Rating of the best billiard tables in 2020

There are many advantages to billiards. It is useful for maintaining physical fitness: after all, during the game without exhausting workouts and expensive exercise equipment, endurance increases, all muscle groups work, the nervous system strengthens, and the eye improves. Each game played is individual, develops methods of strategic thinking. Finally, it is pleasant and prestigious: in your free time, relax with friends for a couple of parties, invite guests to an equipped billiard room at home or in the country.

However, this requires a quality pool table. After all, the slightest defect will affect the accuracy of the blow, and cheap materials and components will entail damage and repair. We offer a rating of the best billiard tables in 2020, based on customer reviews.

How to choose a billiard table

The choice of a billiard table is a responsible business, because it has been purchased for decades. The best manufacturers use the quality standards established by the Russian International Federation of Billiard Sports, achieving an impeccable fit of the components, a perfectly smooth surface.

It is advisable to take into account the main selection criteria in order to initially purchase a solid table. What to look for:

• kind of game;
• room size;
• components;
• price.

Kind of game

According to the type of game, billiard tables are:

• for Russian billiards (pyramids);
• for the American pool;
• for snooker.

Russian billiards (pyramid) - the most popular variety in Russia. The tables used are 9-12 feet with a standard 68mm ball. However, seven to eight feet with smaller balls will do. For rooms with protruding parts, shortened cues are provided.

American pool - dynamic and interesting, suitable for entertainment, since it has a simple technique. The table is used 7-9 feet, with 57.2 mm balls, large pockets (135 - 150 mm). Suitable for a country house or apartment, since it does not take up much space.

Snooker - beautiful professional game, difficult for beginners. Not used for home entertainment, as it requires a large playing field (10-12 feet), special cloth with the pile pointing in one direction. In this case, the pocket is several millimeters larger than the diameter of the ball.

The size of the billiard table, expressed in feet, corresponds to the length of the playing field. The width is half the length. How to choose - depends on the type of billiards you intend to play.

Room dimensions

When buying, it is appropriate to take into account the size of the room, then the game will bring pleasure, and not annoyance due to lack of free space. To correctly calculate the area of ​​the room, add 160 cm to the size of the playing field on each side for Russian billiards, 145 cm for the American pool.

A nine-foot pool table requires a room with a wall length of at least 545 and 420 cm. To play Russian billiards on a 12-foot field, the minimum room size is 670 by 495 cm. If it is less, there are too many dead zones where it is impossible to turn around with a cue. For any type of game, a room size of 5x7 meters is suitable.

Components

The billiard table has the following components:

• legs;
• frame (frame);
• playing field;
• cloth;
• sides;
• pockets.

Legs - are made of hardwood (oak, ash, birch, etc.), resistant to temperature and humidity changes. The use of coniferous wood for these purposes is unacceptable. The way the legs are made affects the stability of the structure. They are carved from a parallelepiped formed by re-glued planed bars. Through the holes in the upper part, the legs are bolted to the frame. The lower end with the faceplate is equipped with a bolt abutting the thrust bearing, which regulates the level of the playing field.

Frame - support, frame of the entire structure. The main requirement for it is the inadmissibility of swaying and deformation. It consists of two long longitudinal, two short transverse sides with a thickness of 30 to 45 mm and internal ligaments. The frame is made of high quality wood in one of four variations:

• board;
• re-glued solid wood;
• plywood with a thickness of 30-40 mm, veneered;
• re-glued solid wood with veneer and veneer.

The rigidity of the structure is provided in the latter version. The result is the best, most reliable frames that do not stagger, are able to withstand the loads of the playing field plates, prevent drying out, deformation of wood. In inexpensive Chinese-made models, cheap types of wood are often passed off as mahogany due to their similarity in color, but they differ much in price, are much inferior in quality and durability to analogues made of veneered valuable wood.

In the processing of re-glued solid wood and plywood, reliable manufacturers use the technology of press-vacuum drying, in the process of which:

• wood is stabilized, eliminating deformation;
• the natural color of wood fibers is preserved;
• the best quality characteristics are acquired.

