Drop pockets or ball return?

RickLafayette

AzB Gold Member
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What is your preference for a home table? I'm not asking about preferences for pool halls, tourneys, etc., just home tables. Also, what is the reason for your preference? Drop pockets or ball return?
 

bbb

AzB Gold Member
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ball return
reason
one place to get the balls to re rack
instead of having to walk around the table
 

tim913

AzB Silver Member
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I have ball return. I can practice a lot from one end of table without having to chase balls around, and I don’t like the sound of balls clacking together in the pocket
 

phreaticus

Well-known member
You’ll find this topic covered ad nauseam in many old threads. Its all personal preference. Personally I far prefer drops, find them much quieter in a small ish single story house with wood floors for late night play in a family home table setting and for drills and just throwing balls out and I actually prefer walking around the table vs bending over at the box. Seems like most 1p players prefer drops for obvious reasons. IMO less parts = good, long term maintenance wise, and drops have no lost chalk trapping issues - but per the responses - others apparently feel just the opposite. Sooner or later someone will be along to point out that you can just stuff sponges in the returns to get the best of both worlds. if possible, get some time on both at some poolhalls, see what you like better.
 

Charles Hartfield

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I prefer drop pocket tables. Bending down for the balls would seem to be tough on the back or kneeling down would seem tough on the knees. Also, I would think the balls would get dirty faster. I’m not sure if you can clean the ball return on them. I do like the idea of putting sponges in the pockets on a ball return. I’ve been told on here that ball return tables have a higher resale value.
 

philly

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You’ll find this topic covered ad nauseam in many old threads. Its all personal preference. Personally I far prefer drops, find them much quieter in a small ish single story house with wood floors for late night play in a family home table setting and for drills and just throwing balls out and I actually prefer walking around the table vs bending over at the box. Seems like most 1p players prefer drops for obvious reasons. IMO less parts = good, long term maintenance wise, and drops have no lost chalk trapping issues - but per the responses - others apparently feel just the opposite. Sooner or later someone will be along to point out that you can just stuff sponges in the returns to get the best of both worlds. if possible, get some time on both at some poolhalls, see what you like better.
I'm in your camp for my home table.
I like walking around the table just throwing the balls out.
 

phreaticus

Well-known member
You’ll find this topic covered ad nauseam in many old threads. Its all personal preference. Personally I far prefer drops, find them much quieter in a small ish single story house with wood floors for late night play in a family home table setting and for drills and just throwing balls out and I actually prefer walking around the table vs bending over at the box. Seems like most 1p players prefer drops for obvious reasons. IMO less parts = good, long term maintenance wise, and drops have no lost chalk trapping issues - but per the responses - others apparently feel just the opposite. Sooner or later someone will be along to point out that you can just stuff sponges in the returns to get the best of both worlds. if possible, get some time on both at some poolhalls, see what you like better.
Forgot to add that the choice is also somewhat related to brand of table and other features/considerations. Diamonds are obviously amazing, the ProAms and smart barboxes are designed all around the internal return, but are heavier, and boxy looking to some. Valley coin ops etc you have no choice, and like Diamonds with internal return tracks you’ll have chalk trapping issues. Diamond Pro’s play the same, are gorgeous IMO and ascetically more like Gold Crowns in appearance but only come with drops. Gold Crowns can go either way, so you can go back & forth if you end up changing your mind.

None of which are major issues and no “right” answer. Good luck ✌️
 
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ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What is your preference for a home table? I'm not asking about preferences for pool halls, tourneys, etc., just home tables. Also, what is the reason for your preference? Drop pockets or ball return?
Ball return Advantages: Much easier for ball retrieval / racking when practicing / playing by yourself. This to me is about the only real advantage of a ball return table.

Ball return Disadvantages: Much noiser for others in the house. Takes longer to retrieve cue ball. Much more wear and tear on balls running through the ball return. Chalk etc falling in pockets and obstructing balls from properly returning until the obstruction is removed. Much harder to clean ball return system and ball return tray resulting in dusty balls. For older players with back issues - harder to continually bend down to retrieve balls from ball return tray.

Drop pocket Advantages: Can’t beat the solid sound of a ball pocketed followed by silence. Easier to keep pockets clean as opposed to cleaning the entire ball return system. Balls never gut stuck in the ball return under the table. Drop pockets actually speeds up play when 2 players are playing as breaker immediately rolls balls down from 2 side and 2 head pockets while racker simply grabs the balls from the 2 foot pockets and doesn’t have to reach down to retrieve all balls. On scratches cue ball can be retrieved much easier and faster from a pocket rather than waiting for it to get to the ball return tray. Less wear and tear on the balls.

Drop Pocket Disadvantages: On some drop pockets there is a limit to how many balls a pocket can hold before filling up requiring a player to transfer balls to another pocket. Some drop pockets will wear out requiring repair or replacement, particularly leather weave drop pockets.

As you can likely summize, I clearly prefer drop pockets for both a home table or for a poolroom. Our Gabriel’s corner pockets are large enough to hold nearly a full set of balls. The only setting I see ball returns as appropriate is for bar rooms tables, for obvious reasons I don’t need to explain.
 
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RickLafayette

AzB Gold Member
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Silver Member
No bad answers. Everyone making valid points. I have a ball return and like it but it can be rough on expensive balls. I had chips of slate in my table when new and ruined a box of Aramith tournaments . :mad: $370. I cleaned out the gulleys and it's been fine ever since.
 

MitchAlsup

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I like drop pockets, myself.

But then again, I use the rack less than 1% of the times balls migrate from the pockets to the bed of the table.
 

Sealegs50

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My first table had drop pockets. The current table has ball returns and I like them a lot.
 

telinoz

Registered
Ball return.
Easy to manage noise.

Don't like drop pockets as I don't like moving balls to avoid a pocketed ball being rejected as it ruins rhythm.
And at the end of a game, going around retrieving all the balls, wastes time
 
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