A tattoo needle is to a tattoo artist what a computer is to a programmer. But then, finding the best tattoo needles is anything but random, much like the PCs. If you are an artist, it is important to choose tattoo needles according to the machines, skill sets, ink supplies, and even the clientele.
Best Tattoo Needles — Quick Summary
If you are pressed for time, you can quickly skip the entire post and have a look at the top 3 best tattoo needle brands. Therefore, If you are a tattooist who is looking to seek improvement and put out the best of your work, selecting the right tattoo needles and also machines, is important. And while there are several high-quality options around, needle cartridges that complement the job in hand should be the staples.
Last update on 2024-12-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Also, do you know that 10% of Americans have an irrational and extreme fear when it comes to medical procedures, involving needles? And it’s also termed Trypanophobia. So it’s fitting enough if, as a tattoo artist, you spend a little bit of time, scouring the internet for the best needles to work with.
But then, trying to find the right needle can be a bit overwhelming without perspective. As far as choices are concerned, there are Round Liner Needles, Flat Needles, Magnum Tattoo Needles, Textured Needles, Flat Shader Needles, Bug Pin Needles, Disposable Needles, and other options to choose from.
Top 10 Best Tattoo Needles to Use in 2024 — Best Reviews Guide
Getting the right one from all the needles mentioned above can get tricky. More so if you aren’t sure about the needle type, or tattooing process. Keeping this factor in mind, I’ve compiled a detailed list of the 10 best tattoo needles in 2024. Before going running to those needles, there are a few factors that you should consider.
Firstly, you should revisit the strategy that you would want to follow. Tattoos require blending & consistency and therefore, colors are insanely important. But injecting colors into the skin surface requires needles. Also, if you plan on filling large areas, commonly used tattoo needles might not always fit.
That is why you should make it a point to get the best needles around. Especially the ones striking the perfect balance between counts, diameters, and tapers.
In the subsequent sections, I am going to cover 10 of the best tattoo needles or tattoo cartridge brands that are going to be the hot picks in 2024. Each category of needles is meant for a specific type of tattooing not to mention, it is the ink that influences the overall quality of the final artwork.
Dragonhawk Assorted Liners and Shaders 200 Pieces Tattoo Needles — Best Overall
Occasionally, you might have to get as many needles as possible. Especially, if you plan on starting out as a tattoo artist. For times and requirements like these, the Dragonhawk Tattoo Needles-Liners and Shaders package is the perfect fit. And it comes with 200 pieces of tattoo needles.
In addition to the functionality, this Dragonhawk Tattoo Needles Liners and Shaders package isn’t restricted to newbies only. Established artists may also take advantage of this needle set that is replete with a bountiful supply. And yes, the assorted pack sets you back at the same price as the regular needles, making it perfectly unique.
The Dragonhawk Tattoo Needles Assorted Liners and Shaders package contains 20 pieces of 9RL needles, 20 7RL, 40 5RL, 40 3RL, 20 9M1, 20 7M1, and 40 5M1. Plus, the supply of magnum shaders fills out the absence of round shaders. Just so you know, magnum shaders come up with shading tools in various sizes.
Reviewing the fact that the product has a bargain price compared to the contents in the package, the exclusion of round shaders should be forgiven. Yes, I am ready to let that slide.
The major concern of this package is that the needles are not packed separately. The needles in the package are stored in four big boxes that accommodate 50 units each. So, you’ll have to temporarily unseal other tattoo needles in the box each time you reach out for one.
Nevertheless, it still remains one of the best tattoo needle sets to date. Even if it caters a tad better to the starters looking for needle cartridges commonly used for dot work, better ink flow, and for drawing the tiniest and largest lines with ease.
CINRA Disposable 80 Pieces Mixed Needles Set — Best for Professional Tattoo Artists
If a 200-unit needle pack sounds overkill, you can consider CINRA. As a needle set, CINRA disposable comes with an amazing offer of 80 unit sets of professional needles, segregated as 10 7RL needles, 10 5RL, 10 3RL, 10 9RS, 10 7RS, 10 5RS, 10 9M1, and 10 7M1 needle sets.
This package is well equipped for both newbies and well-established tattoo artists, despite housing only 80 pieces of needles. You don’t have to bother about the quantity as it will be enough to cover any kind of design you have your eye set on.
Like other top tattoo needle brands, CINRA’s 80 Needle Set works with most of the standard tubes and machines for tattooing. Therefore, you won’t have any problems working with the needles, across designs and machines.
One of the reasons CINRA needles are one of the best tattoo needles is that you don’t have to be worried about tattoo infections. The needles feature a medical-grade steel alloy that is resistant to rust and corrosion.
