If you are a pool lover and want to take your pool to the next level, you are at the right place as the first step to becoming a serious player of the pool is to have a personal pool cue. But as a newbie, finding the best pool cues for beginners are not an easy job as there are many factors to consider before buying the best pool cues. Pool cues refer to the stick used to strike the pool’s balls on the pool table. It is one of the most important tools for the player as you have to hit the ball with all your skills and techniques with the stick in your hand.
Usually, where you are playing the pool, there is availability, but having a personal cue has many benefits associated with it. You will get used to your pool cue, and you will have all the information about the weight of the cue, and whenever you are playing, your hand will be used to it and will help you play the shots accurately.
In this article, we will get to know about the pool cue for the beginners. Here we will discuss a few of the best pool cues for beginners, and we will look for all necessary details to get the best pool cue.
Table of Contents
What Makes a Good Pool Cue?
There are many different factors on which the quality of pool cue depends, and it is very important to look in the details of all the factors to choose the best pool cue. There are two basic types of pool cue. One is a full piece, and it cannot be divided into pieces. These kinds of cues are good for use in the home as they are not good for traveling; the other is a two-piece cue that can be carried easily.
The choice is yours that which type of cue you will go for both types is good. The other most important thing about the pool cue, which makes it a good pool cue, is the pool cue’s straightness. There should be minimum deflection in the pool cue along its length. When you play the pool game, you will realize how important it is for a pool cue to be very straight. If there is deflection in the stick, it will disturb your shots.
For getting the best pool cue, its straightness is one of the most important factors that must be considered and look for.
Types of Pool Cues
There are different types of pool cues that are different inbuilt and as well as in the performance. The main thing on which this pool cue depends upon the type of game you are playing. We will discuss in detail all the man types of pool cues.
Snooker Cues
Snooker is a lot of different game than all other pool games. The cues that are used in snooker game is also very different from other cues. The balls that have been used in the snooker game are bigger, having a size of 21/16″, and to hit the bigger size, you need a pool cue that has a bigger tip. The tip diameter for predator pool cues that are used in snooker is 9-10.5mm. This big tip is good for hitting the big ball of snooker. The snooker cues are made from very good quality ash wood, which is very strong wood. The tip of the snooker cue is attached with the help of brass support at the top.
English Cues
English cues are made up of the same material as snooker cues. The length of the English cues is 57″ inch, and it also has some extra butt, which can be attached at the bottom of this cue to extend the player’s reach. For playing long shots where the ball is very far on the table, this cue makes it easy and helps the player to play the long shots. The tip of English cues has a diameter in the range of 8-9.5mm, which is slightly smaller than snooker cues. The English cues are used to play the ball having a size of 21/4″. The difference in the cues is its length and size of its tips.
American Pool Cues
The American pool cues are known for its best-built quality. It is made up of maple wood, very strong wood, and the American pool cues Viking very straight due to very little deflection of the maple wood. The length of the American pool is of standard size, which is 57 to 58 inches. The tip size is 12—13 mm. This big size of the tip is due to the maple wood, which is a little thicker. The American pool comes in different sizes, and you can choose the weight according to your choice.
Ramin Cues
Ramin pool cues are the most used cues because these are very cheap cues. These cues are only available in a single piece and not available in two pieces. These cues are best for use in the home, clubs where you need to have cues to play the pool just for enjoyment. The tips of Ramin cues are attached with the glue, and it is not strongly attached to it, and it gets removed easily and not long-lasting. These cues are cheap, but durability is the issue with these cues.
All the pool mentioned above cues are good, but it depends upon the user that which type of pool he is looking for.
Top Pool Cue Brands
There are a lot of brands that make the pool cues. These brands have expertise in different types of cues depending upon the area where the brands exist. Many different brands operate internationally, and they deliver the top quality cues in different areas of the world. While choosing the best brand for cues, many factors should be kept in mind.
The most important factors are money and quality. There are a lot of brands that make top-quality cues using the best quality material. But they are not very cheap; on the other hand, if you look for the brands that make the cheap and affordable cues, you will have noticed that they have compromised on the quality of the cues.
Considering the factors of money and quality, several brands provide high-quality products in the market, and they have a legacy and a name in manufacturing the top quality cues. The following are some of the most rated top brands for pool cues.
- McDermott
- Lucasi
- Joss
- OB
- Mezz
The choice of best pool cues for beginners does not very depend much upon the brand. The player chooses the cue according to their requirements and needs. The top of the list brands has very high prices for their cues, and mostly these cues are very expansive. On the other hand, many brands are not very common, but they make the cues that can suit your playing style and choice. It depends upon the person that he wants to go for the top brands or fulfill his requirements from buying a middle brand of the pool cue. Top brands are mostly for the professional and more serious players of the pool.
