If you want to strike the cue ball cleanly, you’ll need to ensure you always use the best snooker cue tips available in the UK.
But, there are a few popular brands to choose from, how do you pick the right one for you? Here’s our expert guide…
Our Top-Rated Snooker Cue Tips
While the best snooker cue tips are made of premium leather, they can still be cut to your preferred size. That’s why we have listed several 10mm options as they can always be trimmed or filed down to smaller sizes if necessary.
Top Pick: 10 X 9.5mm Elk Master Leather Snooker Cue Tips + Extras
Pros:
- Good combination of value & quality
- Trusted by many cue manufacturers as the default supplied tip
- 9.5mm is a good size that helps both control and accuracy
Cons:
- Professional players may prefer a more premium tip
- Some reports of marks being left on the cue ball
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When you last bought a new snooker cue, there’s a decent chance the tip on it was an Elk Master. Well-known in the game, many cue makers choose to add Elk Master (or just ‘Elks’ as they’re often referred to) tips to their cues.
That’s because they have two big things going for them. Firstly, they are very good quality, the kind of level that suit all players (even Ronnie O’Sullivan has said he uses Elk Master tips!).
Secondly, they are very reasonably priced. That means, even if you get through tips quite quickly, they won’t cost you a fortune to replace.
Made by a company called Tweeten, they are a very good grade leather with reasonable firmness and are easy to glue to the cue. The kit includes sandpaper and glue to help with the retipping process.
All of these factors combined means we are happy to recommend Elk Master as our best snooker cue tips.
- The popular choice of tips with players of all abilities! All tips come packed in clear plastic 'grip sealed' bags, unless you purchase 50 tips
- 10 x 9.5mm tips; FREE cue tip gel glue; Made in the USA by Tweeten
- Made from a special treated leather; Keeps it's shape
#2: Century Pro Snooker Cue Tip (Various Grades)
Pros:
- Used by many of the players on the professional circuit
- A choice of 4 different firmness grades to choose from
- High quality A+ leather
Cons:
- Relatively expensive due to their superior quality
- Considered to be quite hard tips
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If money isn’t too much of a concern, and you just want to use the very best snooker cue tips available, Century Pro tips are well worth considering.
That’s because they are used by many of the games’ very best players. In fact, Mark Williams won the 2018 World Championship using a Century Pro cue tip!
There’s no doubting their quality then, partly because every tip is hand graded from soft (G1) to hard (G4) to allow you to find a tip that suits your game.
We should point out, however, that even the ‘soft’ G1 tips are actually quite hard. If you’re not used to a firm tip, you might find they take a little getting used to.
As you’d expect, the tips use the finest leather available and will last a good amount of time, somewhat making up for the slightly higher price.
- The World's First Scientifically Hand Graded Custom Cue Sports Tip
- Designed For Optimum Consistency, Playability & Feedback
- Same Graded Tip In Every Box Guaranteed, Highest Quality Grade A + Leather
#3: Kamui Black Snooker Cue Tip (Medium-Hard)
Pros:
- Well-respected Japanese brand
- Choice of sizes and firmness
- Make it easier to get a lot of reaction from the cue ball
Cons:
- Not suitable for beginners
- Will degrade faster in high moisture environments
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Our third pick for the best snooker cue tips is an intriguing Japanese brand that is becoming quite popular even with professional players (both John Higgins and Stephen Maguire use Kamui tips).
That’s because Kamui tips use high quality 100% pig skin vegetable-tanned leather. This gives much more elasticity than you might typically expect, as well as more durability.
The downside is that, when exposed to high moisture environments, the tips will deteriorate faster.
These particular tips are of medium-hard firmness which will suit a wide range of people. However, a word of caution is that the soft tips don’t tend to perform as well. If you’re looking for a soft tip, you might want to consider other options.
These tips don’t have quite as much grip as some so you’ll need to be generous with the chalk.
There’s a choice of 9mm or 10mm tips and they can, of course, be trimmed to smaller sizes. Just take care as you do since these tips have very thin layers so need shaping carefully.
- Exceptionally high standard of leather
- Greater elasticity leading to increased spin even on slow shots
- Recommended for players who are confident in their cue actions and time the ball well
#4: 5 X 10mm Leather Blue Diamond Snooker Cue Tips + Extras
Pros:
- Good value tips from a respected brand
- Includes glue and sandpaper
- Chalk infused for uniform density
Cons:
- Not suitable for higher level players
- Some reports the extras are of low quality or missing
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Our fourth pick for the best snooker cue tips are Blue Diamonds which is a brand most snooker players (amateur and professional alike) will have heard of.
