I've tried several needles and my all-time favorite, especially for binding, is the John James Sharps, size 10.
Some needles are hard to pull through the fabric not just because they're large, but also because of the kind of coating (or not) they have. After using good quality needles and pins, I cannot stand Dritz products. They feel like they drag. I used Roxanne needles for a while, but they have a tendency to bend so I save them for applique.