Playing field - the main component on which the game takes place. A slab of the playing field is made of wood, stone or natural slate. The strongest and most durable is traditionally considered to be elastic, smooth natural graphite shale ardesite, the so-called ardesia. Provides precise, quiet, fast roll of balls. Such models are purchased by sports clubs for professional competitions.

Recommendation: when deciding which one is better to buy, be sure to take into account that in the manufacture of playing fields of inexpensive budget models, manufacturers use affordable composite materials, more often chipboard or MDF.

The prepared cut layers are ground to the required thickness, holes are made for pockets, fasteners to the frame. Rarely the playing field is made of a solid plate, more often it is 3-5 parts up to 45 mm thick. So that the seams between the plates are not felt, they are coated with putty, carefully polished.

The main part of the mass falls on the plates of the playing field. This ensures the stability of the bed and the entire structure during operation. In this case, it is advisable to take into account the strength of the frame.

Cloth - that component that is subject to replacement, because over time, even with good care, stains, abrasions, roughness appear. For a perfectly smooth playing field, this is unacceptable, so it is better to replace the cloth in time so as not to start the process of the wear of the sides, which will lead to the need for serious expensive restoration.

Unlike usual, billiard cloth has a number of features:

• woolen fibers of the same length are used;
• after weaving, the fabric is sheared and processed to prevent the appearance of pellets;
• the technology of ultra-dense weaving is used, which makes it impossible for dust to penetrate during operation.

The broadcloth is usually made from a fabric of natural wool and nylon in different proportions, which is ideally smooth for sliding balls. Only pure wool thread is used in snooker. The classic color of billiard cloth is dark green, but many manufacturers produce different shades. A blue cloth is used for the pool. The most famous in the world manufacturer of durable fabric for billiard cloth, optimal in density and composition, according to buyers, is the Belgian company Iwan Simonis. When deciding how much high-quality cloth costs, you should understand that the average price cannot be cheap. Tip: It is better to overpay for durability than constantly changing the upholstery of the playing field.

Board - a monolithic wooden structure, for the manufacture of which only hard wood species (oak, beech, ash, birch) are suitable. Attached to the decorative bearing part:

• bump stop;
• rubber;
• cloth;
• glazing bead fixing the cloth.

The table has six sides, edged with special rubber, attached horizontally to the playing field. This increases the life of the table. Some manufacturers use vertical side anchorages, but this only applies to pool and snooker tables with minimal impact on fenders.

Rubber for edging the beads must be of high quality, with a uniform composition, uniform elasticity along the entire length. An important point is that the height of the rubber profile corresponds to the diameter of the balls used: upon impact, the ball touches the rubber just above its middle. If these proportions are violated due to a mismatch in the height of the rubber profile, then the balls fly out of the table, which can not only cause inconvenience, but cause physical damage to the players.

Pockets - special holes for rolling balls: four corner, two central. Pockets components:

• duralumin or brass bracket;
• leather drape;
• nylon or leather mesh;
• rollouts for the ball.

The main criterion for the quality of the pocket is geometry: the ball, upon contact, must not change its trajectory or fly back. The reasons for this are defects in geometry alignment due to improper installation or poor quality of shock-absorbing materials.

Depending on the type of game, pockets are:

• in the form of a mesh (in exclusive models it is made by hand-woven macrame);
• in the form of a closed glass;
• in the form of a depression with slopes.

The main rule when buying a billiard table is that all components are made of environmentally friendly, safe materials. After all, this piece of home interior is designed for many years of use, not only design, durability and beautiful appearance are important.

Price

A good table cannot be cheap. The main factors affecting the price of billiard tables:

• purpose;
• materials;
• the quality of the cloth;
• decoration.

