Needles & Tools / Oct 8, 2026 · 9 min read · TESTED
Is the addi Turbo Circular Needle Worth It in 2026? Specs, Price, Verdict
Yes for most knitters who work in the round: slick plated-brass tips, a pliable cord and a lifetime guarantee through authorized retailers. Skip it if you want grippy or extra-sharp tips. Specs, sizing quirks, prices and the warranty catch, checked October 2026.
By Second Sock Supply Co. Editorial
A quick, honest note: some links on this page are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate we may earn a commission when you buy through them — at no extra cost to you. It never changes the price you pay.
Is the addi Turbo circular needle worth it in 2026?
Yes, for most knitters who work in the round on fixed circulars: the addi Turbo pairs slick plated-brass tips with a pliable cord and smooth joins, and Skacel backs it with a lifetime guarantee when you buy from an authorized North American retailer. At about $18.50 for a US 8, 16-inch needle at Jimmy Beans Wool (checked October 2026), it costs more than wooden house-brand circulars such as Knit Picks', so skip it if you want grippy tips, needle-sharp lace points or one interchangeable set.
This verdict is assembled from addi's own product page, Skacel's skacel by addi catalogue and warranty terms, the Jimmy Beans Wool and Knit Picks listings, ChiaoGoo's product descriptions and the Craft Yarn Council's needle-size standard rather than first-hand use of the needles.
Check the price at Jimmy Beans Wool
What the addi Turbo actually is
One needle, two names. addi, the brand of Germany's Gustav Selter, sells this needle as the addiPremium Classic circular knitting needle, SKU 105-7, and calls it "the classic addi since 1945". Its product page says the needle is "also known as the 'addiTurbo' in the USA" and that it is handcrafted with precision in Germany. In North America it is sold under the skacel by addi name, and Skacel's catalogue introduces the Turbo as the circular needle that started it all.
The tips. addi says the raw material is brass, finished in many layers with a white bronze surface that makes the needles so smooth, and its material line reads "white-bronzed brass tips, plastic rope". Skacel describes plated brass tips. Jimmy Beans Wool's listing says the needles are "coated in nickel". Those descriptions don't agree on the finish: addi names white bronze, Jimmy Beans Wool names nickel, and Skacel doesn't say. If you react to nickel, ask the retailer or Skacel which finish the needle you are buying carries.
The tip shape. These are addi's rounder "Basic" tips. addi says the round tips are particularly suitable for low twist yarns, loose knitters and beginners, because they don't prick easily between the plies of a multi-strand yarn. If you knit very tightly or work fine lace, addi itself points you to its addiPremium Lace needle instead. In North America, Skacel's Rocket line is styled after the addi Lace tips, with extra-pointy tips and the same plating as the Turbo.
Cord and joins. addi says its flexible plastic cords are printed with the length and thickness and "knotted" to the tips in a special process, for a very stable and seamless connection that lasts. Skacel lists ultra-pliable blue nylon cords and snag-free joins. The cord colour depends on the market: addi's own site shows its Basic-tip needles on a golden cord, with red reserved for lace tips, while Skacel's US Turbo uses blue.
Sizes, lengths and tip lengths
Skacel's US range is wide: the Turbo is available in 24 sizes, from a US 000 to US 50, in 8" to 60" lengths. addi's own listing runs from 20 cm (8") to 300 cm (120") long and from 2.0 mm (US 0) to 15.0 mm (US 19) thick. Jimmy Beans Wool adds a detail worth knowing before you order the giant sizes: the US 36 and US 50 needles have plastic tips, not metal ones.
addi also publishes how long the tips are on each length, and which projects each length suits:
| Total length | Tip length (addi) | What addi suggests it for |
|---|---|---|
| 20 cm (8") | 45 mm | socks, cuffs, baby clothes |
| 30 cm (12") | 70 mm | socks, cuffs, baby clothes |
| 40 to 50 cm (16" to 20") | 85 mm in the description; 90 mm in the spec line | sleeves, children's clothing, turtlenecks, hats |
| 60 cm (24") and longer | 125 mm | shawls, scarves, jumpers, jackets (60-150 cm) |
Note the inconsistency: addi's page gives the 40 to 50 cm tip length as 90 mm in its specification line and 85 mm in its tip-length list. The practical point is the same either way. Shorter needles get shorter tips, which is what lets a 40 cm needle close into a ring small enough for a hat.
A sizing quirk. Jimmy Beans Wool warns that some of addi's smaller sizes don't follow standard US numbering: the needle labelled US 1 2.5mm is truly a US 1.5, the US 2 3.0mm is truly a US 2.5, and the one labelled US 2.75mm is truly a US 2. The Craft Yarn Council (CYC) gives the same advice for every brand: because letter and number sizing vary from company to company, rely on the millimetre size printed on the package.
What it costs (checked October 2026)
At Jimmy Beans Wool, addi Turbo circulars are listed with options as low as $16.00, and the US 8 (5.0mm), 16-inch needle is priced at $18.50. Prices there vary by size, so check the exact needle you need.
