Playing Pool in a man cave is great fun. If you play regularly you will know that a decent pool cue can make a big difference to your game. You will have far greater control of cue ball than using the basic pool cues at pool halls or the ones that are free when you buy a pool table.
Below we have gathered a list of some of the best pool cues for the money for each of the following areas – for beginners, intermediates and pros. We have also rated junior pool cues, pool cue sets for your games room and provided a buyers guide highlighting things you should consider when buying a pool cue.
We’ve rounded up a list of the best-rated pool cues on the market today. For ease of use, we have broken them into the categories of pool cues, junior pool cues, and pool cue sets. Without any further delay let’s get into our pool cue reviews.
Full Size Pool Cues
We’ll start off with the standard pool cue section. These are your standard length pool cues, 58 inches, though there are some other options available. These cues tend to be designed for adult use. The order below is based on pool cues for beginners first, then intermediate players and finally Pros.
Best Pool Cue for Beginners
Imperial Eliminator Pool Cue
- Material: Hard Rock Maple
- Number of Pieces: 1 or 2
- Length: 4 options – 36″ to 58″
- Crafted from hard rock maple
- Comes with a medium type tip
- No option for a different weight balance
- No carry case for the 2 piece cue version
The Imperial Eliminator Pool cue has a number of different options for you to take a look at. You can get a 36 inch, 48 inches or 52-inch single piece cue or a 2 piece 58-inch model. All are the fairly standard weight and balance. With the price point for all of these being low, these cues are set mostly at the beginner level but are beautiful options to have for your home table.
McDermott Deluxe Pool Cue Kit
- Material: Maple
- Number of Pieces: 2
- Length: 58″
- Two piece cue makes for a very easy cue to travel with
- Carrying case is included, as is chalk and pamphlet
- Two weight options available
- 3-year warranty
- No choice in the balance of the cue
The McDermott Deluxe Pool Cue Kit is the right place to start if you play more at other locations than your own home. This one comes with a 58-inch cue that breaks in two for easy transport. You have the option to select either an 18 oz or 19 oz model. This a really good cue in the beginner price bracket.
Best Pool Cue for Intermediate Players
Players D JS Jester Card Suits Cue
- Material: Maple
- Number of Pieces: 2
- Length: 58″
- Lifetime Warranty
- 7 weight options
- Two pieces for easy travel
- No carry case included
The Players D JS Jest Card Suits Cue is another offering crafted from North American Hard Rock Maple but features a graphic cover. This cover features a Multi-zone traction pattern to allow for plenty of grips where you need it. It also sports a 13 mm changeable tip. You have the options of 7 weight choices going from 18 oz. to 21 oz. in half ounce increments. This is a great intermediate cue with a lifetime warranty.
Viper Desperado 2 Piece Billiard/Pool Cue
- Material: Maple
- Number of Pieces: 2
- Length: 58″
- Lifetime Warranty
- 4 weight options
- Changeable tip
- No Carry Case included
The Viper Desperado cue is a two piece model that sports an Iron Cross design. This cue is made from Canadian Maple. It sports a 13 mm Le Pro leather tip that is changeable. It is offered in one-ounce increments ranging from 18 oz. to 21 oz and has a lifetime warranty! This is a great cue for the intermediate player offer a really comfortable grip, providing a great feel.
Best Pool Cues in the World (Pros)
Lucasi Mystic Black and Curly Maple Pool Cue
- Material: Maple
- Number of Pieces: 2
- Length: 52″
- Weight is changeable even after purchase
- Lifetime warranty
- Quick break down
- No carry case
The Lucasi Mystic Black and Curly Maple Pool Cue is perhaps the most expensive single cue on our list. This one sports a 12.75 medium firm tip. It is made from a maple and sports an Irish wrap to give you a slip free grip. The lifetime warranty even covers you should the cue warp. The cue is available in half ounce increments from 18 oz. to 21 oz.
