best pool cues for beginners

7 Best Pool Cues For Beginners: 2024 Buyer's Guide

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Playing a pool game requires more than just skill; having the right equipment is crucial, especially for beginners. Discovering the exclusive one can be challenging in the vast world of pool cues. This buyer's guide aims to simplify the process by presenting the seven best pool cues for beginners in 2024, ensuring that beginners make an informed choice and enhance their gameplay experience.

Beginners' Guide To Choose The Best Pool Cues

best pool cue for beginners

Choosing the best pool cues for beginners requires careful consideration of the key factors below:

  • Shaft Material: Choose maple for a traditional feel or fiberglass for durability, depending on your preference for stroke smoothness or sturdiness.
  • Tip Material: Leather for grip or layered tips for balancing control and durability, based on your playing style and skill level.
  • Standard vs. Short Cues: Standard cues range from 57 to 59 inches, while shorter cue sticks (29-48 inches) are suitable for beginners or those with a shorter reach, ensuring comfort and control.
  • Personal Preference: Experiment with weights (18 to 21 ounces) to find your ideal balance between power and finesse, tailoring the cue to your playing style.
  • Front-Heavy vs. Back-Heavy: Understand the impact of balance on your shots—front-heavy for power, back-heavy for finesse—aligning with your preferred play style.
  • Aesthetics: While not affecting gameplay, choose a cue design that resonates with you, adding a personal touch to your playing experience.
  • One-Piece vs. Two-Piece: Decide between the portability of a two-piece cue or the traditional feel and durability of a one-piece cue.
  • Texture and Material: Experiment with grip materials like Irish linen, rubber, or leather, considering comfort and control. Try different surfaces to find what suits you best.

By evaluating these factors, you'll be well-equipped to choose a pool cue that complements your playing style, ensuring an enhanced experience as a beginner.

7 Best Pool Cues for Beginners

Based on the exclusive features among a vast selection of pool cues, in this guide, we help you list four pool cue brands for beginners with the seven best pool sticks below:

Pool Cue Name

Features

Price

Cuetec Recreational Series Sneaky Pete

  • Grade A Plus North American Maple
  • 57 inches length
  • 19 ounces weight
  • 3/8 x 14 joint
  • Fiberglass Sheath grip
  • High-quality Hard Brown leather tip
  • 13 mm tip size
  • 4-Prong Handle Design

$299

Players C-960

  • 100% North American Grade A Hard Rock Maple
  • 58 inches length
  • 18-21 ounces weight
  • 5/16x18 joint
  • Double-pressed Irish Linen grip
  • Le Pro tip
  • Tattoo styling

$255

Viper Revolution Spider

  • Canadian Maple
  • Siliconized-infused felt grip
  • 18, 19, 20, and 21 ounces weight
  • Stainless steel joint
  • Spider cover
  • 13mm Le Pro leather tip
  • 9 coats of varnish

$154.52

Big Cat Paint Brush II

  • Grade A Canadian Maple
  • 58 inches length
  • Adjustable weight
  • Professional leather tip
  • Dynamite Blue
  • Enjoyment and entertainment pool cue

$69.99

Big Cat Paint Brush VI

  • Solid material
  • Balance and control
  • 5/16 x 18 joint
  • Overtone blue-based shade - Electric Ocean
  • Exclusive design
  • Lighten the mood

$69.99

Big Cat Timeless Legacy II

  • Premium and long-lasting maple wood
  • 29 inches length
  • Modifiable weight
  • Dark-tone pool cue
  • 12.5 mm leather tip
  • Classic design

$69.99

Big Cat Timeless Legacy V

  • Solid Canadian Maple shaft and butt
  • Big Cat high-quality leather tip
  • Switchable weight
  • Full black pool cue
  • Enigmatic appearance
  • Blend of modern and traditional design

$69.99


Cuetec Recreational Series Sneaky Pete

beginner pool cues

Cuetec is one of the best pool cue brands for beginners offering high-quality yet affordable cues for beginners (price under 100$, while premium pool cues can cost over $200 and more). Crafted from Grade North American Maple, this pool cue provides a light and consistent shot.

It has a Deluxe brown leather tip and a soft touch for technical pocket shots. The shaft, featuring the classic "Sneaky Pete" style, stands out with its 15 ½ inch Super Slim Taper, making it one of the longest production cues today.

