Card Shuffler Recommendations?

Hold'me · #1 03-12-2005, 06:11 PM

I'm in search of a good card shuffler for my home game to speed up the action and such. I've read reviews about the cheap automatic plastic ones (1-4 decks) for $10.00 and frankly they work terribly, if they work at all. Can anyone recommend some good shufflers for a home game? Money is not a concern. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

smoore · #2 03-12-2005, 06:27 PM

The only good ones are made by a company called shufflemaster. Rumor has it they only lease them to licensed casinos.

Hold'me · #3 03-12-2005, 06:44 PM

Any other suggestions please?

obeythekitten · #4 03-12-2005, 06:52 PM

nope, which is why the only company that makes them (Shufflemaster as already mentioned) charges something like $10k a year to lease them.

Iron Butt · #5 03-12-2005, 06:56 PM

A couple games I've been in tried them. I haven't seen an instance where they're an asset, they're not really any faster once you consider all the mucking around with the machine you do. In fact it was slower. By the time you load the cards into the machine, press the button or w/e, and take them out you could have shuffled at least twice unless you're really bad at it, and you really should shuffle more than once even if you figure the machine does a better job (which I don't necessarily agree with).

That being said, the only shuffler I've seen that looks like a notch above the junk plastic ones is:
http://www.casinosupply.com/Merchant...egory_Code=PCS

You might think about using more decks. Sometimes 2 decks isn't enough in a social game with players of varying skill levels. Using 3 decks really can make a big difference. The man 2 from the button takes the deck last played so as to have it ready when his deal comes and so on.

BreakEven · #6 03-12-2005, 09:46 PM

Iron,

I agree. They are actually slower. My brother-in-law got a typical home-use shuffler and a couple of cards always seemed to get stuck or something. Once the novelty wore off (which took about 5 minutes), it was back to the old-fashioned way.

spicychili · #7 03-12-2005, 09:52 PM

I have also been through this (wanting to get a shuffler) and not finding one.

Please tell me. How many people out there would like one of these? How much would you be willing to pay?

My engineering buddy and I are in the first stages of maybe buulding and mass producing a consumer level (in table/ or stand alone) card shuffler.

I will keep people informed.

And yes Shuffle master will only work with Casinos. I have had many conversations with them to no avail. Through shuffle master though (just for a price quote) they are 15,000 to buy and 500 a month to lease.

smoore · #8 03-12-2005, 10:21 PM

As long as it was either in-table or small, would do two decks like the shufflemaster (put in the old one, take the shuffled one) and under $1k I would at least seriously consider it. I think the best format for home use would be one that was low-profile and easy to slide around the table.

spicychili · #9 03-12-2005, 11:28 PM

Thanks smoore. Like I said I am in the early design stage so your comments are useful.

bolgenmod · #10 03-16-2005, 01:46 AM

Spicychili:

Just saw your post, and I don't think that you should take the lack of replies as an indication that not many people would buy a card shuffler. If you can make a shuffler that will REALLY work...well, I just want to say that it's not only poker players who would buy a decently priced (let's say around $50-100) shuffler that actually WORKS!! (Sorry for the caps, but, well, the IDEA of a shuffler that REALLY WORKS!!! I'm excited.)

My grandmother was a big gin player (played almost every night with husband and/or friends), and about ten years ago I got her what I thought was a marvelous present: a card shuffler. Wasn't a hundred bucks, but wasn't cheap either (I don't remember the price). She loved it. For the ONE WEEK it worked until it broke. Not that it ever shuffled very well -- it tended to chunk cards at the end. Or get stuck. Or not work for two or three tries.

The point is that although "everyone" these days is playing poker, there are lots of other card players out there: everyone also has a parent or grandparent who plays gin or hearts or bridge. If you could make a decent shuffler for somewhere under $100 (if you're going for the gift market, I'd guess around $75 would be the best price), it'd be huge!

I have no idea whether the actual cost of making a decent shuffler makes a $1000 price tag more realistic, but if you and your friend really can make a stand-alone shuffler that would be more reasonably priced, there's a HUGE market out there. (Have you ever noticed that even 5-10 years ago, every game/gadget/luggage store sold a cheap shuffler? And don't ask me why the luggage store, but it's something I noticed...)

By the way, I remember the Christmas present thread around here -- lots of people got crappy chips and shufflers from relatives who were trying to get them a poker present. Just like me and Grandma. Good luck. And PLEASE make us a shuffler...