Best Tattoo Needles For Lining [Review] in 2021
Last Updated on May 7, 2021
written by tattoo artist Steven Martin
Check out the results fast – here are our review winners
Wormhole 11RL Tattoo Needles
TOP CHOICE
CINRA Single Cartridge Stacked Magnum Needles
OUR PICK
One Tattoo World 200pcs Assorted Tattoo Needles
RUNNER UP
Are you looking for some tattoo needles that are safe and made with the most intricate care and detail?
Well, if you’re a good tattoo artist or want to become one then this is what you should be looking for and we’re here to aid you in your search.
It’s important to know what you’re looking for when it comes to tattoo needles as they’re an essential part of your kit and if you don’t take precautions or check on them you may end up causing damage to the skin or worse for one of your customers, which nobody wants.
But wait, don’t let that put you off.
We’ve done all the research for you by looking at over a dozen products and narrowing them down into the top four so you can choose your favorite from a selection of high-quality tattoo needles.
Now, before we start here’s a tip – when you receive your new packaged needles always check the date and whether there’s a blue dot. A blue dot means that they’ve been sterilized. If you don’t see blue or the date on the package is wrong then return them immediately as they aren’t suitable for use.
So, now you’re all up to speed, let’s start with our top pick.
How we came to the conclusion of our top 3:
16.2k
Reviews
considered
9
hours spent
finding
14
Products
compared
18
articles
studied
Best Tattoo Needles For Lining
Wormhole 11RL Tattoo Needles
Here it is, our top pick. Let’s find out why?
Included in this package you get 50 needles for only $16.99 and there are a whole host of tattoo needle sizes to choose from including 1RL, 3RL, 5RL, 7RL, 9RL, 11RL; 3RS, 5RS, 7RS, 9RS; 5MG, 7MG, 9MG, 11MG, 13MG, 15MG. Now that’s variety.
Wormhole Tattoo needles are made of high-quality 316 medical stainless steel and are packaged and sterilized individually. Leveling soldering, burr-free, and sharp needle tips. These tattoo needles are suitable for stick and poke tattoo work and will go great with any tattoo artist’s kit.
And that’s not all.
Every tattoo needle is checked by microscope strictly to make sure of high utilization and quality. Plus, they’re disposable as Wormhole Tattoo needles are only for single-use.
Now, let’s take a look at customer feedback for this tattoo needle pack. Currently, the Wormhole tattoo needles hold a 4.5-star rating on Amazon with over 500 reviews meaning this is one of the best on the market at the moment.
So, check it out!
Pros
- Safe and healthy
- Finely crafted
- Wide variety of available sizes
Cons
- Some received bent needles in their pack.
Latest deal: Wormhole 11RL Tattoo Needles
CINRA Single Cartridge Stacked Magnum Needles
Next up on our list are 20 tattoo magnum needle cartridges from CINRA. Now, you’re probably wondering how magnums are good for lining and while you may have a point, we just found that this was a deal too good to pass up.
The safety membrane inside the cartridge system stops ink from passing through to the tube or tattoo machine. It’s also compatible with cartridge grips and machines.
The tattoo needles’ cartridges are made of 316L surgical stainless steel and medical-grade plastic. On top of this, it allows tattoo artists to set up tattoo needles and switch needle configurations very quickly during the tattooing process. And as a bonus, there’s low profile housing and better ink flow, shaped on the inside.
I know what you’re thinking, what else is there?
CINRA tattoo needles are sold with 20pcs for each box. They’re individually packed and pre-sterilized. And if you’re still not happy then CINRA has a 100% satisfaction promise. If for any reason you are not fully satisfied with the tattoo cartridge needles. Just simply return it for a full refund or exchange. This works great for those of you like me who always feel a little cautious buying online.
If you still need some convincing then just take a look at the reviews. With over 50 of them and a 4.5-star rating, it’s clear that this is a popular package with tattoo artists.
Now, add it to your shopping cart and you’ll never look back.
Pros
- Safety membrane
- Easy to use
- 100% customer satisfaction guarantee
Cons
- One customer found that the needles didn’t fit
Latest deal: CINRA Single Cartridge Stacked Magnum Needles
One Tattoo World 200pcs Assorted Tattoo Needles
And taking the number three spot we have one for those of you who like to buy in bulk.