Lets be completely honest, they aren’t going to win any awards anytime soon and you’d be surprised to see top-level professionals using these tips.
Yet, for the average club player, they’ll be perfectly adequate and come at a price which makes them accessible to all.
Perhaps the biggest issue is that they come supplied in a clear plastic bag rather than an official box. That makes it difficult to confirm if they are genuine Blue Diamond branded tips or not.
- Quality 10mm Blue Diamond tips and a piece of sandpaper to prepare the tip
- 5 X 10mm Blue Diamond; FREE Cue Tip Gel Glue; Made from hand selected Water Buffalo hide
- Chalk infused; Formed under pressure to ensure uniform density
#5: Gejoy 20 x 10mm Snooker Cue Tips with Storage Box
Pros:
- Cheap and cheerful, excellent value tips
- Includes a storage box
- Good choice for beginners
Cons:
- Hard tips that need re-chalking regularly
- Can make a ‘clunking’ noise when striking the cue ball
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If price is one of your biggest concerns, our final pick for the best snooker cue tips offers extreme value for money that will suit even the tightest of budgets.
They are made of leather and have high density and hardness ratings, that may mean they take some getting used to playing with.
They come with a plastic storage box which is certainly handy – even if you decide to upgrade to better quality tips later.
The biggest drawbacks are that they do not retain the chalk very well. Not only does this mean you will find yourself applying chalk more regularly, it also means there’s a tendency to get chalk deposits on your hands, the table, and the cue ball.
So, they are fine for most beginners, but more experienced players may prefer a more expensive option if budget permits.
- Package includes: 20 pieces of blue cue tips and 1 piece of clear plastic storage box, they are useful products for your daily use
- Cue tips material: made of leather, with high density and hardness, can last long and have a good smooth texture; Note: small and inedible items, please keep away from children
- Specifications: the tip measures approx. 10 mm/ 0.4 inch in diameter, normal size for pool cues and snooker
You Might Also Need:
Replacing a cue tip is a relatively straightforward process, but only if you have the right tools and equipment! Here are some things you might need:
Cue Tip Shaper, Scuffer & Aerator
This handy little tool fits in your pocket or cue case and allows you to quickly reshape your cue tip and keep it playing true.
- eSynic Popular 3 in 1 Snooker Cue Tip Shaper*----:Our eSynic Multifunctional 3-In-1 Cue tip Shaper Tool that Shapes, Scuffs and Pokes Cue Tip help you to Have Better Ball Control.
- 100% Brand New & High Quality*----: This Snooker Pool Cue Tips Shaper is Made of Stainless Steel,The pool cue accessories With Marked End to Give you Direction to Which End Performs which Action.
- Easy to Operate*---: Our eSynic Proferssional Pool Cue Shaper Tool is in Ergonomic Shape. You can Shape Your Tip at Ease with Little Cue Tip Tool. To the Dome Curvature you Want and Compressed for Better Chalk Retention.
Wooden Cue Tip Clamp
When you need to replace a cue tip, this device helps secure it in place so you can complete the job in a matter of minutes.
- Wood+Metal Material: Our wooden cue clip repair parts are made of qualified wood + metal materials, which have higher strength and hardness, and are durable and have a long service life, so you can buy and use with confidence.
- Easy to Carry and Store: This billiard head wood repairer consists of a tip clip + coil file, designed to replace and polish cue tips, suitable for snooker cues 10MM and 11MM, and is lightweight, easy to carry and store.
- Won't Damage the Club Tip: This wooden cue clip repair accessory can compress the cue while replacing the cue tip without damaging the cue tip, it is a professional durable pool accessory.
Bison Super Glue
Fast-setting and of a thick enough consistency to make it easy to apply, this super glue works perfectly for securing a new tip to your cue.
- 1 x 6305573 Bison Super Glue. 3g tube with re-sealable cap.
- Easy to use, non drip gel formula.
- Instant Universal Adhesive .
Best Screw-In Snooker Tips:
Pros:
- Excellent value for money
- Good quality leather
Cons:
- Screw-in tips will always offer fewer advantages than glue-on tips
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So far, we’ve only focused on glue-on snooker cue tips since that is what most players use. Glue-on tips are far superior to screw-in ones since they provide a more even weighting and more tip variations.
However, we understand that some players use screw-in tips, either because of preference or budget.