What Features Should I Look for in the Best Pool Cues for Beginners?
The basic function of pool cues is to transfer your skills of pool playing to the table. It is the tool that has been used by the players to hit the ball. If you are good players and your skills are on the advanced level, but you have a bad pool cue in your hand, you can never perform well in the game. On the other hand, if a basic level player has a good quality pool cue in his hand while playing pool, you can expect very good shots from that player.
Now there is the question of how you will know that the pool cue in your hand is of good quality and will not affect your game while playing. The answer to this question is that a few pool cues determine the quality and grade of a pool cue. It would help if you looked for those features to get the best pool cue for your use.
The following are some of the most important features of pool cues, and we will discuss all these features in detail to get your familiar with all these features.
Overall Built Quality
The overall built quality the finish of the final pool cue. It should be very smooth without any scratches or the presence of any extra glue over it. The pool cue’s smooth surface is very important as it will be easy to use, and there will be no deflection in the cue. Before buying a pool cue or using a pool cue for playing pool, make sure that you have checked the pool’s overall quality. The simple and the best way to use this is to touch the pool cue, and with the help of the nail, check that there is no scratch or dip in the pool cue. The other thing about the pool cue is to check the tip and Ferrule that it is properly fixed.
Straightness
This is one of the most important features of a good quality pool cue. The straight pool cue is the one that reflects your shot to the exact location where you wanted it to be. The ball’s behavior changes even with a few mm difference in the place of where the cue hits the ball. A deflected pool cue makes it very difficult to hit the place at the desired position.
One of the easiest ways to check the straightness is to look at the pool cue by placing your eye at the bottom of the cue and checking for any deflection with the naked eye’s help. The other way to check is to roll the pool cue on the table, and if there is any deflection in the cue, it will not roll properly, and you can notice it easily. It is recommended never to use a deflected pool cue.
Tip
The tip is the part of the pool cue that hit the balls, and it is very important to check this feature of the pool cue to be very good and strong. The proper fixing of the pool cue’s tip is very important as a loose tip can produce deflection in the shot, and you may end up hitting the ball at the wrong spot. The tip should be long-lasting, and it should be replaceable. If the tip is not of good quality, you may end up changing the tip again and again, which is not a good practice, and if you end up losing the tip during a serious game, it may end up in disaster.
Ferrule
The Ferrule is the part of the pool cue used to join the tip to the stick of the pool cue. This is made up of brace or any other hard metal. The Ferrule is joined to the wooden stick of the pool cue with the help of glue. The tip is joined to it with the help of glue to this Ferrule. So it is also a very important part of the pool cue.
The strength of this Ferrule gives strength to the tip. The power of the player is transmitted to the ball with the help of Ferrule. Most of the top brands give very importance to this Ferrule, and they make very smooth and strong Ferrule. The quality of the pool cue is determined by checking the Ferrule of the pool cue.
Wrapping
The wrapping of the pool cue means the cover of the bottom side of the pool cue by which the player holds the pool cue. There are different types of wrapping, like plastic, rubber, or leather. For all types of wrapping, one of the most important things is that it should be smooth to behold easily and be used easily for playing the pool.
Comparison Table of the Best Pool Cues for Beginners
6 Best Pool Cues for Beginners Detailed Review
01-Viking Valhalla 2 Piece Pool Cue Stick with Irish Linen Wrap
Features
- Irish linen wrap
- Two-piece cue
- Leather tip 13mm
- Comes in 7 different colors
- Stainless steel pin
- 58″ Length
- Easy Transport
- Threaded Joint
- Tip: Premium Leather
- Ferrule: High Impact Resin
- Shaft: Hard Rock Maple
- Taper: 12″ to 14″ Pro Taper
- Finish: Ultra-violet Urethane
- Forearm: Hard Rock Maple
- Butt Plate: Urethane
- Bumper: Rubber
- Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty
Product Description
Viking Valhalla is one of the best pool cues for beginners, which comes in two pieces. The built quality of this cue is very good. These cues come in 7 different and attractive colors, which allow you to use the cue according to your choice. The wrap on this cue is of linen, which helps to grip the cue firmly, and it helps a lot during play. This cue’s tip is not only strong, but it is shaped perfectly to be ready to use whenever you want.
This cue comes with a lifetime warranty, so it is a time investment as you will not have to buy the cues again and again.
