Durable/Inexpensive Set Recommendation for a Newbie (1 Viewer)

ChasetheRiver

ChasetheRiver

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I'm sure this question gets posted a lot by new chippers but figured I would see if there are any updates on the topic. I am brand new to the poker chip world (not to poker) and want to invest in a durable and inexpensive set to start off. After watching countless videos and reading multiple threads, I think the China Clay chips would best to start (let me know if I'm wrong). I don't mean to upset the chip Gods in my post but I was looking at getting some brand of ClaySmith chips to start while I build my collection on the side (one Paulson chip at a time). Not sure if anyone has had experience with the Milano set but it looks to be a decent chip to play with. I was also looking at the Nexgen Pro set. Happy to hear feedback or other brand recommendations! :)
 

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Not sure how much u want to spend or if u r set on a clay type chip but ceramic is always a good option. U can make ur set custom and even get oversized chips for hi denominations. Plus they are very durable. A lot cheaper than Paulson. I used my chipco custom set for well over 15 years - and for a long time used them 4 times a week. They are still good to go. 2 of the regular hosts in my area use ceramic.
CDF14CD5-1876-4536-AC37-3DECBD34D4FA.jpeg
 
I'm not much of a fan of China Clays as I used to be, and the Milanos are not one of the few I like since they tended to be very slippery and drab color palate. NexGens I'm not a fan of with its colors for both inlays, base, and edgespots, and are really slippery too.

A few people mentioned these chips, the Monaco Casinos: https://www.discountpokershop.com/25pc-135g-monaco-casino-clay-poker-chips-colors-p-605.html
I just got a T100 base tourney set after immediately getting samples. They're great for the value of what they are. Stack well, not really slippery outside of the T5k, and the weight is not too bad.

But remember to get samples first before you buy a set.
 
When I read “durable” I wonder why. If you read too much here, you’ll read about clay chips wearing, and certain molds chipping, and ceramic chips breaking - it’s kind of all bullshit.
Fact is that poker chips, with typical home game use, are very durable. If you’ll be shuffling them 24 hours a day, or dropping them on concrete floors, or smashing them on their edge (like a dealer acknowledging a tip) yeah, you should be concerned about durability. If not, don’t worry about it.

PS, it’s worth mentioning that some China clays have crumbled after a few years. I don’t know much about it - I think they were just some bad clay formulations from a couple of brands, a while ago, and I don’t think it seems to be a major concern for new lines of China clays. But I’m no China clay authority.
 
Goldfish said:
Not sure how much u want to spend or if u r set on a clay type chip but ceramic is always a good option. U can make ur set custom and even get oversized chips for hi denominations. Plus they are very durable. A lot cheaper than Paulson. I used my chipco custom set for well over 15 years - and for a long time used them 4 times a week. They are still good to go. 2 of the regular hosts in my area use ceramic.
View attachment 571370
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That is a good looking set. Love the colour combinations. Do you find that the ceramic ones break easily with normal usage? Seems like your set is relatively complete though.

Darson said:
What's your budget and are you looking for cash, tourney or both?
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Budget would be around $300 for 500ct. Would be for mostly cash games. Maybe a tourney here and there if I'm able to.

AnteAndy said:
I'm not much of a fan of China Clays as I used to be, and the Milanos are not one of the few I like since they tended to be very slippery and drab color palate. NexGens I'm not a fan of with its colors for both inlays, base, and edgespots, and are really slippery too.

A few people mentioned these chips, the Monaco Casinos: https://www.discountpokershop.com/25pc-135g-monaco-casino-clay-poker-chips-colors-p-605.html
I just got a T100 base tourney set after immediately getting samples. They're great for the value of what they are. Stack well, not really slippery outside of the T5k, and the weight is not too bad.

But remember to get samples first before you buy a set.
Click to expand...
I agree with the colors. Both don't seem to have bright pigments and the color combinations don't compliment each out as well as some I have seen. Ill look into the Monaco ones although aren't they a heavier chip, something like 13.5g? Do you find the weight to be reasonable?

Shaggy said:
1. get samples
2. Look on the classifieds here... someone may be selling a very well cared for set. No sense in paying full price for a set that you will probably sell in a year.
Click to expand...
Good call. Do you find a lot of people selling samples in the classifieds?

upNdown said:
When I read “durable” I wonder why. If you read too much here, you’ll read about clay chips wearing, and certain molds chipping, and ceramic chips breaking - it’s kind of all bullshit.
Fact is that poker chips, with typical home game use, are very durable. If you’ll be shuffling them 24 hours a day, or dropping them on concrete floors, or smashing them on their edge (like a dealer acknowledging a tip) yeah, you should be concerned about durability. If not, don’t worry about it.

PS, it’s worth mentioning that some China clays have crumbled after a few years. I don’t know much about it - I think they were just some bad clay formulations from a couple of brands, a while ago, and I don’t think it seems to be a major concern for new lines of China clays. But I’m no China clay authority.
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Ok that makes sense thanks for the insight. I just watch 3 videos on durability/production quality so I may have over read into the seriousness of chips being durable.
 
