Top 6 Best Pool Cues (Buyer’s Guide)

As with all sports, equipment is key. And this is no different with pool. Opting for a poor cue will stunt your game and lead to frustration. Instead, invest in a quality cue and you’ll find pool much easier to play, and ultimately, you will get more enjoyment out of the game.

Pool cues come in a range of different sizes, weights, tips, and so on. In this pool cues review, we will break down what to look out for when purchasing a stick, and detail the best pool cues that we recommend.

These are the best pool cues of 2024:

1. Players Classic C-950 Pool Cue — Best Quality
2. Tai Ba Pool Cue Blue S3+ — Best Accessories
3. Viper Commercial/House 1-Piece Pool Cue — Best Value for Money
4. Viper Graphstrike 58″ 2-Piece Pool Cue
5. Viking Valhalla 100 Series No Wrap 2-Piece 58″ Pool Cue
6. AB Earth Pool Cue

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As sporting experts, we pride ourselves on discerning the top equipment from the rest. Each review results from many hours of study where we not only select the best products but also explain why they excel and what features you should look out for when shopping around.

Our website is 100% unbiased — we are not paid to endorse any products, so rest assured all thoughts are our own and genuine.

For this pool stick review, we considered the following traits:

• Price
• Pool cue shaft material
• Pool cue tip material
• Joint
• Durability
• Color offerings
• Length and weight customization
• Warranty

The Best Pool Cues for 2024

The Best Pool Cue Reviews

1. Players Classic C-950 Pool Cue — Best Quality

 

Pros:

• Available in 18-21 ounces
• Double-pressed Irish linen wrap
• 18-pin stainless steel joint
• Grade A Hard Rock Maple
• Highly durable hard oak tip
• Treated wood to make it resistant to moisture
• Multiple colors available
• Lifetime warranty against warpage

Cons:

• Expensive

Our rating: 9.5

The Players Classic C-950 is an eye-catching two-piece cue available in 18-21 ounces. It measures the standard pool cue length of 58 inches and sports a black double-pressed linen wrap giving you plenty of grip. The design is slick and beautiful, and the grip pairs nicely with the textured red forearm and butt sleeve.

The pool stick is composed of North American Maple which has been hand-selected and undergone a 7-stage curing process. It is then sealed with Nelsonite and epoxy to protect it from moisture. The tip is a 13 mm premium pro tip by Le Professional, created using vegetable-tanned oak leather to ensure it lasts.

The C-950 is certainly a premium pool cue and while it does not have a low-deflection shaft, it does come with a lifetime warranty against warpage ensuring reliability. It is the top pool cue on this list in terms of quality therefore we think it’s one of the best pool cues for advanced players.   

 

2. Tai Ba Pool Cue – Blue S3+ — Best Accessories

 

Pros:

• Available in 18-22 ounces
• 100% Hard Canadian Maple Wood
• 13 mm multilayer leather tip
• Multi-weight system
• 9 different colors are available 
• Comes with accessories

Cons:

• Uses imitation leather, not real leather

Our rating: 9.4

The Tai Ba S3+ is a 58″ two-piece cue with varying weights from 18-22 ounces. Made from 100% Canadian Maple Wood, it is of very high quality. It also has a nice subtle design on the butt that is coated in 9 layers of varnish, ensuring it never wears away. This also protects the pool cue stick from moisture and prevents warping. You have a total of 9 colors to choose from with varying styles, so you have quite a lot of choice.

We really rate the multi-weight system used in this cue. By opening the bottom rubber bumper you can replace the cue’s weight bolt to adjust it to your preferences. To top it all off the cue comes with four accessories: an elastic lycra glove, joint protectors, tip picks, and most importantly, a hard pool cue case. This case has a leather exterior, an adjustable shoulder strap, and a zipper pouch to store accessories. Considering all the extras, we think it’s one of the best billiard cues if you take accessories into account.

