Head to head
ChiaoGoo vs addi
Sharp and screwed against blunt and clicked. Two good sets, two different knitters.
By Sawyer V. · Published September 4, 2026
The short answer
ChiaoGoo TWIST has sharp lace points, a screw join and 13 pairs starting at US 2 - the only one of the two that can knit socks. addi Click Turbo has blunt points, a keyless click join and 10 pairs from US 4. Choose ChiaoGoo for lace, fine work and range; choose addi if you change sizes constantly or your yarn splits on a sharp tip.
These are the two sets most often shortlisted against each other, and they are genuinely different tools rather than the same tool at two price points.
The specifications, side by side
| ChiaoGoo TWIST Red Lace | addi Click Turbo | |
|---|---|---|
| Tip material | Surgical stainless steel | Nickel-plated brass |
| Point | Sharp lace | Blunt Turbo |
| Tip length | 5in (13cm) | 5in |
| Pairs in set | 13 | 10 |
| Size range | US 2-15 (2.75-10mm) | US 4-15 (3.5-10mm) |
| Join | Screw, key supplied | Twist and click, no key |
| Cables | Multi-strand steel, red nylon coat, memory free | 3 cords: 24in, 32in, 40in |
| Cables supplied | 2 x 14in, 2 x 22in, 2 x 30in | 3 cords plus a click connector |
| Notable extras | Lifeline hole in every tip; markers, gauge, stoppers, connector, case | Click connector, addiGrip tip handle |
Point: the difference you feel every stitch
ChiaoGoo lace tips are sharp. They go into a tight stitch, a k2tog or a centered double decrease without argument, which is what lace and complex cabled work need. The cost is that a sharp tip splits soft, loosely-plied yarn, and pushing against one with a fingertip for hours can be genuinely uncomfortable.
addi Turbo tips are deliberately blunt. They do not split yarn and they are kind to fingertips. The cost is that they are awkward on lace and tight decreases - the tip has to be worked into the stitch rather than sliding in.
There is no compromise position here; it is a genuine fork. If you knit lace, buy ChiaoGoo. If you knit plain fabric in soft yarn, addi is more pleasant.
Join: the difference you notice weekly
ChiaoGoo uses a screw join tightened with a supplied key. It is secure when tight, and the rotational movement of knitting gradually loosens it, so you retighten periodically. A join that comes apart mid-row drops a lot of stitches at once, and that is the failure mode people remember.
addi uses a patented twist-and-click mechanism that locks without a key. Nothing to remember, nothing to retighten, one less small metal object to lose.
If you change needle size often, the click join is a real daily improvement. If you knit one project at a time for weeks, a screw join tightened at the start is not a problem.
Size range: the difference that decides it for sock knitters
ChiaoGoo starts at US 2 (2.75mm). addi starts at US 4 (3.5mm).
Sock yarn is category 1 and wants 2.25 to 3.25mm. That means ChiaoGoo can knit socks and addi cannot - not with the set alone. Most interchangeable sets share addi's limitation, because the join cannot be drilled smaller without weakening it; ChiaoGoo going to 2.75mm is the unusual one.
If you knit socks, this single fact probably decides the purchase. See best circular needles for socks and the needle size chart.
Cables
ChiaoGoo's red cables are multi-strand steel with a nylon coating and are specified as memory free. The complete kit ships six of them, in three lengths - which is generous and means you rarely wait to finish one project before starting another.
addi supplies three cords making 24in, 32in and 40in circulars, plus a click connector that joins cords into longer lengths. That connector is the neat part: it is how you get past 40in without buying another needle, and it doubles as a stopper.
Which to buy
| If you... | Buy |
|---|---|
| Knit socks | ChiaoGoo - it is the only one of the two that goes small enough |
| Knit lace | ChiaoGoo - the sharp tips are the point |
| Find soft yarn splits on your needles | addi - blunt tips do not split |
| Change needle size constantly | addi - the click join needs no key |
| Have sore fingertips from pushing needles | addi - blunt tips are kinder |
| Want a lifeline hole in every tip | ChiaoGoo |
| Knit blankets and very wide pieces | addi - the cord connector extends past 40in |
| Want the widest size range in one case | ChiaoGoo - 13 pairs against 10 |
Both are premium sets and both will last. The wrong one is not a bad needle - it is a good needle mismatched to your knitting. If neither is in budget, Knitter's Pride Dreamz is the value option, and the wider comparison is in best knitting needles.
How we compared them
All specifications above are the manufacturers' published figures or retailers stating them. We have not knitted with either set and make no claim about how either feels. What we can do is lay out the specifications and say who each one suits, which is what this page does. How we pick is the method.
Questions people actually ask
Is ChiaoGoo or addi better?
They suit different knitting. ChiaoGoo has sharp tips, a wider range from US 2, and a screw join; addi has blunt tips that do not split yarn and a keyless click join. Sock knitters need ChiaoGoo.
Can you knit socks with an addi Click set?
Not with the set alone. It starts at US 4 (3.5mm) and sock yarn wants 2.25 to 3.25mm, so you would need separate fixed circulars or DPNs.
Do ChiaoGoo joins come loose?
They can. It is a screw join and the rotational movement of knitting gradually loosens it, so you retighten with the supplied key periodically - especially at the start of a project.
Are addi Turbo tips too blunt?
For plain fabric they are pleasant and do not split soft yarn. For lace and tight decreases they are genuinely awkward, because the tip has to be worked into the stitch rather than sliding in.
Which set has better cables?
ChiaoGoo ships six memory-free cables in three lengths, which is more generous. addi ships three cords plus a connector that joins them for lengths past 40in, which ChiaoGoo's set does not do as neatly.