Besides, the cue features a dent-proof, scratch-resistant composite coating to boost durability and alignment over years of use. It also simplifies cleaning without harming leather or metal elements.

Cuetec Recreational Series Sneaky Pete has a solid build with a robust steel joint, a 4-prong handle, an adjustable weight bolt system, and polycarbonate ferrule. These things let you easily customize the cue to match your playing style at any time.


Pros

Cons

  • Low budget pool cue
  • Feature a 4-prong handle design
  • Lifetime limited warranty
  • Limited to 19 ounces weight
  • Tip hardens over time, requiring replacement for precision shots

Players C-960

best beginner pool cues

Players C-960 offers an old-fashioned design, perfect for places with low lighting, like bars or serious games. This pool cue presents birds-eye maple wood with 100% North American Grade Hard Rock Maple. Also, it has a solid black double-pressed Irish linen wrap for a solid grip. 

The design makes it heavier at the back, adding more power to your shots and giving you an edge on tricky angles and tricky plays.

You can get it in different weights, from 18 to 21 ounces, with 0.5 increment adjustments. The tip is from French Le Pro leather, allowing for precise and controlled strikes while still packing a punch, thanks to the high-impact ferrule.

The entire shaft of Players C-960 offers a 15-inch professional taper, and its high-gloss super UV finish guarantees protection from fading and chipping as time goes on. Its high functionality is always among the list of good pool cues for advanced players


Pros

Cons

  • Professional 15-inch taper
  • Wide range of weight options
  • Lifetime Guaranteed Warranty
  • Butt wrap may unravel with frequent play, requiring repairs
  • Lose weight bolt causing rattling is a straightforward fix

Viper Revolution Spider

good pool cue brands for beginners

Viper Revolution Spider is a good choice in the pool game industry as one of the best beginner pool cues. It comes in four sizes with interchangeable weights, including 18, 19, 20, and 21 ounces. The cue is made from high-quality Canadian maple wood and has a tattoo-style design.

The Canadian maple wood ensures a strong and controlled impact. The cue also has a silicone-infused felt wrap for better grip control. In addition, the wood is finished with nine coats of varnish, making it durable and stylish.

Viper’s pool cue has two shafts connected with stainless steel joints, providing consistent feedback during gameplay. The 13mm Le Pro leather tip is in precise contact with the ball, ensuring even weight distribution for the perfect shot.

Viper Revolution Spider pool cue comes with a standard size of 58 millimeters, meets professional qualifications, and features steel refinements and premium wood.

Pros

Cons

  • Silicone-infused felt wrap for a superior grip
  • Equipped with a 13mm Le Pro leather tip
  • Backed by an outstanding 3-year warranty
  • Limited graphics around the cue
  • Customers complain about receiving the wrong size

Big Cat Paint Brush II

pool cue for beginners

If you are tired of your past stress from pool games, it’s time to change things up and inject some fun with the Dynamite Blue pool cue color by Big Cat.

Big Cat Paint Brush II is among the best beginner pool cues with an exclusive design that elevates your game and is a source of entertainment and enjoyment. These characteristics make each game more than a competition – it's an event.

58'' in length and 12.5mm tip size are ideal for any player. It allows them to make a good balance between precision and control. Moreover, Big Cat Paint Brush II is made with high quality material such as: Grade A Canadian Maple for long-lasting gameplay.

Additionally, Big Cat Cues provides top-notch pool sticks to elevate your gameplay. Stylish and high-quality cues come at affordable prices, ensuring players of all budgets enjoy superior, long-lasting satisfaction.

Pros

Cons

  • Exclusive design and color pool cue
  • Professional leather best pool cue tip
  • Long protection
  • Needs regular upkeep
  • Interchange weight may result in inconsistent gameplay

Big Cat Paint Brush VI

best pool sticks for beginners

Prepare to surprise your opponents with a vivid blue shade called Electric Ocean. Big Cat Paint Brush VI is perfect for pool players who are outgoing and lively, always encouraging others to join in and enjoy the excitement of the game.

It's a symbol of the dynamic and vibrant approach that Big Cat Paint Brush VI brings to the game of pool. Big Cat Paint Brush VI also is among the best pool cues for beginners.