To make sure the needles remain in their pre-sterilized condition, they are separately enclosed in sterile blister packs.
YUELONG Disposable 100 Pieces Tattoo Needles — Most Compatible
YUELONG offers another superior pack of professional needles. In the pack, you get an additional pair of multi-faceted needles, i.e., 9 needlepoint round liners and shaders. And, if you are a tattoo artist, this enables you to deliver more ink in one go.
Apart from the bigger pieces, it offers a traditional selection of shaders, liners of regular sizes, and also the 7M1 & 9M1 magnum pieces. Well, if you are into specifics, the YUELONG tattoo needle pack includes; 10 9RL needles, 10 7RL, 10 5RL, 10 3 RL, 10 9RS, 10 7RS, 10 5RS, 10 3RS, 10 9M1, and 10 7M1. If you are into specifics, the configuration includes a detailed round liner and round shader set, something that takes assorted tattoo needles to a whole new level,
This package is rated as one of the best tattoo needles around. The reason for the same is the 316 stainless steel. This feature means that the needles are non-corrosive and come with the guarantee of maximum effectiveness and durability. Also, you get the most reliable tattoo needles in the retail space with these Yuelong tattoo needles to rely on.
The needles are also enclosed in separate sterilized blister packs. They are sterilized to ensure that the needles are compatible with all regular machines. These frequently used needles are also meant for the more expansive tattoo jobs that require more than just one stroke and thick lines.
ACE Mixed Assorted 50 Needles Set — Best Pre-Sterilized
ACE assorted 50 needles set, offers various rounds of liners, including the; 11RL, 9RL, 7RL, 5RL, 3RL, and 1RL needles. While the 11RL and 1RL needle cartridges come in packs of 10, the rest come in packs of 5.
Each of these needles makes use of a traditional length loop bar, making it compatible with most regular tattoo machines. This functionality ensures zero problems while fixing the needles with existing machines.
ACE needles are of standard quality. And they are reliable and you can trust them. ACE needles also offer medical-grade stainless steel construction, making them highly durable and offering corrosion resistance across multiple sizes
In addition, ACE guarantees the safety of your client. The needles are EO gas sterilized and enclosed in separate blister packs to conserve the sterilization. This feature ensures that each of the needle packs displays the expiry dates of the needles to avoid the usage of expired needles. All these attributes rank the ACE needles as one of the best tattoo needles to date.
BEONCALL Assorted Mixed 50-Pieces Needles Set — Best Anti-Rust Options
The BEONCALL needle package contains the following; 5 pieces each of 9RL, 7RL, 5RL, 3RL, 9RS,7RS, 5RS, 3RS, 7M1, and 5M1 needs. This arrangement comprises a variety of sizes for shader and liner tattoos, sterilized needles for rotary tattoos, and so on.
The BEONCALL needles are made of high-quality medical-grade stainless steel, ensuring that the needles are invulnerable to rust and corrosion. They even come with separately enclosed blister sterilized packages to preserve the sterilization of the needle. And each needle pack also carries an expiry date.
Plus, the needle configuration is diverse enough, offering the right tools for you to work with. BEONCALL also brings a few tattoo needle cartridges that resemble those thin flat needles. Despite featuring stainless steel as the core material, the thinner needles ensure maximum ink flow and compatibility across a wide range of tattoo machines.
BEONCALL also guarantees maximum client satisfaction courtesy of the medical grade stainless steel form factor, availability of magnum shader needles, and a large collection of other professional tattoo needles.
AUTDOR Mixed 50-Piece Tattoo Needles — Best in Design
AUTDOR tattoo needles are another product that is highly rated in the concerned space. These needles are made of 316-grade stainless steel, assuring safety while being productive. The needles provide you with optimal control features and also have clean soldering. And yes, this feature furthers the safety quotient, rather significantly.
AUTDOR’s mixed 50-set tattoo needles are segregated into three types namely; the magnum shader, round shader, and liner shader. The needles are in sizes of 9RL, 7RL, 5RL, 3RL, 9RS, 7RS, 5RS, 3RS, 7M1, and 5M1. And each size variant comes in a pack of 5.
The needles are separately enclosed in blister sterilized packs and are also fully pre-sterilized with EO gas for immediate use. What works better is that the blister pack ensures that the existing gear you use doesn’t rupture through the skin with abject impact.
Furthermore, AUTDOR tattoo needles have extremely sharp tips. The needle configuration is usually compatible with most tattooing machines. Plus each needle pack comes with an expiry date. Also, if you plan on using other tattoo products in your tattoo shop,
ATOMUS Mixed 20 Pieces Tattoo Needles — Best for Beginner Artists
Most professional artists hail the ATOMUS needles highly owing to their high manufacturing standards. Plus they are also very reliable. On top of that, the package is also beginner-friendly and offers several resources and standard needles for the artist in you to practice tirelessly.