Junior Pool Cues
While some places will use junior and beginner interchangeably do not think that all of these cues are only for those who are just starting out. These cues run from 36 inches up to about 48 inches long and are designed for the younger pool players. There are some very nice options, so these can also be used for seasoned adults who prefer a shorter cue. Many players use them at home if space is tight in a certain area and a standard cue would be too long to play the shot.
Viper Junior 2-Piece Billiard/Pool Cue
- Material: Maple
- Number of Pieces: 2
- Length: 48″
- Two pieces for easy travel
- Lighter weight for younger players
- Good selection of graphics
- No “standard” wood look available
- No carry case
The Viper Junior 2-Piece Billiard/Pool Cue is designed with a younger player in mind. In addition to just being 48 inches long, it only tips the scale at 16 oz. However, before writing it off as a kid’s toy you should note that it is crafted from the same Canadian maple as Viper’s standard pool cue offerings and it comes with the same interchangeable 13 mm Le Pro leather tip. This model offers 6 choices of tattoo style graphics.
Felson Billiard Supplies Shorty Pool Cue
- Material: Wood
- Number of Pieces: 2
- Length: 36″
- Two pieces for portability
- Useful in tight corners
- Very Lightweight
- Provided tip doesn’t hold chalk well
The Felson Billiard Supplies Shorty Pool Cue was designed to do double duty as a cue designed for kids learning to play and also for a cue to use in those tight corners you might find. It sports a 1 cm leather tip that is designed to allow you hard shots even with the short length of this cue. This is a very inexpensive, basic junior cue that does what it’s meant to do.
Mizerak Shorty Cue
- Material: Hardwood
- Number of Pieces: 1
- Length: 40″
- Great for a mini pool table
- Solid single piece construction
- Very Lightweight
The Mizerak Shorty Cue is another cue that is designed for both tight spots as well as younger players. This one is a single piece cue, so you don’t need to worry about the connection wearing out over time. This is a very lightweight model, coming in at a mere 9.5 ounces.
Imperial Premier Cyclone 2-Piece Billiard/Pool Cue
- Material: Hardwood
- Number of Pieces: 2
- Length: 42″, 48″, 52″
- Three length options
- Weight more in line with standard cues
- Good for tight corners
- No carry case
- Glued on tip
The Imperial Premier Cyclone 2-Piece Billiard/Pool Cue, also known as the Sneaky Pete, gives you three different length options. The 42-inch model tips the scales right at 16 ounces, so although it’s the size of a junior cue its closer to standard pool cue weight than some other junior cue models. The tip is glued on, making it a bit more difficult to swap out than screw on models. This feels more like an adult pool cue.
Pool Cue Sets
Last up are the pool cue sets. These are more for your home pool set up where you would like everyone to be able to have a cue. There is a variety of the number of cues that come in a set, most offer cues of the same length, some offer different weights while others stick to a single weight. Below are some of the best pool cue sets to get you started.
Cuesoul Set of House Pool Cues
- Material: Canadian Maple Wood
- Length: 57 “
- Number of Cues: 6
- Complete starter set
- Good number of cues
- No variation in length or weight
The Cuesoul Set of House Pool Cues provide everything you need in a full size cue set. It gives you not only the 6 cues, each with different butt art to distinguish them but also a range of extra features. It comes with a wall rack, a bridge head, and a cleaning towel. Each of these 57-inch cues sports a 13 mm glued on tip. The cues are all two piece models that each weigh 21 oz.
Iszy Billiards Lot of 4 Billiard Table Sticks
- Material: Canadian Maple Wood
- Length: 58″
- Number of Cues: 4
- Offers a range of weights
- 6 sets of differing butt art to tell them apart
- Tips are very hard and need to be sharpened before use
As the name says, this is a set of 4 pool cues. They are all 58-inch models that are two pieces. The set gives you one in each weight, 18, 19, 20 and 21 ounces. They have a sticker to let you know which is which weight. They come with 13 mm glued on tips. So if you are looking for a set of 4 decent cues, these are a pretty good buy. However, if you require a set with more cues and a cue holder, then the Cuesoul set maybe a better option.