Big Cat Paint Brush VI has a 58-inch pool cue featuring a 5/16 x 18 joint/pin, 12.5mm leather tip, and Grade A Canadian Maple material. That delivers a well-rounded and adaptable playing experience.

The standard length provides comfort and versatility for a range of shots, while the joint/pin configuration guarantees stability during play.

With a 12.5mm leather tip, the cue enables accurate striking and effective spin control. The Grade A Canadian Maple material enhances the cue's durability and consistency, making it a good choice for beginners.


Pros

Cons

  • Offer modifiable weight
  • Durable Canadian Maple for long-time use
  • Lifetime guarantee pool cue for players
  • Effect pool cue balance
  • Limited repairing based on the model

Big Cat Timeless Legacy II

pool cues for beginners

Big Cat Timeless Legacy II - A stylish mixture of bright blue, mysterious black, and white handles creates a standard dark-tone pool cue that never goes out of style. Using long-lasting crafting materials, Big Cat II is well-protected from external damage.

Elevate your pool playing experience with a high-quality, durable Timeless Legacy pool cue: Big Cat Timeless Legacy II. A perfect choice in the collection features unique crafting techniques of both modern and traditional methods.

It also focuses on durability to avoid breaks, scratches, or damage with advanced Canadian Maple materials.

The cue provides the esteemed Big Cat premium 12.5mm leather tip and a striking handle, adding a touch of class to the classic design.

Moreover, a 29-inch cue offers comfort for shorter players, allowing better control and easy handling. It's great for precise shots, quick movements, and adapting in tight spaces, making it advantageous for various playing styles.

Pros

Cons

  • Good balance and control pool cue
  • Solid shaft and butt from Canadian maple material
  • Affordable price, best pool cue under $200
  • Challenge to maintain and adjust
  • Not very fit for all customers’ height 

Big Cat Timeless Legacy V

beginner pool cue

The Big Cat Timeless Legacy V cue showcases a captivating and artistic appearance, reflecting the unique style of pool players. 

This cue prioritizes durability through advanced Canadian Maple materials, ensuring resilience against breaks, scratches, or damage.

Featuring the renowned Big Cat premium 12.5mm leather tip and an eye-catching handle, the cue brings a top-notch classic design to the game. Besides, with a 29-inch length, they cater to the comfort of shorter players, enabling better control and easy handling.

Remarkably, Big Cat V offers affordable prices to fit any size budget customer so that they can own the best pool cue. With this cue, beginners can expect superior and durable pool cues that will provide years of uninterrupted satisfaction.


Pros

Cons

  • Timeless Classic Design withstanding the test of time
  • Durability and long-lasting performance
  • interchangeable weight system enables customization
  • Fewer options in styles and colors
  • Demands regular maintenance

Frequently Asked Questions

What cue stick should the beginners use?

Big Cat Paint Brush VI cue stick is the best pool cue for beginners due to its comfort and versatility for various shots. The 5/16 x 18 joint/pin ensures stability during play, offering a reliable foundation for beginners.

With a 12.5mm leather tip for accurate striking and Grade A Canadian Maple material for durability, this cue caters to the essential needs of those starting to learn the game, providing comfort, stability, and control.

What is the best weight for a beginner pool cue?

A pool cue weight of 19 to 21 ounces is ideal for beginners, so Cuetec Recreational Series Sneaky Pete is a perfect fit. This lighted weight pool cue provides comfort and maneuverability. A slightly heavier pool cue offers more power, while a lighter one enhances control—allowing beginners to find the right balance for their playing style.

What are the most recommended cue sticks?

The Big Cat Timeless Legacy V is a top recommendation pool cue. It combines traditional and modern techniques for durability. Crafted with advanced Canadian Maple materials, these cues resist breaks and scratches.

With a 58-inch length for comfortable control, these cues are also affordable, making them an excellent choice among the best pool sticks for beginners seeking superior and durable performance.

In conclusion, this 2024 Buyer's Guide provides the whole feature of the seven best pool cues for beginners. Whether it's the build quality or overall design, each recommendation cue is tailored to elevate gameplay and add to the enjoyment of the pool game.

Choosing the right cue is not just a purchase; it's investing your skill and pleasure. Let's make your cue sports journey with satisfying victories and memorable moments.

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