This needle kit comes with a wide range of RL, RS, and M1 needles for whatever tattoo design you desire. Each set has 100 liner needles and 100 shader needles. The round liner set includes twenty-five 3RL needles, fifty 5RL, and twenty-five 7RL. While the round shader set includes twenty-five 5RS needles, twenty-five 7RS, twenty-five 9RS, ten 5M1, and fifteen 7M1. Or in short, you’re getting a lot of variety and a lot of needles.
The needles are pre-sterilized so safety won’t be an issue. One Tattoo World individually packs each of these sterile needles for your convenience and safety. We all know when it comes to tattoo safety and hygiene are essential so to have a company that puts so much effort into this is a breath of fresh air and is a big reason I love this package.
Better yet.
These needles are also viable for stick-and-poke tattoos so if that’s something you do or want to get into these needles are the perfect tools to get you started. At One Tattoo World, they dedicate themselves to providing customers with affordable, premium tattoo equipment. They claim to be a one-stop shop when it comes to tattooing and after seeing this fantastic set of needles, we’re starting to see where they’re coming from.
So, buy it now. You won’t regret it!
Pros
- 200 needles included
- Expertly sterilized
- Great for stick-and-poke
Cons
- Some received bent needles or wrong sizes
Latest deal: One Tattoo World 200pcs Assorted Tattoo Needles
4.
Yuelong 50PCS Disposable Sterile Tattoo Needles
While this may be our last entry, don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s not worth your time.
The Yuelong tattoo needles have CE approval individual packaging and all tattoo needles are pre-sterilized with EO Gas. You’ll also get an assortment of sizes in this 50pcs set. Including, 3RL, 5RL, 7RL, 9RL, 3RS, 5RS, 7RS, 9RS, 7M1, and 9M1 (5pcs for each size). Each of these needles is for single use only.
Now, if this doesn’t impress you I don’t know what will.
This tattoo needle set has the most reviews on Amazon with a staggering 3,000+ and with this, it’s still maintained a 4.5-star rating meaning this is clearly a great choice if you’re a tattoo artist and want to ensure you have the best of the best.
And that’s not all.
The price is also fantastic at only $8.99. Now that’s a bargain. One reviewer said, “These are a great value for your money and are very easy to use!” However, one complaint I did notice was that there are no size options to choose from, you get what you’re given and so if you don’t use a variety of tattoo needle sizes then a lot of these are going to go to waste.
You know the drill, check this one out while it’s still in stock!
Pros
- Cheap
- Variety of tattoo needle sizes
- High-quality and sterilized
Cons
- No option to choose sizes
Latest deal: Yuelong 50PCS Disposable Sterile Tattoo Needles
Best Tattoo Needles For Lining - A Buyer's Guide
Whether you’re new to the tattoo industry or budding tattoo artists looking for new ways to spice up their designs, you may be wondering the different types of tattoo needles and, in particular, the best tattoo needles for the lining.
Lining techniques require a lot of precision and require a fast ink flow. Standard needles are brilliant for creating bold lines as well as shading large areas.
But working out the different needle groupings, diameters tapers, and needle counts can be quite a tedious and confusing job at the best of times, it takes some practice to get to know them all, but once it clicks, it’ll all make sense.
I’m here to break down everything you needle to know to get the best tattoo needles for the lining. Let’s hop in.
Tattoo Needle Types
It’s not as simple as one size fits all when it comes to tattoo needles and any tattoo artist should know the differences in type and size. So we’ll give you a rundown on the types of needles and how to identify them.
When looking for needles you’ll notice numbers in front of letters when it comes to sizes. The number lets the user know how many needles are used in the configuration, so a 5RL has 5 needles placed in a circle configuration.
If you’re a newbie then you’ll want to focus on round shaders in sizes 3, 5, 7, and 9 for some shading and filling in small areas.
Flat Tattoo Needles
Flat needles are soldered in a straight line to a needle bar.
These needles are the most popular for lining due to their shape being better for getting more ink into the skin. This means clearer, darker lines with just one stroke. Look out for “FL,” or less often, “FS” as these are how you’ll be able to identify a flat tattoo needle. These are written out with the number of pins in front, like 3FL or 7FS.
Round Tattoo Needles
Round needles are soldered around a central shaft in round patterns.