Valley House Bar Pool Sticks
- Material: Wood
- Length: 58″
- Number of Cues: 4 or 8
- Option for 4 or 8 cues
- Variety of weights
- No distinctive butt art for quick identification
The Valley House Bar Pool Sticks set is your standard set of pool cues. Each is a solid one piece 58-inch long cue. With the 4 piece set you get a single 18, 19, 20 and 21 weight cue, the eight piece set doubles those. The 13 mm leather tips are glued on. These are pretty much what you would find in any pool hall that you might wander into and will be a great addition to any home pool room.
Aska Billiard L2 Billiard Cues
- Material: Canadian Maple Wood
- Length: 58″
- Number of Cues: 5
- Good range of weights
- Distinctive coloring
- Black nylon wrap
- Not all the weights are marked on the cues
The Aska Billiard L2 Billiard Cues set comes with 5 cues. They have one each in 18, 20, and 21 ounces and then give you 2 in 19 ounces. Each different cue has a distinctive color on the end of the shaft to provide you with a quick ID of the cue you were using. They are each 2-pieces and sport the popular 13 mm Le Pro hard tip and would make a fun addition to the games room.
Best Pool Sticks: A Buyer’s Guide
If you are serious about your billiards game or just looking for a nice set of cues to go with your new pool table at home then there are a few things you should consider. The first two are your skill level and your budget. Depending on that skill level you might also need to look at some things such as the cue’s weight and balance as well as the performance of a given cue. Once you get a good idea what you are looking for you’ll be able to find your best pool sticks for the money.
Skill Level:
Most places will break this down into four groups beginners, intermediate, advanced and professionals. Beginners need no further explanation, the intermediate is sometimes also known as league players. Most collectors will be looking for cues in at the professional level.
Budget:
If you’re a beginner, a reasonably priced pool cue will be fine until you gain experience and improve your game. The amount you need to pay for a pool cue is tied closely to the skill level the cue is meant for. For beginners, you can generally find a cue for under $100. At the intermediate level, you jump up to the neighborhood of $150 to $300 and an advanced cue can run from $300 to $500. Professional level cues go up from there.
The best pool cue for intermediates may not be forgiving as the best pool cues for beginners, but will have more control so you’ll have to decide if you are ready to spend for a new cue as you improve or just try to get a better cue while you are learning. Personally, I would get a cue based on my skill level. Also, remember that you may need a pool cue carry case to store and protect your cue, if you don’t have a pool cue rack at home.
Performance:
The standard pool cue sports a maple shaft, it is the one that you pick up going to most any establishment that you pay for some time at the tables. However, as you get more serious you will find that cues have an amazing amount of tech built-in.
The best pool cues for the money will no doubt offer you some features like a non-slip grip and an interchangeable tip. Another place that higher end cues can stand out from their less expensive relatives is the quality of the connection for two-piece cues. If this is poor you’ll never be able to consistently make good shots.
Weight and Balance:
Most pool cues weight in somewhere between 18 and 21 ounces. As you will have noticed picking up any standard cue the bulk of that weight is at the bottom. If you are shorter that can make things a little difficult, but there are cues that have more of the weight shifted forward.
Some cues will allow you to change the weight by adding or removing weights from the bottom. Adding weight will end up moving the balance to the back while removing it will shift that balance point forward.
Requirements:
Some players have several cues, I do. I have cues I play at home with, cues for when I play at the hall and some players also have specific jump pool cues. So determine what you need your cue for and look at those types of cues. For example, the cues I have for home use are in the beginner range, because they are for everyone to use and it doesn’t matter who plays with them or if they accidentally got damaged. My personal cue for the pool hall is more expensive and only I use it.
Summary
There is an awful lot to consider when you are looking at the best pool cues to buy. We didn’t just rattle off the top 10 pool cues, but gave you a buyer’s guide and highlighted a number of different options that are available.
Now you should be ready to make a selection and start hitting the tables. We’d love to hear from you as to which one you ended up going with and what drove you to that selection. Please leave a comment below and let us know.
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