Everyone swears by Red Heart Super Saver but I actually ran the numbers

I did a cost per yard breakdown on 10 different acrylic yarns last month and Red Heart came out more expensive than Caron One Pound when you factor in yardage per skein. Caron gives you 364 yards for about $7 at my local Joann in Austin. Red Heart Super Saver is $4 for 232 yards which works out to more per yard. Why does the knitting community push Red Heart like it's the budget king when Caron is literally cheaper by the foot?

2 comments

2 Comments

john43013d ago

You say "the knitting community pushes Red Heart like it's the budget king," but I think most people recommend it for how it holds up in the wash (it gets softer over time) and the color selection, not strictly the price per yard. Caron One Pound is a steal on paper, sure, but I've had issues with it pilling after a few washes on blankets I've made. Red Heart Super Saver might be a penny more per yard, but I've had blankets last years with no fuzz. Plus, when Joann has their big sales, Red Heart drops to like $2.50 a skein, which makes it hard to beat for large projects. Caron's good, but I wouldn't call it the clear winner if you value durability over a tiny cost difference.

laura21112d ago

Oh man, that whole pilling thing is so real! I made a baby blanket with Caron One Pound once and it looked like a cat had been sleeping on it after just a few washes. Meanwhile I've got a Red Heart throw my grandma made me in college and it's still going strong, no pilling at all. But here's the thing - I actually grabbed some store brand acrylic yarn from Hobby Lobby last year on a whim and it was like $3.50 for 280 yards and it somehow doesn't pill either. Kinda makes me wonder if Red Heart just has that name recognition tax built in.