Editors Choice

Best Snooker Cue [Uk Buyers Guide & Review]

You can usually pick up a snooker cue anywhere there’s a public snooker table.  It might even be a decent one, but it won’t be yours and you won’t be able to take it away with you to practice at home (or anywhere else).  Investing in your own cue not only gives your more options for practice and play, it can also help improve your game since even a budget-level snooker cue is probably going to be better than the ones you get at your local pub or sports centre.

If you’re already sold on the idea of buying your own snooker cue and just want to know which one to buy, then you can head on down to our best snooker cue reviews.  If you’d like to know a bit more about snooker cues before you make your choice, then keep reading for our snooker cue buying guide.

Best Snooker Cue

Snooker cue buying guide

Here is a quick guide to the key factors you should look for when buying a snooker cue.

Material

The best snooker cues will tend to have ash or maple for the shaft and often use rosewood, walnut or ebony  for the butt.  Some snooker cues also use rosewood for the shaft and a few use ash for both the shaft and the butt.  If you see anything else on a cheap snooker cue (or no indication as to the material) then be very suspicious.  Premium cues may use other woods for a particular reason, but the manufacturer will probably explain why.  Even on premium cues, however, these are the most common woods.

Length and weight

For adults, the average snooker cue length is between about 57” (145cm) and 58” (147.5cm)  and weight is between about 18 oz to 20 oz (509g to 565g).  There’s a bit of variation here, so if you get serious you might want to try out different lengths and weights.  If you’re on the smaller side, you might want to look at snooker cues intended for juniors, which are shorter and lighter.

Pro tip, if you hear your snooker cue rattling, it’s probably not your imagination.  It’s more likely that the weight inside the butt of your snooker cue has come loose.  You can usually fix this by opening the butt end and using a bit of glue to secure the weight in its proper place.

Joint positions

A snooker cue can be one-piece (exactly what it says), ½ jointed (with a single joint in the centre) or ¾ jointed (with a joint where the shaft meets the butt).  From an entirely practical perspective, one-piece snooker cues tend to be the strongest, ½ jointed snooker cues tend to be the most portable and ¾ snooker cues are both reasonably strong and reasonably portable.

That’s the “hard” practicalities.  Once you start getting serious about snooker, you’ll find all kinds of different opinions about which is better.  A lot of players do like one-piece cues precisely because they are a single piece of wood.  Some players like ¾ joint cues because they are more “back-heavy”, which can help if you play a power game.  They are also easier to adjust for other games such as pool, where you might need a bit more reach.

As a beginner to intermediate player the ½ jointed and ¾ jointed snooker cues are probably the way to go since one-piece snooker cues really are a pain to transport, but if you start to get competitive you might want to try out the different formats and see if there’s one you like best.  Just remember to compare like with like, for example, don’t compare an expensive one-piece snooker cue to a cheap ½ joint snooker cue as it’s not a reasonable comparison.

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The size of the cue tip

Smaller cue tips give more control, but are unforgiving of mistakes.  Larger cue tips are less precise but more forgiving.  The standard size for cue tips is around 9.5mm to 10mm (diameter) but you can get them up to 12mm.  The tip itself is usually made of leather and the traditional way of attaching it is by brass ferule, although these days you can also get stick-on leather cue tips.

The splice

Basically this is the way the butt is fitted to the shaft and on premium snooker cues it will be done by hand to give a more rounded finish.  This is definitely a bit nicer to hold, but in the real world, machine finishing does a pretty decent job and is much more affordable.

The design

This is purely aesthetics and if you want a snooker cue with a pretty design, then you should expect to pay a bit more for it.  That’s just how it is and it’s up to you to decide whether or not it’s worth it.

Brand or who makes the best snooker cues?

There is no one, “best snooker cue brand” although there are some names which come up regularly.  The pros will use cues by the likes of Craftsman, Glover Cues, Hunt & Osborne, Maximus, Robert Osborne, John Parris, Peradon, Trevor White and Wood.  For the rest of us, the names to look out for include the ones below and AB Earth, Lucasi, Mark Richard Players, Rage, Viking Valhalla and Viper.

Best snooker cue review

We’ve put together a list of our top five best snooker cues, which are either ½ jointed or ¾ jointed.  The list is based on a combination of performance and price, so essentially value for money.  Any of these snooker cues will be fine for beginners to intermediate players.

Please note, a lot of the time when you buy a snooker cue online, you need to message the seller with your particular requirements.  For example, the same snooker cue may come in different weights and you need to message the seller to confirm which weight you want.  If this isn’t clear, just message the seller in advance of your purchase and check with them.  If they’re a good seller they’ll be happy to help and if they’re not then you’ll want to move on to someone who is.

AONETIGER 3/4 Jointed Snooker Billiard Pool Cue

AONETIGER 3 4

FEATURES

  • Material Ash/Ebony
  • Length 145 cm
  • Weight 480g
  • Joint position 3/4
  • Cue tip size 9.7mm
  • Case Yes hard

This cue is generally sold with a choice of different accessory bundles.  The link above goes to the option with the hard case, but if you’re looking to save your pennies and/or you already have a hard case, then you can go for a soft case or no case.  Whichever option you choose, the cue is exactly the same, it’s very modern-looking and stylish and can be put together and taken apart quickly and easily.  The feel is good and it plays very nicely.

  • Product
  • Features
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AONETIGER 3/4 Jointed Snooker Billiard Pool Cue Handmade Ash Shaft 3 Piece...