The ATOMUS set offers needles in various configurations. The needle sizes come in 5RL, 3RL, 7M1, and 5M1 with each size having 5 units, inside the pack. The needles are enclosed in pre-sterilized blister packs to preserve purity. Similar to AUTDOR, ATOMUS also provides you with optimal control features, allowing it to work with multiple tattoo machines.
ATOMUS needles are made of 304L-stainless steel, which guarantees safety for your clients and also for your use. It is not only certified by professional tattoo artists but is also the preferred choice of estheticians for eyebrow tattoos. That pretty much sums up why the package is one of the best tattoo needles.
But then, you have shading tattoo machines in play, there might not be enough magnum shader needles to handle multiple jobs, concurrently.
CHEYENNE Craft Needles —Best for Color Packing
CHEYENNE CRAFT needles are another premium product. The needles are of high quality and guarantee safety. Plus, these needles were released to eradicate the problem of the high cost.
As claimed by many professional tattoo artists, CHEYENNE craft needles are best for coloring. They are very simple to work with, apply tattoo ink well on the skin, and make the tattoo thick, dense, and saturated at go. And the patented membrane for added safety also helps.
But that’s not even the fun part. These tattoo needles or rather tattoo needle cartridges are capable of working with any given tattoo machine. Plus, the soft-edge design makes them work as well as larger flat needles. Also, you can choose between lining needles, shading tattoo products, and different needle size options for your preferred tattoo process.
The needles are of very high quality when it comes to making tattoo designs. And they work like or even better than other top tattoo needles, rated by professional tattoo artists. CHEYENNE needles don’t have backlashes, but they have a safety membrane, as discussed to ensure tattooing safety. And as they take pride in manufacturing, they have minimal defective elements.
BISHOP DA VINCI V2 Needles — Best Collection of Round Liner Needles
If you are searching for a premium and top-rated set of needles but are unsure as to which one to pick, the BISHOP DA VINCI V2 needle set is the one to go. Inside the pack are 20 standard carts with needles of different lining options, including the; 9RL, 7RL, 5RL, 7RLT, and 5RLT.
As mentioned, you need to be aware that these tattoo needles are meant for drawing fine lines and thick lines as part of the lining tattoo work. Therefore, if you are looking for a useful shading tool, the Da Vinci tattoo needle set might not be it.
The package undergoes a high-quality 8-step control during manufacture and you don’t have to worry about skin trauma after use, because the needle has a mild surface. But that doesn’t take away the operational power of the same.
The needles are made of medical-grade 304-surgical stainless steel to prevent rust and corrosion. Also, the design of each needle is fashioned to decrease side movements and unwanted vibrations. To decrease up and down movements, stabilization bars were also added to the design. The addition of the bars also helps reduce the ink spray and helps you draw more accurate tattoo designs.
If you prefer additional details regarding the bars, this product introduces the standard length loop bar to keep the round liner and tattoo machine performances, on point. Plus, the center rod makes life easier for any artist.
BISHOP DA VINCI V2 needles are conserved separately in blister sterilized packs and pre-sterilized with EO gas. Plus, The needle liners have small vent holes to stop vacuuming and vitalize ink flow. It remains one of the best tattoo needles to date, majorly because of its premium quality and the ability to cater to professionals, for a minimal pocket pinch.
Finally, this is one of the few tattoo needle sets to come with a high-end plastic membrane whilst featuring medical-grade plastic as an important structural resource.
KWADRON Tattoo Needles — Best for Lining
If you already have a rotary, a coil tattoo machine, or any of the hawk machines that can send out more ink, Kwadron needles can be quite the allies. If you are looking for one of the best tattoo needles to complement hawk machines, any complex tattooing process, and more, KWADRON makes quite a compelling case. The needle pack from KWADRON is a product that you should try out. The needles are compatible with almost every top-rated tattoo machine.
On top of that, the cartridge needles are also suitable for both newbies and professional artists. This product is tested and guarantees complete client satisfaction. These are long-taper tattoo needles that show up as tattoo needle cartridges and make sure that you do not have to look further for the best round liner that can work with your tattoo machine.
Not to mention, KWADRON tattoo needles exceed standard quality and offer a vast range of configurations. Plus, they allow you to choose the best option you desire, when tattoo machine compatibility and pairing solidarity are concerned. Also, they shell out a lot of tattoo ink to help you create the best lining and shading tattoos.