To be honest, I like the Claysmith chips having played in a couple games that use them. They don't stack like ceramics or clay for sure, but honestly, if you are new to the hobby, it's going to take time to develop your tastes and decide until you are ready to sink into something big.

I'm certainly not the highest roller on PCF, but my major investment was a 2000 chip set of ceramic hybrids from @SUN-FLY Poker Chips in China. But that set was two years of design and breakdown calculations in the making and a lot of PCF lurking to decide what was right for me.

So I think if you aren't ready to "go big" just yet, getting a decent set of Claysmith is a good way to start while you still develop your tastes for what you might want to do for customs in the future.
 
JustinInMN said:
To be honest, I like the Claysmith chips having played in a couple games that use them. They don't stack like ceramics or clay for sure, but honestly, if you are new to the hobby, it's going to take time to develop your tastes and decide until you are ready to sink into something big.

I'm certainly not the highest roller on PCF, but my major investment was a 2000 chip set of ceramic hybrids from @SUN-FLY Poker Chips in China. But that set was two years of design and breakdown calculations in the making and a lot of PCF lurking to decide what was right for me.

So I think if you aren't ready to "go big" just yet, getting a decent set of Claysmith is a good way to start while you still develop your tastes for what you might want to do for customs in the future.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your insight. I can definitely appreciate taking time to make a decision like that. Almost every post in the classifieds makes me consider a new set I would like to eventually own. I will definitely be on the look out here for some entry level sets as so far I have only seen high quality posts.
 
ChasetheRiver said:
I'm sure this question gets posted a lot by new chippers but figured I would see if there are any updates on the topic. I am brand new to the poker chip world (not to poker) and want to invest in a durable and inexpensive set to start off. After watching countless videos and reading multiple threads, I think the China Clay chips would best to start (let me know if I'm wrong). I don't mean to upset the chip Gods in my post but I was looking at getting some brand of ClaySmith chips to start while I build my collection on the side (one Paulson chip at a time). Not sure if anyone has had experience with the Milano set but it looks to be a decent chip to play with. I was also looking at the Nexgen Pro set. Happy to hear feedback or other brand recommendations! :)
Click to expand...
1st thing, get samples.
Yes, paulson will take a lot of time and/or money to collect a playable set.
I'm not a fan of china clays. Too chalky and prone to flea bites. Nexgen would be better IMO.
Ceramics are relatively inexpensive and you can get exactly what you want right away
 
Jambine said:
1st thing, get samples.
Yes, paulson will take a lot of time and/or money to collect a playable set.
I'm not a fan of china clays. Too chalky and prone to flea bites. Nexgen would be better IMO.
Ceramics are relatively inexpensive and you can get exactly what you want right away
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Any specific Ceramics you recommend for a budget of $300 500ct?
 
Sure, get samples.
Distinctly best quality china clays are those overseen by @Apache (a most reputable vendor here), i.e. Majestics (39mm), Royals (43mm) and Bank chips.
Otherwise, ceramics (within your price range).
Get samples:)
 
Coyote said:
Sure, get samples.
Distinctly best quality china clays are those overseen by @Apache (a most reputable vendor here), i.e. Majestics (39mm), Royals (43mm) and Bank chips.
Otherwise, ceramics (within your price range).
Get samples:)
Click to expand...
I'll make sure to get samples. Seems that there is no "perfect" chip that satisfies everyone. Comes down to a personal feel. Will try to get as many samples I can get my hands on. Thanks again!
 
ChasetheRiver said:
I agree with the colors. Both don't seem to have bright pigments and the color combinations don't compliment each out as well as some I have seen. Ill look into the Monaco ones although aren't they a heavier chip, something like 13.5g? Do you find the weight to be reasonable?
Click to expand...
They are heavier chips, but I surprisingly don't notice compared to Showdowns and Mints from Claysmith. The colors and edgespots are great, I like the texture and the whole design of each chip. And they're $0.12/chip so it's definitely a good deal IMO. They're now my favorite budget chips.
 
AnteAndy said:
They are heavier chips, but I surprisingly don't notice compared to Showdowns and Mints from Claysmith. The colors and edgespots are great, I like the texture and the whole design of each chip. And they're $0.12/chip so it's definitely a good deal IMO. They're now my favorite budget chips.
Click to expand...
Good to know. Will try to get a sample if I can and give them a shot. The colors were definitley more appealing.
 
ChasetheRiver said:
Budget would be around $300 for 500ct. Would be for mostly cash games. Maybe a tourney here and there if I'm able to.
Click to expand...
As others have said, for new chips ceramics are probably your best bet. You can get high quality ceramics from places like BRProPoker for just about your budget or Chinese made ceramics which are cheaper but less guarantee of quality and could take a long time to arrive.

If you can find used ceramics on the PCF marketplace you may be able to get a better deal.
 
Darson said:
As others have said, for new chips ceramics are probably your best bet. You can get high quality ceramics from places like BRProPoker for just about your budget or Chinese made ceramics which are cheaper but less guarantee of quality and could take a long time to arrive.