They can be further identified as liners or shaders, depending on how close together they are placed. Round liner needles are packed tightly, which makes them ideal for technical work, details, and smaller lines. You might also see loose round liners used for thick, bold outlines like those found on Japanese-style tattoos.
Round shaders are great for all-purpose color fill and basic shading. Whenever you see RL or RS, you’ll know that you’re looking at Round Liner needles or Round Shaders. You’ll find this written with their number in front, for example, 5RL.
Magnum Tattoo Needles
Magnum sets have a longer taper that’s either the same or greater than the taper found on round shaders.
These needles are mostly used or well-known for their ease of use for shading work. Magnums deliver a lot of ink, making them ideal for large areas of color and shading in general. In fact, they allow so much ink through, you’ll need fewer passes which means they’ll do less damage to the skin during multiple passes.
Magnum needles can be identified with an “MG” or just an “M” on the size chart. So as an example, you may see 7MG.
Things To Look Out For When Buying A Tattoing Needle:
Before you go to get any needle for your tattoo gun, there are some key things to consider first to ensure you’re getting the very best needle for your tattoo machine.
Whether the needles are pre-sterilized:
This is the most important thing to check before buying any kind of needle going into human flesh. Nowadays, you will find that most needles are pre-sterilized, but you will need to sterilize them yourself using an autoclave properly if they are not.
Before any tattoo is carried, you need to ensure all your needles are sterilized; pre-sterilized needles will also be marked with an expiration date when the sterility runs out.
Quality of the needles:
Another key thing to check is the quality of the needles you are using; all needles must straight and securely be soldered onto the needle bar. This is crucial to check beforehand as crooked or bent needles can cause damage.
Not only will it be a painful process with a crooked needle, cause pain for the client, but it will also not disperse the ink correctly; this will be a right pain in the ass after having everything all setup and realizing the needle is crooked.
Whether the needles work with your kit:
Before you buy any tattooing needle, the first thing you need to. Do (besides sterilization and quality check) check whether it would work with your tattoo machine.
You need to find a needle that will match your setup; some tattoo machines will require tattoo cartridges rather than regular tattooing needles. Be sure to check this before purchasing needles for your setup.
Also, make sure you’re using the right tubes and tips that match your needle gauge, size, and type for your tattooing machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best tattoo needles when it comes to lining?
For starters, when looking for a tattoo needle for lining, you’ll want to get round tattoo needles as these are the most commonly used for lining due to their ability to draw intricate details and thin lines as opposed to flat shader needles or magnum needles.
How much pressure should I apply when tattooing?
Push the a-bar down so the needles are fully extended & then adjust the tip so that just 1-2mm of the needle is sticking out. Now you just tattoo up to the depth of the tip. This is called riding the tube. This method is the best way of making sure you don’t go too deep although different body parts need less depth.
Should I disinfect my needles?
Sterilizing and disinfecting needles are two different things. While they both decontaminate, disinfecting only reduces the number of bacteria and contaminants so doesn’t guarantee safety from infection.
Sterilization, on the other hand, completely removes all bacteria and microorganisms. If you need to sterilize a needle, make sure to take extra care to keep the needle uncontaminated until you use it. There are numerous online tutorials on how to sterilize a needle if you’re stuck.
Summary
So, there it is, our guide to the best needles. While this list is aimed at lining, the products we’ve spoken about include multiple types of tattoo needle and a variety of sizes so if you should need shader needles like round liners or magnum needles then you’ll have some handy.
Our top pick was the Wormhole needles. These are Finely crafted, safely sterilized, and come in a wide variety of available sizes. they’re also fairly priced too so check them out if you haven’t already.
You also get needles included within tattoo kits. if you fancy taking a look at some of these then here’s our guide on the best tattoo kits.
But whichever set of needles you choose just make sure they’re suitable for you and your tattoo machine.
Stay inked!
Steven Martin
Pro tattoo artist
ABOUT
Steven loved art since his early adulthood especially tattoo art. Therefore, he picked up tattooing when he was researching it on the internet. Having experience of around 3 years in the tattoo industry, Steven has a great command over bold, bright, classic, grayscale, and tribal pieces. His passion for tattoo products drove him to do tons of research, etc. so that Tattoo Inksider can offer you the best tattoo products reviews.
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