Elastic cast-ons

Last week's post was on tight sock cuffs, it is only appropriate that this week's one is on elastic cast-ons. These are essential for knitting cuff-down socks, but they are also useful for many other projects, like, for example, the collar of top-down sweaters or the cuff of hats.

This is not the first time I write on this subject, but I'm not very happy with my previous posts. So this one is going to be a lot more detailed and to the point. Here is a list of the cast-on methods I find the most relevant (other people may have other preferences):

• the long-tail cast-on is quite elastic and it works in most cases, but I personally find it a bit tight for sock cuffs. The recommended workaround is to use larger needles or even two needles. This post in Twist Collective explains why this may not be the best solution. However, note that the author used a separate piece of yarn for the tail and, if you use the true long-tail method, you'll find that the yarn can redistribute itself and indeed provide a looser cast-on (so many knitters using this method could not all be wrong). I only recommend this solution if you're lazy about using a more onerous method.
• the long-tail cast-on is equivalent to a loop cast-on plus one row of knit stitches. However, the loop cast-on is a lot looser than the long-tail because the loops are first created on the needle and hence stretched as compared to the loops on the long-tail cast-on. This fixes the problem described in the aforementioned Twist Collective post. However this method has a few disadvantages: it's often too loose and thus unattractive and the first row of stitches is quite hard to work because the loops are too tight around the needle.
• the German twisted or Old Norwegian cast-on is often recommended for sock cuffs. This is similar to long-tail cast-on, but I have to confess that so far I've been too lazy to learn it. Its main advantages are that the extra twist makes the edge not only more elastic but also more durable. It's also attractive.
•  the tubular cast-on is the most adequate for ribbing and it provides perfect stretch, but it is also the most onerous to work.
• the buttonhole cast-on, aka as Jeny's Stretchy Slipknot Cast-On is stretchy, good looking, and very easy to learn (you only have to know how to do a slip-knot). But, according to Jeny herself, it's a little tricky getting the slip knots to all line up right next to each other on the needle. 
• the Chinese waitress cast-on is a bit onerous, but not that bad. It is stretchy and attractive and it has another great advantage: stockinette doesn't curl if you use this cast-on. Note that I've still to try it and check it for myself.
• the Techknitting blog suggests a simple rolled edge for cuffs of socks (this is not strictly speaking a cast-on method). This method has the advantage of being very durable and it works for both cast-on and bind-off. However it requires a very loose cast-on/cast-off method. It also requires knitting a few extra rows. It provides a very attractive edge for ribbing.

Except for the long-tail and German twisted cast-ons, all these methods have the extra advantage of not requiring a long-tail. Note that the German twisted cast-on requires an even longer tail than the long-tail one.