Amazon sets its own price for the addi listing this site links, so compare the live figure with the retailer price above before you order, and look at who the seller is if the guarantee below matters to you. Check price on Amazon
The guarantee, and its catch
Skacel's warranty page is the strongest argument for paying more. With the exception of the addiExpress knitting machines, skacel by addi products purchased through authorized North American skacel by addi retailers are backed by a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects.
Two conditions follow from the wording. First, the guarantee is tied to where you bought the needle, so a purchase from a seller outside Skacel's authorized network may not carry it. Second, warranty support runs through the point of purchase: Skacel asks you to contact your retailer. Supplier-direct support exists for people who no longer have access to the original seller, but it requires Skacel's Warranty Form and the physical return of each defective item. Keep the receipt.
Who should buy it, and who should look elsewhere
| Option | Tips | Cord or cable | Range (per its maker) | Price (checked October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| addi Turbo, fixed | plated brass, round Basic tips | ultra-pliable blue nylon, snag-free joins | 24 sizes, US 000 to US 50, 8" to 60" | US 8, 16-inch: $18.50 at Jimmy Beans Wool |
| skacel by addi Rocket, fixed | extra-pointy, styled after addi Lace, same plating as the Turbo | not described on Skacel's page | 19 sizes, US 000 to US 13, 16" to 60" | check your retailer |
| ChiaoGoo TWIST interchangeable sets | surgical stainless steel lace tips | memory-free multi-strand steel cable coated with red nylon | varies by set | check the listing |
| Knit Picks Radiant, fixed | laminated birch, with some grip | described as super flexible | 16" in US sizes 0 - 11; longer lengths in US sizes 0 - 3 | 16", US 8 (5mm): $11.99 |
Buy the Turbo if you knit mostly in the round, want stitches to keep moving, use smooth, low-twist or multi-ply yarns, or are a beginner who keeps splitting yarn with sharp points. addi markets it as ideal for turbo knitters and beginners and says stitches glide easily over the needle even with rough yarns.
Look elsewhere if:
- Your stitches slide off too easily. Knit Picks says its laminated birch needles have just the right amount of grip to manage slippery yarns, at a lower price. Check the price at Knit Picks
- You knit tightly or do fine lace. addi recommends its Lace needle, and Skacel's Rocket gives a similar point with Turbo plating.
- You want many sizes from one purchase. On its own site, ChiaoGoo sells its interchangeables as TWIST sets with surgical stainless steel lace tips and red cables it calls memory free. Check that a listing covers the tip sizes and cable lengths you need before you buy. Check price on Amazon
- You are sensitive to nickel. The sources disagree about the finish, so ask first.
Fitting the Turbo to your projects
Hats and sleeves: the 40 or 50 cm lengths, whose short tips let a small tube of stitches meet around the needle. Socks: addi pairs its 20 and 30 cm needles with socks and cuffs. The alternative is magic loop on one long circular, and our breakdown of how DPNs, magic loop and small circulars compare for socks sets out when each wins. A long circular such as the Turbo is also what you need for knitting both socks of a pair at once. Sweaters, shawls and scarves: 60 cm and up, where addi switches to its full 125 mm tips. To compare the Turbo with the other needles on this site's list, see our full shortlist.
Sources
- addiPremium Classic circular knitting needle (SKU 105-7) — addi / Gustav Selter GmbH & Co. KG (checked October 2026)
- Circulars (skacel by addi) — Skacel Collection, Inc. (checked October 2026)
- addi Warranty — Skacel Collection, Inc. (checked October 2026)
- addi Turbo Circular Needles - US 8 - 16" — Jimmy Beans Wool (checked October 2026)
- Hooks & Needles — Craft Yarn Council (checked October 2026)
- Interchangeables — ChiaoGoo (checked October 2026)
- Radiant Fixed Circular Knitting Needles — Knit Picks (checked October 2026)
FAQ
Are addi Turbo needles nickel-plated?
The sources disagree. addi describes brass tips with a white bronze surface, Skacel says plated brass, and Jimmy Beans Wool's listing says coated in nickel. If you have a nickel allergy, ask your retailer or Skacel before buying.
What is the difference between the addi Turbo and the addi Rocket?
The tip. The Turbo has addi's round Basic tips. Skacel's Rocket has extra-pointy tips styled after addi Lace with the same plating, in 19 sizes from US 000 to US 13 and 16" to 60" lengths, against 24 sizes for the Turbo.
Do addi Turbo needles come with a warranty?
Yes, if you buy from an authorized North American skacel by addi retailer: Skacel backs those purchases with a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects, handled through the store you bought from.
Why doesn't my addi US 1 match my other US 1 needles?
Jimmy Beans Wool notes that addi's needle labelled US 1 2.5mm is truly a US 1.5. Go by the millimetre size, as the Craft Yarn Council recommends for every brand.
Which addi Turbo length should I buy first?
Match it to your next project. addi suggests 40 to 50 cm for hats and sleeves and 60 to 150 cm for shawls, scarves, jumpers and jackets, so a hat knitter and a sweater knitter need different first needles.
