastic a lot more structurally, which cannot be fixed, while the metal wire is less prone to break at that point. Then again, if that theory held true, probably the coating would break, which would be equally as bad, I guess. Those, however, are just guesses. In all my years of knitting, a cable never snapped. Addi, being the longest off the lot, could be a nice option for men with bigger hands. A close look at the material & quality of the interchangeable needle tips HiyaHiya interchangeable knitting needles do have screws at the other end as well, but you get a rubber patch as well. In addition, you get quite a lot of extenders . I really love the concept of their needle extenders. You can easily turn a 5″ needle into a 6″ needle, etc. So, how cool is that? (these adapters are only part of the large sets and not the small sets, but can be bought separately). Their regular cable adaptors don’t have a hole for the pins, though – unlike the ChiaoGoo adapters. Cable stoppers: ChiaoGoo, Knitter’s Pride, addi Perfect for when you’re working on knitting projects in the round, Interchangeable needles let you choose your favourite material to work with or one that suits most of your projects. All you need is one pair of needle tips in each size and one cable of your preferred length - you can justchange the needles and cable to make endless combinations as per your project’s needs.