Whether you want to knit a beanie without a seam or have had enough of ‘wrestling the hedgehog’ when using DPNs, you are most likely on the right track when considering the Addi circular knitting needles. Gustav Selter, the company that makes these needles, has been doing so since 1829. After all that time, they know what is required to produce top-quality smooth needles with tip-to-cable joins that don’t snag your yarn.
This established brand makes an extensive range of circular needles that will suit the projects that many of us love to knit.
The purpose of my review here is to help you figure out whether you belong in the group for whom this product is a good fit, or if you’d be best investing your funds into an alternative product.
In this review, I look at the different products available in their range, how they are different, their intended uses, and who would be best suited to use them.
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What Do Addi Users Say?
For the majority of the diverse product range of circular needles that Addi make, current users have given them an average of 4.7 stars out of 5
Reading the comments it’s quite noticeable how often words like – “high quality, smooth knitting, snag-free joins and a joy to knit with” come up in the reviews.
Many users report how flexible the cords are, and that you don’t get that problem of curling up that they have experienced with other cheaper needles. This benefit would be particularly useful if you plan on doing the Magic loop method of knitting in the round where you will always have extra cable sticking out.
Another comment from users that appears frequently is how useful the sharper more tapered pin tips are for finer lace type of knitting and to pick up stitches where the tension is quite tight.
Other users say they liked the circular needles that had more rounded tips for knitting heavier thicker yarns as there was less chance of splitting them.
Notable Features & Benefits?
Diverse Range
One of the stand-out features of the Addi circular knitting needle range is that there is a needle to cater for most knitting projects.
Whether you just want –
- one fixed circular of a certain size and length of cord for a specific pattern,
- or you’re looking for a sock circular,
- or maybe you are a beginner needing a circular that is not so slippy,
- or maybe you use circulars so often and need an interchangeable set
- or you might need a sharper point for finer lace work
– there is likely to be an Addi needle that fits your need.
Smooth Snag-Free Knitting Experience
As this brand has been making their product for so long, the quality is extremely high, and they are known for making needles that are smooth and offer no friction as the yarn goes over the pin to cable join. Many of those who knit with them comment on the pleasurable knitting experience they provide.
Warranty
A genuine Addi product offers a warranty against defect, deficiency or imperfection. Always check product authenticity before making a purchase.
Easy Identification of Specifics on Cable
The size and length of the needle are engraved on the cable which is an easy way to quickly see which needle you are dealing with. Other brands have only the thickness engraved on the pin so if you are not sure of the length you need to get out a tape measure and check it.
What Else Comes With the Needle?
The fixed circular needle comes in strong plastic packaging which can be used to store the needle when it is not in use – if you dont have a storage case for them.
The set of interchangeables all come with a storage case with pockets. These are not made from real leather but they do the job and look attractive too. So you can take your full set of needles in a bag while moving around and know that they are all there whenever you need them.
Products in the Range of Addi Circular Needles?
Addi Original Metal Fixed Circular Knitting Needles
If you are new to knitting in the round, looking for a single circular for a specific pattern, or don’t have the need for a whole set of interchangeable circulars, then a fixed circular would be suitable.
When you are new to a technique and just getting used to it, then it’s sensible to start with just one needle rather than paying more for a full set of interchangeable needles. Similarly, if you are not sure how much use you are going to give these needles consider just investing in the one needle that you need for that pattern.
Addi fixed circulars are available in many different sizes from 1.5mm up to 15mm thick and in many of the standard lengths needed for most projects- from 40cm to 150cm.
The tips are fixed and are available both in rounded points for bulky yarns and the more tapered sharper points for finer knitting projects The needles are made from aluminium that is plated with polished bronze to give a very smooth surface. If you see the word ‘lace’ or ‘rocket’ in the product title description then generally the tips will be more pointed and are designed for finer knitting work. Rounded tips are best for beginners or if your project uses a thicker weight of yarn.
Addi Rounded Tips Circulars
If you’re a beginner or are doing a project that uses the thicker weight of yarns like double knitting through to the chunky and super chunky yarns then rounded tips will work better. This is because they are less likely to push through and split the fibres in the yarn as you’re knitting.
Addi Lace Circular Knitting Needle
These needles have longer more tapered points that are sharper at the tips. They are therefore best used when you are doing a pattern which has lace work or very fine detailed stitches. They would also be a great help if you need to pick up stitches that have been knitted quite tightly for example when working with a yarn that is thinner.
Addi Rocket Circulars
The Rocket brand of circulars has been designed to help those who want to be able to knit more quickly. So they have produced a needle that is much more slippery to offer even less friction to the stitches. This results in an increase in speed that a user can knit. It is also clear therefore that these needles are for the more experienced knitters, and not beginners.
They often have slightly longer knitting pins which are more tapered and the points sharper. This feature makes them especially good for knitting with thinner sock yarns.
