How do you know if you're playing with a good set of balls? First look at the color consistency — that's the easiest place to start. Hold up two balls of the same color in the light. The 1 and the 9 balls, for example, are both yellow, but do the shades of yellow match? Is the 1 ball a different shade of orange than the 9 ball? If the colors aren't consistent, you could be playing with a lesser-quality product.

Next look at the shape. Try rolling the balls on the table, also in a well-lit room, and see if you notice any flaws in the shape by watching the way the balls roll — is it a smooth, even roll, or a little on the bumpy side?

Finally, try holding a few different balls in your hands, and roll them around: Do they feel to you like they are the same size? Does one look a little bigger than the other?

Weight is another element of quality balls, but you can't judge the weight by feel because the weight difference will be too miniscule. Only precision instruments can determine the weight of the balls. Nevertheless, each ball in a good-quality set will be of equal weight.

While all balls, both cheap and expensive, will change color with age, the cleaner you keep them, the more likely they will keep. In a top-quality ball (old or new) what you really want to see is perfectly round balls of consistent weight and color that are smooth and glasslike to the touch.