3. Viper Commercial/House 1-Piece Pool Cue — Best Value for Money

 

Pros:

• Available in 19-21 ounces 
• Available in 36″ – 57″
• Canadian Maple Wood
• 13 mm Le Pro tip
• Inexpensive

Cons:

• 30-day warranty

Our rating: 9.2

If value for money is your goal, the Viper Commercial is a cue that will interest you. It’s a little more basic than some of the other cues listed but this helps to cut the cost. For starters, it’s a one-piece cue, all of the others we look at today are two-piece. The design is also fairly basic, which in fairness, may be a plus if you want a more professional-looking cue. Yet it gets what matters right. It’s made from Canadian Maple Wood and uses a 13 mm Le Pro Tip. The same style of tip used by the far more expensive Players G-C950 pool cue. 

You also have some customization choices when it comes to weight and length which is certainly an advantage. To reiterate, the Viper Commercial is one of the best pool cues for the money. As such, it is a top choice for entry-level players.

Read More: Best Pool Sticks for the Money

 

4. Viper Graphstrike 58″ 2-Piece Pool Cue

 

Pros:

• Fiberglass construction
• Aluminum joint
• 13 mm Le Pro leather tip
• 3 color choices
• 1-year limited warranty
• Slick design

Cons:

• Conflicting information in product listing
• Cannot choose weight

Our rating: 9.3

The Viper Graphstrike is a two-piece cue composed of fiberglass making it the only cue on this list that is not made from wood. This removes the risk of the cue warping and we really like the way it looks — the black version especially. You can also pick it up in blue or maroon. Like many of the other cues, it features the dependable 13 mm Le Pro leather tip.

The Graphstrike comes with a 1-year warranty which is somewhat surprising considering it is not very pricey. However, we do have a few reservations. The first is the conflicting info in the product listing. It states that the cue is both 57″ and 58″, now the difference here isn’t all that much, but as a buyer, you want to be certain of what you are getting. The second is the weight variance which you have no control over. The manufacturer sends the seller cues of varying weights between 18-21 ounces and randomly ships them out. This means you can’t choose which weight you want. This isn’t a big deal for a new player, but this is a major turnoff for someone more skilled.

5. Viking Valhalla 100 Series No Wrap 2-Piece 58” Pool Cue

 

Pros:

• Available in 18-21 ounces
• 9 colors
• Hardrock Solid Maple
• 13 mm premium leather tip
• 18-pin stainless steel joint

Cons:

• Tip prone to falling off
• Some buyers received the wrong cue

Our rating: 8.9

The Valhalla 100 Series is a good pool cue with great customization. Buyers can choose from 4 different weights and 11 colors. The black and mahogany colors provide a smooth traditional look that we love, but others such as orange and red are great for anyone who wants a bolder design.

Composed of the ever-popular Hardrock Solid Maple, the quality of the cue is a given. It also uses the regular 18-pin stainless steel joint for a tight high-quality fix. The tip is 13 mm in diameter and made of premium leather.  

6. AB Earth Pool Cue

 

Pros:

• Available in 18-21 ounces
• 4 colors
• Matt textured grip
• Hardrock Solid Maple
• Dazzling artwork

Cons:

• Tip does not last long
• Cue prone to warping

Our rating: 8.7

This AB Earth cue is for all the arty pool players out there. Each cue is hand-painted using gloss oil paints by artists. Available in 4 colors, you can take your pick. It’s just a shame the grip doesn’t work cohesively with the design as with the other cues.  

AB Earth’s cue measures the standard 58 inches and uses 100% solid Canadian Maple. It also has a high-gloss, UV-resistant seal for protection and to ensure its dazzling artwork doesn’t fade. The tip is 13 mm in diameter and made of leather.

Aimed at beginner to intermediate players, the shaft isn’t low-deflection like more expensive models — rather mid-deflection. It’s currently sitting at 4.5 stars on Amazon and considering its affordable price point, we think it’s one of the top cheaper options available among the best pool sticks.

Read More: Best Pool Cue Cases

 

Choosing the Best Pool Cue

Length

The very first thing to consider when selecting your pool cue is the length you will need. Fortunately, this is quite simple. Standard cues are 57 or 58 inches, depending on whether you choose one-piece or two-piece. This length will be suitable for the majority of adults.