Addi Sock Wonder Circular Needles
This is another needle that has been developed especially for sock knitting. It is available in 2.5mm up to 5mm sizes. What is different about this needle is that one of the knitting pins is longer than the other which helps in sock knitting. The overall length is shorter than others at 25cm so it is good for projects that have smaller circumferences like socks. It’s ideal too for small hands so would make a good needle for children to learn on.
When I started using the 25cm circular needle to knit a pair of socks I had to persevere to get used to the feel of the smaller needle. It did not take long though before I felt comfortable using it. I found it is far easier to knit socks with this product than fight the hedgehog of dpns.
Addi Wooden Circulars
Many people like Marmite and equally as many hate it. The same feeling exists with regard to metal needles. If you’re not a fan you need not be put off the Addi brand as they make equally good quality bamboo and olive wood circular needles.
Wood, as a material, is warmer and therefore initially more comfortable to handle than metal. Also if you suffer with any form of hand pain or arthritis then you’d be better off not using metal needles.
Addi Bamboo Nature Circulars
These circulars are made from bamboo that has been sustainably grown slowly to give a hard good quality material. They have the same high quality of finish as the metal range – smooth finish with joins at the cable that don’t catch your yarn.
Addi Olive Wood Nature Circular Knitting Needles
As well as their recognised high-quality bronze polished needles, Addi also make a circular from olive wood. This material would be ideal for a beginner as it offers much more friction and so will give a new knitter more control over the stitches. A more advanced knitter might find these ones too slow for that same reason and you’d have to keep pushing the stitches along. Other knitters just love the feel of the wood in their hands.
The material to make these needles is from olive trees that are no longer needed ie they don’t produce olives and the trees are therefore removed. This is probably why these needles require a bigger investment when you purchase them. For this reason, they might not be the best choice for someone who is not sure they will use circulars often enough. Maybe if you’re not sure of your long term continued use, consider buying a lower-cost one such as these birch wood circulars or an Addi bamboo one.
Addi Interchangeable Circular Sets
If you knit in the round quite a bit there will come a time that you need to consider whether it is worth investing in a set of interchangeable needles for the sake of convenience.
What these sets provide is a range of needle thicknesses and cable lengths that you can join together in a number of combinations. So instead of having to invest in an array of single fixed circulars, you make up what you want from the set.
Addi Click Interchangeable Set
This set is available in several versions – a basic metal pin, an olive wood version and short and long lace type. All the versions come with a good looking case that has a pocket to store the cables. All versions come with a connector tool that is useful as a stitch holder if you want to put a project aside and use the needles on another project. You can also use it to join two cords together to give a much longer cable length for example to use in a wider project.
The cords and pins are connected using a twist and click system which it appears has a bit of a learning curve to master it. Some users say it may take a while to get the hang of so it might be an idea to watch a video on the correct technique. Once connected correctly users report that there are no issues from them coming apart. A good feature of this spring-loaded connection system is that you don’t need any additional tools to join the cord and needle pins.
Addi Click Set of Interchangeable Needles
The Basic Version
This product comes with a case of 10 pairs of needle tips manufactured in the usual Addi click polished bronze metal material.
- 10 pins (12.5cm long) marked with diameters from 3.5mm to 10mm
- 3 gold coloured cords to make up lengths of 60, 80 and 100cm
- 1 connector and a brooch pin
The Olive Wood Version
This version has 8 pins from 3.5mm to 8mm in thickness and 3 cords to make up lengths of 60, 80 and 100cm. It is made from olive wood and comes with a green case in which to store all the equipment. It also comes with a connector and a brooch. The connector tool enables the user to join up cords to make a longer set. It can also be used as a stitch holder.
The Short Lace Set
This model has 8 shorter (9cm) pins of 3.5mm to 8mm in diameter and 5 red cord lengths to make up 40, 50, 60, 80, and 100cm circulars. This set is designed for those who want to do projects with smaller circumferences.
Addi Long Lace Set of Interchangeable Circular Knitting Needles
Like all the other products in this range, this long lace set comes in a case with a connector, and a handy pocket in which to store the cords. There are 3 cords to make up 60, 80 and 100cm lengths. There are 8 longer more tapered tips in the set from 3.5mm to 8mm diameters.
Another useful feature of the interchangeable needle tips is that you can buy them separately. For example, if you should lose one or need an in-between or additional size.
So to sum up, Addi circulars offer a wide array of high quality needles for many different projects. My research suggests that they are best suited to those users who like using metal needles. However, there are options -such as the olive wood and bamboo circulars for those who prefer a wood material, but these require more investment so they would perhaps not be for beginners.
If you are looking for a high-quality smooth needle which has no snags at the joins between the cord and pins, and are prepared to pay a bit more for the knitting pleasure they bring, then the Addi circular knitting needle range would be a good fit.
If you do many varied projects that involve knitting in the round and want a set of interchangeable needles that will give you many years of knitting convenience and joy, then these sets would be applicable too.
For more information on other useful knitting equipment read posts in the Equipment category HERE