Best Suited for
This cue is good for the beginners who want to have a cue that is very good built and shots the ball very well. The length of this cue is 58″, which is ideal for all types of players. The two pieces of these cues are good for easy transport of this cue.
Not so Great for
This pool cue is very strong, but it is very hard to maintain due to its elegant and sophisticated design. The two pieces joining of this pool cue is not for everyday use. So this pool cue is not very easy to maintain, so if you are the kind of player who does not take care of its cue very much, this pool cue is not great.
02-Players Classic Birds-Eye Maple with Triple Silver Ring Cue
Features
- Double press Irish linen wrap
- Stainless steel joint
- 13mm pin
- Slip-free grip
- Provides a rock-solid hit
- Available in 18 – 21 ounces in half-ounce increments
- Weight adjustable
- Warpage protection
- Triple silver ring sets
- It provides excellent ball control
- 100% STRAIGHT!
- Lifetime warranty
Product Description
Players classic use bid eye maple wood on the front side of this pool cue, and the backhand of this pool cue is made up of solid wrap made up of linen, which helps to have a firm grip during playing pool. The wood of this pool cue is from North America. The wood is of a maple tree, dried several times properly to get all the moisture out from it.
This wood is then coated with Nelsonite, which helps to protect the wood from changes in the atmosphere, and it increases the life of the wood. The final layer of this pool cue is of epoxy and high glass super UV finish, which also protects the surface of this pool cue from moisture. This is a very good quality pool cue and has all the required features by a good player in a good pool cue.
Best Suited for
This pool cue is best suited for the player who wants to have a permanent, good quality pool cue. This cue not only looks good in your hand but it is also very good in performance. The strong tip of this cue helps to hit the ball with great power.
Not so Great for
This cue is not for the beginners and the players who are not very serious about the game and just want to play the game for fun and enjoyment.
03- Iszy Billiards Hardwood Canadian Maple Pool Cue Billiard Stick
Features
- Comes in 8 colors
- Comes in 4 different weights
- Made of hardwood Canadian maple wood
- The ferrule is made up of fiber
- 13mm tip made up of leather
- Irish Linen Wrap
- Length 58″
- Flexible join and removal
- Durable
Product Description
This pool cue is of 58″ in length, which as per the standards. This pool cue is made up of two pieces. The bottom part of this cue is very hardwood, which is of actually maple wood from Canada. This strong wood is good in strength, but it also helps control the deflection in the cue. There are eight different colors available in the market for this cue. You can choose the color according to your choice. This cue’s forearm is also very good as the leather tip is attached to it very firmly, which is 13mm. This strong tip is good for the power stroke of the pool.
Best Suited for
This pool cue is best for the players who want to have a good quality, two pieces of a pool cue, which can be transported easily from one place to another. If you are looking for a cheap and basic pool cue, this is the best option.
Not so Great for
This pool cue is not for the serious players who want to have the one-piece cue used in the tournaments and serious game of pool. This cue is not for the professional level of players.
04- AB Earth Set of 4 Screw on Glue-on Tip Pool Cues 58 Inches Billiard House bar Pool Sticks
Features
- 4- Screw on tips
- 58 inches long
- 13mm Leather tips
- Excellent and various decal maple butt
- Matte paint textured grip
- You will get 4pcs Gen 3 screw-on tip pool cues
- Long-lasting ferrule
- Shatterproof Polycarbonate
- Easily replaceable tips
- 2020 New Design
Product Description
This pool cue’s tip is one of the most important and interesting features of this pool cue. The tip of this pool cue is made up of a screw that can be fixed and removed easily from the cue’s top. This tip can be attached and removed with the help of a screw. This feature gives you a chance to remove and replace the tip without getting your hands dirty. The tip is also made up of leather, which is very strong. The ferrule of this pool cue is also very strong, which is very long-lasting, and also it helps to grip the tip firmly. This ferrule is made up of polycarbonate, which is stronger than the traditional fiber ferrule.
Best Suited for
This is the pool cue, which is good for a stylish and fun-loving player. If you are fed up with changing the tips of the pool cue, which are glued to the ferrule, then go for this pool cue as it has the screw tip, which is very easy to replace, and in few seconds, you can change the tip of this pool cue.
Not so Great for
This pool cue is not good for the serious players as it comes in two pieces, and due to these two pieces, the performance of this pool cue gets affected.