& Free shipping
Last update was on: March 28, 2024 1:18 pm
£80.99 £85.99

BCE Mark Selby ELECTRIC SHOCKWAVE 2pc Ash Pool Snooker Cue

BCE Mark Selby

FEATURES

  • Material Ash
  • Length 144.78cm
  • Weight 495g*
  • Joint position 1/2
  • Cue tip size 9.5mm
  • Case Yes soft

*A heavier option is available

We can’t help but get the feeling that this snooker cue was designed for people who really wanted to look good as well as to play well, but to be fair this snooker cue is much more than just a pretty face.  It’s designed to be nicely portable and to do a good job as both a snooker cue and as a pool cue and it succeeds.  This means it’s not the absolute best at either job, but, frankly, at this price we’re still very happy and we suspect most buyers will be too.

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BCE Mark Selby ELECTRIC SHOCKWAVE 2pc Ash Pool Snooker Cue & SOFT...

Last update was on: March 28, 2024 1:18 pm

CUESOUL 57 Handcraft 3/4 Jointed Snooker Cue

CUESOUL 57 Handcraft 3/4

FEATURES

  • Material Ash/Walnut
  • Length 145cm
  • Weight 510g
  • Joint position 3/4
  • Cue tip size 9.5
  • Case Yes, hard

This snooker cue has a very traditional look, however it’s made to modern standards and for the most part it feels good and plays well.  The tip is a matter of taste, but it’s also an easy and affordable upgrade.  If you put all your accessories in the case, as intended, you may find it a bit of a squeeze, but we’re guessing most people will just put them into another bag.

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CUESOUL 57 Handcraft 3/4 Jointed Snooker Cue with Mini Butt End Extension...

& Free shipping
Last update was on: March 28, 2024 1:18 pm

Riley METALLIC BLUE 2pc Ash Pool Snooker Cue

Riley METALLIC BLUE 2pc Ash Pool Snooker Cue & HARD CASE

FEATURES

  • Material Ash
  • Length 144.78cm
  • Weight 525g
  • Joint position 1/2
  • Cue tip size 9.5mm
  • Case Yes, hard

This snooker cue is simple to put together and take apart, stylish and affordable.  It puts in a decent performance at both snooker and pool and gives the impression of being able to stand up to regular play.  Our one slight gripe, which may be just us, is that the pieces don’t seem to sit snugly in the case, so you can feel them moving as you do, which can be a bit disconcerting, at least to begin with, although if it really bothers you, we suspect you could easily fix the matter by using a cloth.

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Riley METALLIC BLUE 2pc Ash Pool Snooker Cue & HARD CASE

Last update was on: March 28, 2024 1:18 pm

Weichster 3/4 Snooker Cue

Weichster 3/4 Snooker Cue Handmade Ash Walnut Wood Pool Cue Case Extension Set

FEATURES

  • Material Ash/Walnut
  • Length 145 cm
  • Weight 500g to 550g
  • Joint position 3/4
  • Cue tip size 9.3mm-9.5mm
  • Case Yes soft

This is the most traditional-looking of the snooker cues we tested, in fact it looks very much like it was “inspired by” Peradon.  It’s light but sturdy and we can’t fault the quality of the components or the case.  The tip might not be to everyone’s taste, but as previously mentioned, that’s an easy and affordable fix.  We’re not convinced this is a snooker cue for people who really like power play, but for everyone else it’s a great choice.

Best snooker cue conclusions

There is no one best super cue brand and there is no one best snooker cue for everyone.  Basically, the best snooker cue for you will depend on your taste, preferences and playing style.

snooker cue review

Taking care of your snooker cue

Once you have found the best snooker cue for you, it’s a good idea to take care of it properly. Here are some tips.xt Here

Protect and store your snooker cue properly

Invest in a decent case, they’re very affordable, and store your snooker cue in a cool, dry place.  Basically, remember that it’s made of wood and treat it accordingly.

Check your snooker cue periodically to make sure it is still straight.

Snooker cues can become warped over time, especially if you don’t treat them properly.  The easy way to check for warping is just to roll the snooker cue over a table and see if it wobbles (especially where the butt is spliced to the shaft).  The harder, but more accurate, way is to put it on a table and “sight” it, as though you were going to make a straight shot.

Give your snooker cue regular treatment with raw linseed oil.

Raw linseed oil really is a wonder treatment for wood.  When the atmosphere is hot and dry it traps moisture in the wood and when the atmosphere is humid, it stops moisture from getting in.  Giving your snooker cue a good once over with raw linseed oil once a quarter or so will go a long way to keeping it in good condition.  Also use hard wax burnish on the butt, this gives a smooth feel and glossy shine.

Change your cue tip as necessary.

Your cue tip will wear out as you play and if you let it get too worn you’ll find yourself scratching the balls, tearing the cloth and making bad shots.  The good news is that it’s easy to change out your cue tip.  Here’s how you do it.

Remove the old cue tip with a sharp knife and sand away any bits which stick on your snooker cue.  Apply glue lightly and evenly to the top of the ferrule and attach the new cue tip to the shaft of your snooker cue.  Press the cue onto a hard surface for a minute or two to ensure that the cue tip is firmly attached and then leave to rest for about half an hour.

When the cue tip is totally secure, trim any overlap with a sharp knife and/or sandpaper.  Do this carefully to avoid cutting your snooker cue (or yourself).  Then use a cue-tip shaper (or sandpaper) to shape your cue tip as you desire.

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