The needles are also affordable, and reliable, and are made from special surgical stainless steel to avoid rust and corrosion. The precision offered by each needle, when ink flow is concerned, is unparalleled.
If you are into specifics and the tech bit, KWADRON provides a stabilization system for needles. And the low level of friction keeps the needles sharp and usable, despite continued usage,
Buying Guide to Tattoo Needles that Artists Use
The type of needles artists use depends on the shape, size, tattooing skills, machines in play, and tattoo details. If you are into specifics, it is the diameter of the needle, the pointed end of the needle (taper), and its configuration that determine the final selection.
Here are some of the aspects that need to be looked at closely enough:
Diameter
The diameter is evaluated when all the needles are aligned across the central bar. As of now, only four diametric choices are available in the market. These include .2mm, .25mm, .30mm or double zeros, and .35mm. The regular size of needles tattoo artists use is .30mm. Also, the smaller the diameter, the better the lining and shading performance.
Pointed End (Taper)
The pointed end of a needle regulates ink to flow into the skin. As per the concept, the less pointy the needle is the better the ink flows to the skin. Selecting the right taper size is essential, especially if you cater to different tattooing clientele. Plus, tattoo needles also need to keep the needle points in mind as enough needle points like in magnum two rows might be needed for a detailed tattooing process.
The actual taper number or rather a value ranges from 1.5mm to 7mm. However, different taper variants will be required to offer a comprehensive tattooing service as the lower ones will help you with numerous colors and the higher ones will help with grey and black designs.
Configuration
The configuration determines the number of needles featured in a group. Needless to say, an exhaustive configuration lets you ink the pattern you desire. Also, the regular configuration of needles comprises flat, magnum, and round needles.
Coming to the configuration, every tattoo needle set is better off with varying cartridge machine choices that can throw out more ink when required. Also, an ideal tattoo needle setup would include aesthetic tattoo supplies as well, including rubber band-loaded cartridges for better stability, needles pre-sterilized, needles that can offer uniform tattoo ink throws, and even some disposable mixed tattoo needles that can be thrown away after a single-use.
Best Tattoo Needles For Shading and Lining (Which Specs to Look At)?
Shaders
Shaders are a cluster of needles that are tightly or loosely arranged. The Shader configuration or collection of needles comes in numbered sets. The choices include 3,5,7,9 and 30 needles per set. However, you can opt for a tattoo needle set with disposable mixed tattoo needles, like shaders.
Liners
Liner needles are a cluster of sharp and insanely detailed crisp line needles. Liner abbreviations are RL, RLXP, and RLXT. However, if you are a professional and not a novice, I would recommend getting every type to manipulate the lines made with deep tattoo ink, effectively.
Magnum shaders
Magnum shaders are tattoo supplies used for filling up big spaces with just one color. They dispense colors evenly and are great assets if you plan on drawing floral tattoos, butterflies, and colorful torso tattoos. The abbreviations for magnum shader are M1, M2, M1C, and Mag. But then, a professional must have every option at his or her disposal.
Flats
A flat needle helps dispense colors and lets the artist depict single tones, perfectly. Needles are usually positioned side by side in flat configurations, making them easier to use. Most flats come as rubber band-loaded cartridges.
Round shaders
Round shader needles are usually loose and are majorly used for forming circles and other complex designs. And it’s easy to find EO Gas sterilized ones to minimize the extreme and irrational fear that people have.
All these tattoo needles are exclusively selected and are available for purchase online. And if I have missed out on the remaining needles, if any, do make sure that any set you get comes loaded with a sterile blister pack and is EO gas sterilized to make usability fun and stress-free.
Top Rated Tattoo Needles
Last update on 2024-12-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Conclusion
Almost every tattoo needle on the list packs some sort of tattooing brilliance. Also, the sets come with combinations of needle types, equipping you with all the resources that you need to bring any design to life. Plus, if you want to look and learn more, be aware of the fact that each needle type is denoted by abbreviations, including “RS” for round shaders and “RL” for round liners.
Most professional and experienced tattoo artists usually draw using the mentioned needle configurations. However, they pick the one that pairs well with the machines and ink quality. And if they get the best option in play, they can create the best tattoos, regardless of the complexity.
Each of the enlisted tattoo needle kits listed above offers the best set of resources, relevant to the concerned tattooing job. And if used perfectly, these tattoo needles can take tattoo work to a whole new level. Still, if you are looking for the best tattoo needles that are in sync with each of your myriad preferences, skim through for the best possible options and things that matter. Or, you can simply pick up the Dragonhawk Assorted Liners and Shaders 200 Pieces Tattoo Needles for their all-around excellence.