If you can find used ceramics on the PCF marketplace you may be able to get a better deal.
Click to expand...
Appreciate the feedback. Will keep my eyes posted
 
Regarding your budget....

Is it $300 total? Or 60c/chip? Because I challenge your claim of 'needing' 500 chips:
  • 400 chips is more than sufficient for a single-table tournament set, regardless of base chip.
  • 600 chips is the 'standard' breakdown for single table cash sets (100/200/200/100).
First determine the total amount you are willing to spend. Then determine how many chips you need to meet your hosting goals.

That will both 1) determine your per-chip budget, and 2) identify which chips are available to you at the total cost you are willing to pay.

Getting samples will narrow your choices down to those chips which meet both your aesthetic and performance needs.
 
BGinGA said:
Regarding your budget....

Is it $300 total? Or 60c/chip? Because I challenge your claim of 'needing' 500 chips:
  • 400 chips is more than sufficient for a single-table tournament set, regardless of base chip.
  • 600 chips is the 'standard' breakdown for single table cash sets (100/200/200/100).
First determine the total amount you are willing to spend. Then determine how many chips you need to meet your hosting goals.

That will both 1) determine your per-chip budget, and 2) identify which chips are available to you at the total cost you are willing to pay.

Getting samples will narrow your choices down to those chips which meet both your aesthetic and performance needs.
Click to expand...
Never considered the amount of chips I would need. Always though 500ct was the standard. If I am playing mostly cash games, then 600ct seems to be the right amount. When you say (100/200/200/100) what denominations are you referring to. Still learning the lingo :)
 
ChasetheRiver said:
If I am playing mostly cash games, then 600ct seems to be the right amount. When you say (100/200/200/100) what denominations are you referring to.
Click to expand...
100/200/200/100 breakdown depends on what stakes you plan to play:
  • If 5c/10c, then 5c-25c-$1-$5 denoms
  • If 25c/50c, then 25c-$1-$5$-$20(or $25) denoms
  • If 50c/$1, then 25c(or 50c)-$1-$5-$20(or $25) denoms, although you may want to replace 50x 50c chips with either 50x $20($25) or $100 (since you won't need as many 50c chips vs quarters)
  • If $1/$2, then $1-$5-$20(or $25)-$100 denoms
And you can overlap those counts. For a large cash set that could handle any stakes from 5c/10c up to $1/$2, you'd want 1000 chips with a 100/200/200/200/200/100 breakdown (5c-25c-$1-$5-$20/$25-$100), although adding more $5 would probably be better for a set mostly used for $1/$2.
 
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BGinGA said:
100/200/200/100 breakdown depends on what stakes you plan to play:
  • If 5c/10c, then 5c-25c-$1-$5 denoms
  • If 25c/50c, then 25c-$1-$5$-$20(or $25) denoms
  • If 50c/$1, then 25c(or 50c)-$1-$5-$20(or $25) denoms, although you may want to replace 50x 50c chips with either 50x $20($25) or $100 (since you won't need as many 50c chips vs quarters)
  • If $1/$2, then $1-$5-$20(or $25)-$100 denoms
And you can overlap those counts. For a large cash set that could handle any stakes from 5c/10c up to $1/$2, you'd want 1000 chips with a 100/200/200/200/200/100 breakdown (5c-25c-$1-$5-$20/$25-$100), although adding more $5 would probably be better for a set mostly used for $1/$2.
Click to expand...
This is perfect! Great breakdown. Most of my cash games are $1/$2 so the $5 are in hot demand. Will be using this as a reference. :)
 
When quoting amounts, be aware that everything here is in USD. Shipping costs and sales tax on imports tend to surprise people.

If you are considering Milanos, check the Crazy Horse line from Straight Poker Supplies. Same chip, different label. And you could order custom labels after the fact if you wanted. One of the players in our league did that for his cash game (https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/bourbon-street-labels-in-milano-chips.41184/).

I would suggest trying to get samples to get a feel for what you like prior to making a significant purchase. Everyone's preferences are different, so it's worth the effort to figure out what you like.
 
ChasetheRiver said:
This is perfect! Great breakdown. Most of my cash games are $1/$2 so the $5 are in hot demand. Will be using this as a reference. :)
Click to expand...

Oh if you are hosting 1-2 then you should at a minimum be looking at the semi customs from Br pro poker and avoiding stock chips entirely.

It's just worth that piece of mind that no one is going to cash out an extra $100 from the bank by slipping in $4 worth of readily available chips.

Even if you think your friends are trustworthy, sometimes things, or sometimes a friend brings someone to play that he shouldn't, if it only happens once it's your money. Customization is worth the piece of mind.

For starting stacks I would suggest something like 10/28/2 of 1/5/25 for a 200 buy-in.

A set of 100/300/80/20 of 1/5/25/100 accomodates 10 such buy ins plus extra high chips for rebuys.

The total bank would be 5600 or 28 buy ins of 200, enough for 3 buy ins per person 9 handed.
 
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