If that’s you, then these screw-in tips offer superb value for money and come with a secure plastic box.
- Convenient to storage: put these cue tips in a plastic box (7.4 x 4.7 x 2 cm), easy for you to store and use them in case of missing, also convenient for you to carry in daily life
- Material: made of leather, can provide a long life service, allow you to control the ball easily
- Specifications: the tip measures 10 mm/ 0.4 inch in diameter, the screw measures 4 mm/ 0.16 inch in diameter, general size for you to use
Frequently Asked Questions
Choosing the best snooker cue tips isn’t always an easy task. It’s often a case of trial and error but we hope this guide has helped point you in the right direction.
Here’s a few other common questions we are asked about snooker cue tips.
Which snooker cue tip is best?
The best snooker cue tip for you will depend on a number of factors, not least your budget, style of play, and the level you’re competing at.
It’s a real balance between getting a good quality tip without paying over the odds.
For most players, tips that cost a few quid each will be perfectly adequate. However, more serious players may need to spend between £10-20 per tip to get one that helps keep their game on track.
We recommend Elk Master Tips for most players and Century Pro for players competing more seriously and where price isn’t a barrier.
What snooker tip does Ronnie O’Sullivan use?
Ronnie O’Sullivan has said before that he uses Elk Master cue tips, the same brand that we recommend as the best snooker cue tip.
However, it’s worth noting that this isn’t a common choice among most professional players, as Ronnie himself said on Twitter back in 2013:
In fact, our number 2 and 3 picks are more commonly used by professionals with Mark Williams being known to use Century Pro tips and John Higgins known to use Kamui tips.
What size cue tip do the snooker pros use?
Professional snooker players tend to use cue tips sized between 9.5mm and 10mm. In fact, they are the most common sizes used by players at all levels.
The smaller tips make it easier to get reaction from the cue ball when imparting spin, but the larger tips make it easier to retain accuracy, particularly on power shots.
Of course, you can go smaller or larger than the ‘norm’ (as some professionals do) if that suits how you play and helps improve your game.
How do you get the perfect snooker cue tip?
To get the perfect snooker cue tip you need to start with a high quality tip at a size that suits your style of play (or slightly larger so you can trim to the correct size).
Then, you need to carefully use sandpaper and a cue tip shaper to get the perfect shape and ensure the tip never compresses too much in any one area.
While each player will have their own idea of what is a perfect cue tip to them, generally a rounded shape is better than a flat shape. That’s because the more curvature the tip has, the more spin you’ll be able to impart on the cue ball.
Don’t overdo it though! The rounder the tip is, the less accurate it will be and the straighter your cue action needs to be!
Are Kamui Tips good?
Kamui tips have grown in popularity over the last few years and are known to be used by professional players such as John Higgins and Stephen Maguire.
While still relatively expensive tips, they tend to be lower cost than Century Pros and come in differing hardness grades.
The leather tanning technique provides increased durability and elasticity, though this can deteriorate in humid environments. Overall though, Kamui snooker cue tips are very good, if a little on the expensive side.
Is 8mm tip too small for snooker?
While it’s certainly possible to play snooker with a 8mm tip, most people would find it is too small and their game suffers as a result.
That’s because the smaller the cue tip, the more chance of putting on unwanted side.
Therefore, you need to have a perfectly accurate cueing action to avoid this, something even some professionals struggle with!
Given most pros use a tip around 9.5mm to 10mm, an 8mm tip is best reserved for practicing positional play, due to the ease at which you can gain reaction from the cue ball.
Which cue tip size is best?
If you want to be able to impart spin on the cue ball more easily, go for a tip around 9.5mm. However, if you want a tip a little more forgiving if you struggle to cue perfectly straight, choose something around 10mm.
Essentially, a smaller tip makes it easier to add spin to the cue ball but, as a consequence, also makes it easier to add unwanted side to the ball.
A larger cue tip has more surface area and is more forgiving of bad cueing, but it will be more difficult to add spin to the cue ball.
How often do snooker players change their cue tips?
How often a snooker player changes their cue tip depends on a number of factors, the type and quality of tip they use, how often they play, and how much they play so-called ‘power shots’.
As a rough guide, you should be monitoring your cue tip and considering changing it after 80-150 hours of play.
Of course, a damaged tip should be replaced immediately, and at times you may decide to change a tip early if you’re not happy with how it is playing, or if you are preparing for an important match (though make sure you give yourself time to bed in and get used to the new tip!).
The Best Snooker Cue Tips:
