To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories
To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories Pool Table With Steel Leg
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Pot it like a pro with one of the best pool tables for 2022
Since Ronnie O'Sullivan won the World Snooker Championships for the seventh time, it's fair to say we've been going wild over the best pool and billiards tables to play at home. Great fun for solo practise, pool tables work particularly well in a home setting because of their more compact sizes. They also conveniently make for an excellent party piece to enjoy with friends and family over a few drinks.
“A pool table is a great option if you're after a snooker experience at home but don't have the space,” says Jamie Sanford from Liberty Games. “Pool is a hugely enjoyable game in its own right, although professional or competent snooker players looking for an authentic game of snooker will want to buy a proper, full-size snooker table. But casual players can play a fun game of snooker on a pool table. All you need is a set of snooker balls of the exact same size as your pool balls (so that they fit in the pockets and table internals correctly), and a little imagination.”
In the GQ edit of best pool tables for 2022, we’ve included a range of pool tables, some of which are better suited to compact living rooms, and others to dedicated games rooms, as well as some luxury pool table options. They are suitable for pool and most can be adapted for a game of snooker should you wish to pot the red and screw back for the yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black. We’ve also included a few buying tips so you can shop for the ideal design for your own home.
The RS Barcelona Pool table is a luxury option that just exceeds all others available to buy online. It's suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, it excuses a premium feel, and it's got all of the essentials you need to start playing right away. £9,500. At theconranshop.co.uk
The Ultra Complete Pool Kit from Decathlon is reasonably priced, attractive and features balls to suit both British and American pool. A number of game-enhancing accessories make this eye-catching design a great-value yet high-quality buy. £699.99. At decathlon.co.uk
The Charles Bentley Multi-Function 12-in-1 games table from Onbuy.com is neat enough to fit into the corner of your living room and its compact design includes a range of sports. You can play pool and then switch between air hockey, table tennis and table football with ease. £108. At onbuy.com
Billiards is an umbrella term that includes all of the ‘cue sports’, which are tabletop games played with a set of balls, on a felted playfield and with a cue to strike the balls. Pool and snooker are types of billiards games and, despite appearances, entirely separate games, with the latter played correctly on huge tables of 10, 11 or ideally 12 feet in length. Due to their size and considerable weight, snooker tables are uncommon choices for home installations. Pool tables are smaller, usually between six feet and nine feet in length.
Other than the size difference, snooker and pool tables look superficially similar, with six pockets, rebound cushions, and a ‘baize’ or cloth covering the playfield. The games however are entirely different in terms of play, setup, rules, and the way in which the cloth is marked. You can play a basic, fun game of snooker on a pool table if you buy an extra set of snooker balls, however.
Jamie Sanford, managing director of Liberty Games, shares his expert advice on how to buy the best pool table for you
Check your room size. You should ensure that you have enough space around the entire table to use a 57-inch cue from any direction, without obstruction from furniture. This will dictate the size of table that you can buy and install in your home.
Choose your bed material. There are two main bed materials: wood and slate. Wood bed tables are at the value end of the spectrum and are aimed at families and casual players who don’t need peak performance. Professional and serious players will need a slate bed, made from a real piece of rock slate, machined, and honed to be perfectly flat. Slate bed tables offer much better game quality, but are more expensive and heavier.
Choose between American or British pool. British pool is the version you will likely have played in British pubs and bars on smaller 6ft or 7ft tables. It is a slower, more tactical game played on a wool-based cloth, requiring excellent skill to navigate balls into the tighter pockets. American pool is a faster game, played on larger 7ft to 9ft tables. A nylon-based ‘speed cloth’ on American pool tables makes ball speeds much quicker, with wider pockets and springy cushion rubber for impressive rebounds.
Identify the ball colours. Snooker comes with a majority of red balls, and then single balls of other colours placed around the playfield. British pool is most often played with red and yellow balls (the colour is assigned to a player after the break). American pool is played with spots and stripes balls.
Consider a multipurpose table. Some pool tables offer multipurpose functionality. Pool dining tables are a popular trend in recent years - these tables have shallow bodies, allowing people to sit around them on chairs, with lots of leg room. When a set of tabletops are lifted onto the pool table, it is transformed into a dining table for the whole family. There are also ‘multi game’ pool tables aimed at families that can transform into foosball, air hockey or table tennis tables.
Get the right cue size for you and your table. Depending on your height, build and skill level, you should ideally use a 57-inch full-size pool cue. Shorter or younger people may need to move down to a 52-inch or even a 48-inch cue. Children might need to use a 36-inch cue. Cues and other accessories are almost always included with new tables, but you may want to buy extras in different sizes if needed.