05- McDermott Pro Pool Cue Kit with Free Hard Case
Features
- Contain complete kit
- Four classic overlay design
- 13mm tip
- Long-lasting protective finish
- Linen wrap
Product Description
This is the gift for the pool players by McDermott. This kit includes everything that a pool player wants. This kit includes all the things, even the smallest things like chalks and joint protectors. So if you have a McDermott pro pool cue kit with you, you do not need to buy anything more to play the pool cue. This kit includes the hard case, which is very good to protect the pool cues. These cues are two pieces, and if you pack it in the case, you can easily carry it anywhere you want. This protective case also protects the cue from damage or scratches during transportation.
This pool kit contains the smallest items required for playing the pool like the chalks, joint protectors, and tip shaper. So in this kit, there is everything required by the pool players, so now you do not have to worry about buying the different things for pool game as McDermott has the solution for it by providing a complete kit for a pool game for you.
Best Suited for
This pool kit is good for the players who want to carry the pool cue to play it anywhere they want.
Not so Great for
It is not good for the players who want to have a fixed pool cue for more serious pool games.
06- Viper Revolution Spider 58″ 2-Piece Billiard/pool Cue
Features
- Attractive tattoo style graphical design
- Two-piece pool cue
- Stainless steel joint
- Good quality maple wood
- Removable scuffer
- Made with Canadian Maple Wood
- Finished off with nine coats of varnish
- Easy transportation and storage
- Finished off with a siliconized infused felt wrap
- Provide a tension-free stroke
- Available in 18-21 ounce cue weights
- 3-year manufacture limited warranty
Product Description
This pool cue is made of very high-quality maple wood, which is very strong and ideal for the pool cues. Maple wood is not only strong, but it also has very little deflection. The maple wood used in the viper revolution spider is of very good quality. This maple wood is obtained from North America, which is famous for its maple wood. The basic idea after using the best quality maple wood is to make the high-quality pool cue, which is good for playing the serious game of pool.
The design of this pool cue is one of the most important features. This pool cue’s surface has a shiny white background that has attractive tattoo designs on it, which makes it very interesting and attractive. The top surface of this pool cue has six varnish coats, which make it shine a lot, and it looks very good in design, and you will love to show it off to others.
Best Suited for
If you have a bar or café where you have decided to put the pool table, you must buy this pool cue as it will add the design and style to your pool table because of its attractive and eye-catching design.
Not so Great for
This is an expansive pool cue that is not good for the players who cannot take care of this pool cue and use the pool cue very roughly.
Buyers Guide on the Best Pool Cues for Beginners
There are many different factors on which the decision to buy the best pool cues for beginners depends upon. There are a lot of different brands and manufacturer which make the different types of the pool cue, and if you will go in the market to buy the best pool cue for your use so will get in a lot of confusion and may end up buying a pool cue which is not good for your use. So one of the basic things to buy the pool cue is to first look for your requirements and needs, then go and buy the pool cues according to it.
Here are some of the most important factors regarding buying the best pool cues for beginners.
Single or 2 Pieces
The basic question that a pool player should have in mind is that is he needs a single piece or two-piece pool cue. If you do not have a pool table and want to play the pool on the other’s place, you will need a two-piece pool cue that can be transported and store easily. The single-piece pool cues are good for the players who play at a single place, and there is no need to carry the pool cue here and there to different places. The first thing is to check your requirement and go for the pool cue according to your need.
Straightness
The basic requirement of a pool cue is its straightness. The difference between a stick and the pool cue is its straightness. There should be minimum deflection in a pool cue to use it for the best of shots. The player’s skills will not be fully reflected on the table if he will use the pool cue, which has some deflection in it. Due to deflection, the ball is not hit at the proper place, and there are chances that the shot will not be accurate, and you may end up missing the target.
Kind of Tip
There are a lot of different types of tips that are attached to pool cues. The difference in the tip is of the composition. There are different types of materials used in the tips of pool cues. Most of the pool cues tips are made up of leather, which is soft and medium tips. The hard tips of pool cues are made up of phenolic resin. The hard tips are very strong, and it lasts longer than the soft tips, but they are very expansive. The choice that which type of tip will be best for you depend upon your requirements.
Wrap of the Cue
This is also a very important part of the pool cue. A player will hold the pool cue from its wrap. There are a lot of different types of wrap which are used on pool cues. The most common wrap are leather, straps, or rubber. Before buying the best pool cue for beginners, always check which wrap will be best suitable.
How to Hold Pool Cue-Tips for Beginners?
One of the most basic and important things in the pool is how you will hold the pool cue. It is very important as your performance in the pool game depend on it. If you do not hold the pool cue properly, you may play a shot away from the target. So get the first and most important thing right, which is properly holding the pool cue. Here are some of the most common and critical tips that will help you be a good player.