Purpose

Billiard tables can be roughly divided into three groups:

• amateur, intended for recreation and entertainment at home. There are no strict requirements for them. They can be made of any materials, the quality and dimensions of the playing field surface are not important. The best material for making such tables is a harmless durable MDF board, which is popular worldwide in the furniture industry. Its advantages are excellent performance characteristics, attractive appearance after appropriate processing by embossing and grinding. MDF boards are considered hygienic and completely safe in everyday life, since phenols and epoxy resins are not added to them, they are resistant to pathogens and fungi. The excellent density of MDF allows you to put this material on a par with hard woods in terms of strength and durability.
• professional, for sports, with a perfectly flat playing field for better roll and bounce of balls.Tough requirements are imposed on tables in this category in relation to the materials used, the quality of the components. The frame and legs are made of solid wood, the base of the playing field is made of natural ardesia stone, which provides ideal playing characteristics. This allows you to achieve high performance in competitions.
• exclusive, created for connoisseurs of the art of billiards. They correspond to exquisite, luxurious interiors, therefore, they have a presentable appearance of various configurations, a chic design with magnificent decorative elements and author's painting. Some models have built-in jacks to adjust the height and level of the playing surface. They are distinguished by incredible durability, made by the world's leading manufacturers from the most expensive high-quality natural materials using the latest technologies. Models with a heated playing field are equipped with software control with a digital panel and display to set a specific heating mode for the stone slab in order to increase its durability.

Materials.

The decoration of the billiard table is carried out using artificial or natural materials of various values:

• a budget option for finishing using cheap artificial materials that provide a decent appearance at a minimum cost;
• medium finish made with natural materials;
• an elite finishing option - handmade using expensive natural materials: precious woods, natural stone ardesia.

The use of components of various levels and quality is also important in pricing. These include screws, bolts, rubber, pockets, partitions, and other accessories.

The quality of the cloth.

In the manufacture of billiard tables, cloth of different quality is used:

• cheap synthetic, acceptable for inexpensive amateur models;
• combined from natural wool with nylon (polyester) - a common material for the playing field of amateur tables, which provides good playing characteristics and an acceptable ratio of quality and price;
• premium quality natural wool cloth for professional and exclusive tables, justifying the high price.

Decorating

Affects the value of the table. Amateur models are devoid of decorative elements. Professionals are little focused on decoration, focusing on the sports characteristics of the table.

Exclusive models for connoisseurs of luxury are adorned with more expensive, beautiful decorative elements, in whose eyes a billiard table is not just a piece of furniture or a sports equipment, but an artistic work of art that causes aesthetic pleasure. The technique of aging wood, calf skins, wood carving, mosaic is used for decoration. This affects the final price of the product.

Recommendations when choosing

To avoid mistakes when choosing a billiard table, it is advisable to follow several recommendations:

1. Make sure that the frame structure is rigid, the table does not sway from shocks and impacts.
2. The slab of the playing field is flat, level, without deformations. The joints of the slabs are not felt when the palm is carried over the surface.
3. The sides are massive, capable of withstanding shock loading. Curvatures, loose attachment to plates are unacceptable.
4. The rubber of the beads is elastic, without excessive softness or stiffness, so that the ball does not fall through and does not bounce on impact. It is important to pay attention to setting the rubber at a certain angle at an appropriate height from the playing field to avoid distortion of the trajectory of the balls and bouncing.
5. Observance of the geometry of the pockets is imperative: upon contact, the ball does not change its direction of movement, does not jump out of the table.
6. The brackets on the pockets are rigid, with a shape that prevents the ball from jumping back out of the pocket. The fastening of the staples must not injure the hands of the players, contribute to the cracking of the boards.
7. Cloth of a certain density, thickness, hairiness. Surface without pills, protruding pile.
8. Pay attention to the weight of the selected model, comparing it with the reliability of the floor slabs of the room where the table is supposed to be placed.

Rating of the best billiard tables in 2020

We offer a rating of high-quality popular models with an overview of the gaming characteristics, a description of the advantages and disadvantages.

Start Line Empire (12ft)

A popular exclusive model of the famous Russian brand - the Start factory. The table of the highest level of gaming characteristics will decorate the interior in the style of classic and luxury. In addition to the classic color of paint and cloth, the manufacturer offers 26 more shades, including five original ones, and three additional shades of the elite Belgian cloth Iwan Simonis 760 (blue, light blue, crimson).

This 12ft solid ash and oak table features a 45mm thick Orero slate playing field stone. The imposing 1500 kg model is securely gripped by eight brass-base legs and a metal support frame.

Due to the used unique system of floating nuts, the sides are fastened vertically, which makes it possible to bring the fastening point and the point of impact closer. This contributes to a quiet ball hitting the side and an accurate rebound. Brass pockets are trimmed with thick handmade genuine leather, net of pure cotton using macrame technique. Along the perimeter, the frame, sides and legs are decorated with skillfully carved wood.

Average price: 924,400 rubles.

• high level of gaming characteristics;
• luxurious design;
• integrated metal frame of the frame and legs;
• complete static, excluding deformation;
• system of floating nuts in the vertical fastening of the sides;
• the ability to regulate the width of the pocket opening;
• premium Belgian cloth Iwan Simonis;
• shock absorbers from the exclusive Start Super Pro side rubber;
• high quality environmentally friendly materials;
• natural slate slab;
• additional veneering of the frame;
• perfect appearance due to veneering with valuable wood species;
• solid weight.

• high price.

Start Line Home (7ft)

Elegant design, reliability, quality characterize the billiard table Domashny Lux II, the most famous manufacturer of billiard equipment in Russia, the Start factory. This model is distinguished by the curly shape of the legs, decorative elements on the frame, expressive classic image, improved sides with shock absorbers made of exclusive Start Super Pro rubber.

It is made of natural birch and pine wood, with veneering, which makes the appearance worthy. The playing field made of laminated chipboard is covered with King Turkish billiard cloth in traditional green color. Silumin pockets in gold look are trimmed with handmade leather and equipped with a cotton mesh. The 100 kg table is securely held by a reinforced frame and six wooden legs with reinforced plastic supports.

Average price: 30,200 rubles.

• practicality, reliability;
• decent appearance;
• value for money;
• reinforced frame;
• plastic leg supports are reinforced with hairpins;
• strong pockets of silumin;
• veneering;
• shock absorbers made of exclusive Start Super Pro side rubber.

• short-lived cloth;
• a light weight.

Dynamic Billard Hobby (6ft)

The folding model of the manufacturer from Germany is good because it is easy to transport, takes up little space during storage. Suitable for family recreation in nature or outside the city. It is characterized by light weight - 48 kg, high-quality mahogany-colored coating, stability thanks to spacers between the support legs.

It is made of hardwood, the playing field is made of chipboard, equipped with high-quality components that provide increased wear resistance. Silumin pockets are equipped with high-quality artificial leather, mesh, decorative ornaments.

Average price: 25,200 rubles.

• compactness;
• struts for stability;
• quality of materials;
• long service life;
• convenience of storage and transportation;
• low price.

• low gaming characteristics for serious play;
• insufficient static.

Fortuna Russian Pyramid 9-in-1 (6 feet)

Multifunctional folding option for nine board games, including billiards, from a Russian brand, manufactured in China. Convenient for playing pyramid, with inexpensive but high-quality materials of the board of the playing field (chipboard 15 mm thick), cloth of classic green color. The set includes two cues, a set of balls, a triangle, two crayons, a brush for cleaning cloth.

Suitable only as entertainment with family or friends, it can be easily laid out, transported, stored.

Average price: 24800 rubles

• compactness;
• convenience in storage and transportation;
• low price;
• adjustable support height;
• complete set for playing pyramid.

• short service life;
• short-lived cloth;
• insufficient stability.

Weekend Billiard Company Team I (6 feet)

China-made folding pool table features compact size, light weight, and convenient assembly. Made of high quality materials, however, it does not differ in great durability, like other folding models. The playing field consists of one MDF board, covered with Chinese budget cloth. The fold-out twin legs are designed to provide sufficient stability.

Average price: 20,500 rubles.

• compactness;
• convenience in storage and transportation;
• full set for playing American pool;
• the device of supports gives stability;
• low price.

• the fragility of the cloth;
• short service life.

A billiard table is not only a decoration for any interior. It is a pleasant remedy for sports and recreation. The popularity of models depends on the brand reputation, the ratio of quality, design and price, customer reviews.

Which billiard table is better - everyone decides for himself, the presented rating will only help to avoid mistakes when choosing.