How much maintenance does a pool table need? A slate bed table doesn’t need much maintenance. Once installed and levelled, it can be pretty much left alone. The only really vulnerable part is the cloth, as spills, dust, sunlight and pets can damage it. Use a cover or a tabletop to protect it and brush it regularly.
For more interiors, fashion and technology releases delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our GQ Recommends newsletter.
With its striking good looks, this 8ft outdoor diagonal pool table is ideal for ‘striking the ball’. Its premium finish with the option of either iroko timber and black or white will add a luxe feel to your home. The eye-catching table frame is a stylish contrast to the colourful pool balls that pop out at you in all their shiny glory. But what we love most about this table is the fact that it’s suitable for outdoor use – so you can place it in the garden, conservatory or outhouse, as well as house it in your living room. The luxurious design comes complete with 16 Aramith Premium American pool balls, two Dufferin club series cues with a Canadian maple shaft, a triangle, chalks and a brush for keeping it in tip-top condition. Simply team it with one of the best garden bars, a pizza oven or barbecue and one of the best garden furniture sets and you’ll have the ideal entertaining set up for the summer. £9,500. At conranshop.co.uk
The ruby-red material top of this 7.5ft pool table really stands out from the crowd and will look suitably dramatic in your living room or dedicated games room. Simply team with a spotlight above and you’ll be well-prepped to host a tournament with friends and create the perfect Friday-night set-up at home. It comes with American-style balls and two cue holders on the side to keep them neatly tucked away when not in use. It also has two cue sticks and a set of pool balls as standard. The cue sticks measure 145cm in length, which makes them ideal for a competitive game of pool. £1,249.99. At wayfair.co.uk
The Ultra Complete Pool Kit 7ft table has a reinforced design to keep the table suitably flat so you can achieve ultra-precise shots when playing. It comes with balls to enjoy both British and American-style pool, plus four cue sticks measuring 122cm and 145cm long to make it suitable for a range of player heights. It comes with a cue stick extension with a bridge and cross rest for when the shot needs a little extra help. A standard rack and one diamond-shaped rack for nine balls, one cue stick holder, chalk, a brush and a protective cover complete the set-up. £699.99. At decathlon.co.uk
This great-value six-foot table is surprisingly sturdy considering the foldable frame that makes it easy to store upright when not in use. It comes with balls for you to play a game of snooker and British pool, plus a brush to keep the table in tip-top condition and free from dust. There’s a set of chalk, a scoreboard and two triangles to fit both the snooker and pool balls. Two pool cues complete the set-up for a flexible and fun game of billiards. £179.99. At argos.co.uk
If you’re short on space and need a sleek and unobtrusive option this foldable pool table may be just the ticket. It comes with two cues, a set of American pool balls, a triangle and some chalk so games can commence. It can then be neatly folded and stored at the side of the room or in the cupboard or shed when not in use. We love the wood and blue fabric combo, which would look suitably stylish in both a modern or traditional setting and creates a cool and calming backdrop for you to pop the balls easily. £175. At onbuy.com
A best-selling British spec table for both home and commercial settings, the Omega Professional has everything you need for a competitive game of British pool. A sturdy slate design that will see you through the seasons, it comes in a range of finishes including a traditional dark walnut with green cloth. Choose from a 6ft or 7ft option, depending on the space you have to play with. You can also buy a more contemporary-looking white with blue cloth finish, for example. It comes with Aramith red and yellow balls for a game of British pool, with pool cues, a triangle and chalk. If you’re after something for outdoor use, also check out the Pureline California Slate bed pool table. £1,379. At libertygames.co.uk
This compact pool table is great for smaller rooms with its attractive wooden finish that would look good in both a classic or modern setting. It comes with everything you need to play a game of pool including two cues, a set of 15 American pool balls and cue ball, a triangle, and chalk. “Snooker isn't just for professionals and pub players, as pool tables are really easy to get delivered and set up at home,” says Shroopa Patel, Sports & Outdoors Category Manager at OnBuy. “With any pool table, you'll also need to make sure to measure the space around the table in order to be certain that you've got enough room for players to shoot.” Team this table with a set of PowerGlide snooker balls and you can switch between pool and snooker to your heart’s content. £191. At onbuy.com
This excellent-value multi-sports table comes with all the tops you need to switch between up to 12 different games. While it’s aimed at kids, it makes for a fun and compact edition to your living room to entertain you at the drop of a hat. You can choose between American pool, table tennis, table football, ping pong, ice hockey, chess, bowling/skittles, shuffleboard, draughts, backgammon, ring toss, horseshoe and poker. It’s easy to self-assemble, and each top can be easily lifted off to interchange between them. £107.99. At onbuy.com
The best garden furniture stores for livening up your outdoor space
Forty-six online furniture stores to help you feel more at home
8ft Pool Table The best mattress to buy now for a better night’s sleep