2x2:
My main: Magnetized OP Dayan 2x2. Do I really need to explain this one?
Super Budget: QiYi QiDi W ($4, but make sure you loosen it from the factory as it is crap OOTB)
Budget: QiYi MS 2x2 ($8), MoYu RS2 M Evolution ($10)
Great: MoYu WeiPo WRS ($13)
Expert: MoYu WeiPo WRS ($13), Valk 2 (if you can find one)
Baller: GAN 251 M Leap ($40)
Honorable Mentions: DaYan TengYun Plus 2x2 (very quiet, $19)
3x3:
Note: I think most 3x3s are good. If you own something released in the last 5 years and you perform well on, you don’t need to upgrade.
My main: I don’t have an official main, I just practice with a lot of cubes I own.
Super Budget: MoYu MeiLong 3C ($3)
Budget: MoYu RS3 M 2020 ($9), QiYi M Pro ($10)
Great: MoYu Weilong WRM 2021 Lite ($22 standard, $30 maglev), Huameng YS3M Ball-Core ($26), X-Man Tornado V3 Standard ($24)
Expert: X-Man Tornado V3 Flagship/Pioneer ($32 and $39 respectively), Huameng YS3M Ball-Core UV ($36), MoYu RS3M Super V2 Ball-Core UV ($50)
Baller: GAN 13 Maglev/fX ($84 and $66 respectively)
Honorable Mentions: DaYan TengYun V1/V2 (really quiet, $24 and $29 respectively), DaYan GuHong V3 M ($14, good for small hands), MoreTry TianMa X3 Triple Magnetic ($30, stupid name, great crunchy and fast feel, like an older cube but better), all GAN cubes after 2019 like X and more ($30-$60, great by all means), the Valk line (don’t go out of your way to get one but great if you own one.)
4x4:
My main: YJ ZhiLong Mini 4x4 M, as I have smaller hands
Super Budget: MoYu MeiLong 4x4 ($7)
Budget: YJ ZhiLong Mini 4x4 M ($14), YJ YuSu V2 ($13)
Great: YJ ZhiLong Mini 4x4 M ($14), YJ MGC ($20)
Expert: YJ ZhiLong Mini 4x4 M ($14), MoYu AoSu WRM ($40), Valk 4 (if you can find one)
Honorable Mentions: X-Man Ambition ($31, quiet)
5x5:
My main: YJ MGC 5x5, as it’s just good, I guess
Super Budget: MoYu MeiLong 5x5 ($8)
Budget: MoYu MeiLong 5x5 M ($13)
Great: YJ MGC 5x5 ($23)
Expert: MoYu AoChuang WR M ($41)
Honorable Mentions: YJ Zhilong Mini 5x5 M ($16, great for small hands), DaYan NeZha 5x5 ($39, fast and quiet), Valk 5 (if you can find one)
I don’t recommend the super-budgets for 6 & 7 unless you really, really want any 6x6/7x7.
6x6:
My main: YJ MGC 6x6, because it isn’t garbage like a lot of 6x6s
Super Budget: YuXin Little Magic 6x6 ($15)
Budget: YJ YuShi v2 M ($18)
Great: YJ MGC 6x6 ($26)
Expert: MoYu AoShi WR M ($44)
No honorable mentions.
7x7:
My main: YJ YuFu V2 M, because my MGC got stolen. F’s for it
Super Budget: YuXin Little Magic 7x7 ($17)
Budget: YJ YuFu v2 M ($21)
Great: YJ MGC 7x7 ($36)
Expert: MoYu AoFu WR M ($50)
Honorable Mentions: X-Man Spark and YuXin Hays (both around $50, feel solid, and have different feels than the MGC)
Megaminx:
My main: I don’t do Mega. Just take my word from other people.
Super Budget: QiYi QiHeng S ($8)
Budget: YJ YuHu v2 M ($14)
Great: YJ YuHu v2 M ($14)
Expert: DaYan Megaminx v2 M ($33)
Honorable mentions: X-Man Galaxy V1/V2 M ($30, good if you still have one but don’t go out of your way to upgrade)
Skewb:
My main: MoYu RS Skewb M with stronger magnet mod, as it just feels great.
Super Budget: MoYu Meilong Skewb ($6)
Budget: MoYu RS Skewb M ($9)
Great: MoYu RS Skewb Maglev ($15)
Expert: X-Man Wingy Skewb V2 M ($20)
Baller: GAN Skewb M Enhanced UV Coated ($38)
Honorable Mentions: MoYu WeiLong Skewb ($19, has a lot of features and is quiet, and VERY fast)
Pyraminx:
My main: MoYu RS Pyraminx with stronger magnet mod. It has a nice light feeling I love.
Super Budget: YuXin Black Kirin Pyraminx ($5)
Budget: MoYu RS Pyraminx ($9)
Great: MoYu WeiLong Pyraminx Standard ($15)
Expert: MoYu WeiLong Pyraminx Standard ($15), X-Man Bell v2 Pyraminx M ($18)
Baller: GAN Pyraminx Enhanced + UV Coating ($40)
Honorable Mentions: QiYi MS Pyraminx ($8, feels really nice and solid)
Square-1:
My main: I don’t do Squan. Take my word from other people.
Super Budget: YuXin Little Magic Square-1 Standard ($6)
Budget: YuXin Little Magic Square-1 M ($11)
Great: YJ MGC Square-1 ($21)
Expert: Any custom YJ MGC Square-1 like Derpy, Isaac, or Cosmic (In the realm of $35)
Honorable Mentions: X-Man Volt (both versions, fine if you own them but don’t go out of your way to buy them), OG QiYi Square-1 (discontinued, but not bad if you own it)
Clock:
My main: QiYi Magnetic Clock, because it isn’t utter crap
Super Budget: ShengShou Magnetic Clock ($11)
Budget: ShengShou Magnetic Clock ($11)
Great: QiYi Magnetic Clock ($33)
Expert: QiYi Magnetic Clock ($33)
3x3 OH:
My main: DaYan GuHong V3 M, because it’s nice, I guess
Super Budget: MoYu MeiLong 3C ($3)
Budget: DaYan GuHong v3 M ($12)
Great: DaYan GuHong v3 M ($12)
Expert: DaYan TengYun V1 ($25)
Baller: GAN Mini M Pro UV Coated ($48)
Honorable Mentions: YJ ZhiLong Mini 3x3 M ($10, good if your hands are crazy small)
3x3 Blind:
My main: I don’t do blind. Take my word from other people.
Super Budget: YuXin Little Magic ($5)
Budget: MoYu RS3 M 2020 ($9)
Great: DaYan TengYun V1 ($25)
Expert: MoYu HuaMeng YS3 M Ball-core UV Coated ($36), MoYu WeiLong GTS3 M ($36)
Baller: Valk 3 Elite ($50)
Honorable Mentions: Older GAN cubes (like the X, M, and even older) are quite nice for blind but don’t try to get one if you don’t have one.
Moretry Tianma X3 Snap ($30): Feels similar to the GTS3M with a faster feel and sans ridges. Like a WRM 2019 with stronger magnets.
4x4 Blind:
Main: I am not a genius. Take other people’s words.
Budget: YJ MGC 4x4 ($20)
Great: YJ MGC 4x4 ($20)
Expert: YJ MGC 4x4 ($20)
5x5 Blind:
Main: I am not a genius. Take other people’s words.
Budget: YJ MGC 5x5 ($23)
Great: YJ MGC 5x5 ($23)
Expert: YJ MGC 5x5 ($23)
Thanks.
