Magic Ball Rack Review (November 2024)
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Table of Contents
Magic Ball Rack
Pros
- Tight Rack
- Consistent Rack
- Preserves Table
- Thin
Cons
- Rack Speed
Have you ever racked your pool balls just to have one ball keep rolling away? The Magic Ball Rack is a billiard rack that lays under the balls and gives you a perfect rack every time, even on a worn table. This is not your typical rack that goes around the balls, it is more like a rack template. This rack is ideal for players that want the best rack every time.
The Magic Ball Rack also helps protect your table. Have you ever seen white lines on the table where the rack goes? These lines come from when you rack the balls and slide the balls forward to create a tight rack. By using a Magic Rack you won’t have to slide the balls forward to create a tight rack. It creates a perfect rack every time without sliding the balls.
In this Magic Rack Review we’ll cover the ease of use, performance, durability and price. I hope this review helps you decide whether this product is right for you.
Ease of Use – 8/10
To rack using a Magic Ball Rack, first, you lay the rack template in place on the table. Then, you place the balls on the pre-cut holes. These holes are aligned perfectly so that all the balls will be in the exact same spot, every time. After placing the balls in the correct space, you can break.
The rack is very thin so it won’t affect the trajectory of the balls. After all balls are off the rack, you carefully remove the rack from the table.
One thing that I didn’t like at first is that you have to place the balls 1 by 1.
I’ve been playing pool for 19 years and I’ve racked 8 ball pool thousands if not hundreds of thousands of times. So, I could set up a rack with a normal rack in seconds. Racking with a Magic Ball Rack definitely takes more time when you first start out but the consistency of the rack is worth it.
After getting over the adjustment of a new racking style the rack is very easy to use just a little more time-consuming.
Performance – 9/10
This rack is great when it comes to performance. It provides a consistent rack and is used in many tournaments.
Since the balls line up the same every time, you’re able to perfect different breaks for optimal positioning. The rack is super thin so it doesn’t affect the roll of the balls.
Also, all the balls will be frozen together to give the best spread from the break. When the balls aren’t touching, it’s common for only a few balls to move resulting in a very dense break.
The Magic Ball Rack gives the best possible break every time. It’s not a miracle rack tho. You still have to know how to break to get a good spread on the break and to notice the difference.
The Magic Ball Rack combined with a great break cue will allow you to have a consistent and powerful break.
Durability – 7/10
The rack is a good rack but it’s pretty thin and flimsy. This is good when it comes to performance, but I can see it being a problem over time.
The rack is essentially a glorified piece of plastic. It does its job perfectly and it makes sense why it needs to be a thin piece of plastic. If it wasn’t a very thin piece of plastic, it would hinder the balls’ movement.
However, this may lead to durability problems in the future. I can see the rack getting stretched or ripped if it isn’t properly stored and handled. If it gets stretched or ripped, it won’t hold the balls in the correct spot.
Price – 8/10
To be completely honest, I’m not sure whether to give the pricing a low score or a high score. My reasoning is because while it is priced well compared to real wooden triangle racks, it is just a piece of plastic with holes in it.
So, for what it is, it is definitely overpriced but while it is a very simple design it is very effective and serves it’s purpose well. So, I decided to give it an 8 out of 10.
Rack Alternatives
If you’re looking for more of a standard rack that goes around the balls rather than a rack template like the Magic Rack. Here are a few good alternatives. Click on the name of the racks below to view the rack on Amazon.
Viper Billiard/Pool Table Rack – A wooden 8 ball billiard rack
GSE Games & Sports Expert Rack – Good quality wooden 8-ball and 9-ball pool rack
CueStix Heavy Duty Plastic 8-Ball Rack – Heavy duty plastic rack that has great long term durability
Conclusion – 8/10
I recommend the Magic Ball Rack if you would like a more consistent rack and break. The rack makes it practically impossible to rack incorrectly.
This rack will also help preserve your table. You won’t get the white lines in your table by where you rack the balls. This rack is currently available on Amazon, click the button below to go to Amazon.
If you are a beginner or just playing for fun and don’t need the consistency of a Magic Ball Rack, then I would not recommend it. It is a great rack but it takes a little longer to use and is an adjustment from a normal rack.
Overall, I recommend this rack over the standard racks. If you have any thoughts on this rack or have any recommendations on the best billiards racks, please let me know in the comments.