I think they make them with open tops for easier threading but I never remember that until I need to use one.

I've used that little silver gadget a time or two, but even that is frustrating.

and you'll see many types. I'm not suggesting you buy from them, but you can at least see all the choices.

They come in handy when the threading fates decide to block me no matter how much I spit and pinch. The drawback is that the top of the needle eye isn't completely open but has two wee, sharp prongs and they tend to fray the thread. Also, when I'm aligning my needle/knot the eye prongs can catch the thread and get stuck.

But as I said, there are just those times that no matter what I can't get the darned thread to feed through the eye and the easy-thread needles keep me from throwing things.

be without one!

The ones made out of wire with the little magnifying glass thing are cool, but the wire gets bent out of shape after a while.

My favorite is the one made from a very thin piece of metal with two hook shaped ends. Thin enough to pass through a needle's eye, but rigid enough not to get bent up. Sort of like an extra extra thin crochet hook...you put that thing through the eye and hook the thread and pull it through.

I can never seem to find the right angle to get that threaded.