To hold the pool cue, you have to use both hands. One which is called the dominant hand, can either be right or left as it depends upon the person is used to hold the cue form the backhand. The other hand is to be placed on the table, used to hold the pool cue on the table.
One of the mistakes that many beginners do is that they hold the cue very tight, which is not the right thing to do. The pool cue should behold in a relaxed and controlled way. The other thing is the body should be properly aligned with the stick.
Related Article: Best Pool Cues for the Money
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Women need different cue sticks?
There are no different types of pool cues for women. Both Men and Women can use the same type of pool cues without any alternation. However, most of the female players use lightweight pool cues.
How do I carry my pool cue with me?
There are a lot of hard cases available in which you can pack your pool cue. You can carry that case with you anywhere you want. Keep in mind that all these cases are for the two pieces of pool cues.
Which pool cue should I choose for a shorter person?
For the shorter persons, the pool cues which are longer are good to use. The shorter person’s reach is less, and the longer pool cue makes him able to play the ball, which is far from the table edge.
What weight of pool cue should I use?
The pool cue’s weight depends upon the person, and it also varies from person to person. So you can tell someone which weight will be perfect for him. To get the perfect weight pool cue, you should try different weights than decide the best which suits you more.
Are McDermott cues good?
McDermott is a very good brand for pool cues, and they make very good cues. Many professional players use McDermott pool cues while playing international matches and high-level tournaments.
What pool cues do professional use?
Professional players use the single piece pool cues with minimum deflection. Almost all brands make this type of pool cues. The professional pool players use the top of the list pool cues from brands like McDermott, players, Iszy, etc.
Are our expansive pool cues worth it?
Expansive cues are good in quality, but the main price is about the brand name of the pool cue’s design. You can get the same quality pool cue at a much less price. So it is your choice that you want a well-known expansive brand or cheap brand having the same quality pool cue.
Who make pool cues?
Both machines are workers used in making the pool cues.
What type of cue tip is best?
In performance, the single-piece pool cue with the leather tip is the best.
- Straight line composite technology will not warp
- 13mm fiber Ferrule with leather tip
- Aluminum joint
- Smooth matte black finish
- Microtac grip with custom rubber bumper
Our Recommendation
58” Valhalla Viking pool cues come with a wide variety of colors to choose from. Both forearm and shaft are made from Hard Rock Maple. The premium leather tip is 13 mm. It is one of the best pool cues for beginners. As far as our research you can get it.
- IMPROVE YOUR GAME WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK. Features a 58” maple shaft cue, two piece design for easy transport, industry standard stainless steel 5/16” x 18” threaded joint, and 13mm leather tip.
- A PREMIUM IMPORT. Designed by our Viking Cue Artisans, Valhalla cues take full advantage of our production knowledge. We stay involved in the manufacturing process to ensure each cue is top quality.
- STATE-OF-THE-ART UNRIVALED QUALITY. Before a pool cue is shipped, it is assembled, rolled, and closely inspected to make sure it meets our high quality standards.
- HIGH-END FEATURES. All Valhalla cues are fitted with a proprietary tip and the same stackable, interchangeable weight bolt system that comes standard in our American Made Viking lineup.
- STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD. Get a pool cue that matches your individual style. Valhalla offers over 100 unique designs and colors to choose from.
Last Words
The pool cues are very important, and buying a pool cue is the first step towards playing the pool cue. The players who are now at the top level of the game were in the same position as you. There are many questions and confusion that pop up in the mind of a person who wants to buy a pool cue. Here in this article, we have discussed all the important details about the pool cues to familiar with it. We have also shortlisted and discussed all the details about the best pool cues for beginners. We hope that after reading this article, you will be better positioned to decide which pool cue is best for you.
Mark is a Bloomberg BusinessWeek-based digital entrepreneur, blogger, and table tennis enthusiast. He is a former professional table tennis player with the career-best USATT ranking of 2689. He is also an ITTF Level 3 certified coach and conducts weekend coaching programs in and around the New York area. Mark is also a pool player by passion. He was first introduced to the game of pool at a very early age by his granddad. He had a natural knack for the game and quickly learned the ropes, and by the time he was 15, he was already participating in local leagues. He aims to make it into the APA league someday! Mark started his own blog by starting Indoor Games Zone, where he loves to share his years of experience with the audience. He covers ping pong, pool, air hockey, shuffleboard, and foosball.
- Ping pong
- Pool
- Air Hockey
- Shuffleboard
- Foosball
Last update on 2022-05-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