For younger/shorter players, cues in the 36-52 inch range are available. Generally speaking, 36-42 inches are suitable for anyone 4 ft or below. While 48 and 52-inch cues are for players from 4 ft through to 5 ft 8 inches.

Players who are exceptionally tall or have long arms may struggle to find the perfect pool cue. For these people, purchasing a custom model is probably best.

Weight

Weight is another key area you will want to consider. Cues are available in light, medium, and heavy, and which you choose should depend on your style.

Most cues fall within the 18 to 21-ounce range, but you can find cues that exceed these figures. If you are just starting out, a 19 to 20-ounce cue is best as they are a little more forgiving.    

The majority of the weight of a cue is stored in a rear section known as the butt. This is because the tail end of the cue is thicker than the shaft. Manufacturers will also add weight to the butt end through heavy hardwood such as ebony.

Tips

As tips are the only component of the cue that strikes the ball they are highly important and customizable. What shouldn’t change is your tip diameter relative to your shaft – it should always be the same. Of course, different shaft diameters, therefore, mean varying tip diameters. Smaller tips require more skill and offer greater spin production. On the other hand, larger tips are safer and offer more power.

Tip hardness also has a similar effect on your shots. A hard tip is more effective at transferring power to the ball. This makes it useful for breaking. However, the drawback to hard tips is that you have less control over producing spin and you are more likely to miscue.

Conversely, soft tips give you more control over spin to play advanced shots, although you suffer a bit in the speed department. They also wear out quicker than hard tips. This is why medium tips are so popular. They offer the best of both worlds giving you access to adequate spin and speed.

Of course, if you want to take full advantage of tip potential, why not use all three? You can use differently tipped cues for specific match scenarios. In essence, there isn’t really a best cue stick tip, just choose one which best complements your style. 

One-Piece vs Two-Piece vs Three-Piece

The number of pieces in your cue is more of an aesthetic choice than one which will affect gameplay. Some people assume that having more than one part to your cue will lead to a loss of power, however, this isn’t true. Pool cues have a very precise fit once screwed tight so you need not worry about hindrances to power.

One-piece cues are best for home use and more casual scenes. Two-piece cues are more fitting for serious players who travel to play, such as those who participate in tournaments. Being able to break your cue down into more than one piece for transportation is convenient. It also makes it less obvious what you are transporting which will leave thieves oblivious. Most of the top-rated pool cues are two-piece, simply because two-piece cues are the most popular so more get made.  

Three-piece cues are also available but these are far less common. The advantage of using this type of cue is that you can take out the middle section to create a smaller cue. This proves useful if you don’t have enough space to play your shot.  

Wrap

A more subjective choice for your cue is whether you opt to go for a wrap. Wraps are added to the handle of your cue. They provide additional grip and lets you show off some flair. Having a wrap also helps absorb moisture, prolonging your cue’s life.

Of course, they are far from essential. Some players prefer not to have one and many of the top-rated pool cues have no wrap at all.

Common wrap materials include linen and leather.  

Brand

While it’s true that many lesser-known companies put out quality pool cues, it’s always safest to stick with a brand with a good track record when it comes to pool cues. Players, Viper, and Viking are all top pool cue brands you should consider.

But who makes the very best pool cues? The consensus is Predator. However, these top brand pool cues are far too expensive for most consumers. We would only recommend buying a high-end pool cue from Predator if you are an advanced player. 

Read More: A Odd History of Billiards and Pool

 

Closing Thoughts

That summarizes the best pool cues you can buy for 2024. If you are a keen player who puts a lot of hours in, we think the Players Classic C-950 pool cue is the one for you. It’s the highest quality of all the cues we looked at and comes with a lifetime warranty that is not even close to being matched by the other models.

Alternatively, if you want a well-built inexpensive cue, you can’t go wrong with the Viper Commercial. If you can look past the fact it’s a one-piece cue, you are getting a steal.

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