Capture the moment with our pick of the best selfie sticks
Selfie sticks have gotten a bit of a bad rap. Sure, they can seem a bit gimmicky, but the best selfie sticks can be a genuinely useful tool in the smartphone photographer or videographer’s backpack.
At their most basic, selfie sticks are an extension of your arm: they allow you to hold your smartphone well beyond your arm’s natural reach. This makes them ideal for grabbing snapshots clear of crowds in tourist hotspots, and, as the name suggests they’re perfect for snapping selfies and group photographs. Get a little more advanced and some of the best selfie sticks also offer up the ability to wirelessly trigger your smartphone’s camera or transform into an impromptu tripod, and some even feature built-in stabilisation for smoother videos.
You’ll find selfie sticks stocked in most tourist hotspots and so at first glance it may not seem like something worth researching, never mind splurging on. Not all selfie sticks are created equal, however, so it’s worth taking the time to find the best selfie stick for you before you entrust it with your expensive smartphone.
Below you’ll find a brief guide covering everything you need to know when shopping for a selfie stick, followed by our pick of the best selfie sticks on the market.
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Best selfie sticks: At a glance
- Best all-around selfie stick: ATUMTEK 3-in-1 Selfie Stick | £26
- Best budget selfie stick: Gritin 3-in-1 Selfie Stick | £16
- Best premium selfie stick: Joby GripTight Pro | £59
- Best ultra-reach selfie stick: ATUMTEK 1.3m Selfie Stick | £34
How to choose the best selfie stick for you
What are selfie sticks for?
The main purpose of a selfie stick is to enable you to take nicely framed self-portrait pictures and videos. The stick lets you hold the phone far enough away so as to capture a flattering shot of yourself and your surroundings. This makes selfie sticks ideal for travelling as it allows you to grab that essential snapshot of yourself or your group in front of the main tourist attraction without needing to ask a stranger to take the photo for you.
Beyond this selfie sticks are also great for getting shots from higher vantage points, allowing you to photograph over the top of busy crowds or ugly walls, fences or barriers for an unobstructed shot.
What size selfie stick is best?
When looking at the size of the selfie stick be sure to check both the maximum extension as well as noting how short it is when packed away. For most use cases we would recommend opting for a model that offers at least 70cm of extension as this provides a nice reach for selfies and group shots. When checking the minimum folded length you’ll want to make sure it will comfortably fit within your luggage or bag when travelling. Around 20cm is a common packed size although shorter models are available.
What devices can I attach to a selfie stick?
Selfie sticks with smartphone mounts are the most common but you can also find models with 1/4in threads and action camera mounts too, allowing you to attach a compact camera or a GoPro. Not all selfie sticks offer multiple mounts and so be sure to check which devices are compatible when comparing models.
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When shopping for a selfie stick to use with your smartphone you’ll want to pay close attention to the mount. Most smartphone selfie sticks as a spring-tensioned mount to grip your phone and so you’ll need to check that the width of your device sits comfortably within the mount’s supported range.
While the most basic selfie sticks will keep your device fixed in one orientation if you want to take both vertical and horizontal photos and videos you’ll want a selfie stick with a rotating mount.
What other features should I consider?
Many selfie sticks include some sort of remote shutter release for your phone. While these tend to be wired on cheaper models, the best selfie sticks usually offer Bluetooth shutter releases. In either case, these allow you to trigger your camera’s shutter button remotely – decidedly handy if your phone is a metre or more in the air.
Increasingly common is the ability to double up as a table-top tripod. This is great for when you want to stand a little bit further back from the camera or keep your phone steady for videos or night shots.
Are stabilised selfie sticks and gimbals worth springing for?
While a standard stick is likely fine for the majority of people, if you’re serious about your smartphone videos and want more control over your footage, a stabilised stick may be the way to go. While they’re decidedly more expensive they give you the ability to pan and rotate your phone while the stick is extended while also helping to smooth out any shakiness.
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The best selfie sticks you can buy in 2023
1. ATUMTEK 3-in-1 Selfie Stick: Best all-round selfie stick
Price when reviewed: £26 | Check price at Amazon
With an excellent range of extension, a built-in detachable Bluetooth remote and tripod legs, ATUMTEK’s 3-in-1 is our pick for the best all-around selfie stick.
The overall design is smart and attractive and the aluminium components make it feel solid in the hand. With a 19.5cm folded length and a weight of around 170g it’s still nice and portable when travelling. Unlike a lot of its more budget rivals, the ATUMTEK’s mount is rotatable, allowing for nicely balanced shooting in both portrait and landscape orientations.
The Bluetooth remote allows you to trigger your phone’s camera shutter even while it’s held aloft. Because the remote is detachable you can even set the selfie stick like a tripod and stand back for larger group shots. The remote is USB rechargeable and rated for up to 20,000 clicks per charge.
The ATUMTEK selfie stick comes as standard in all-black but is also available in white or black with blue accents.
Key specs – Folded Length: 19.5cm; Maximum extension: 79.5cm; Weight: 170g; Max phone width: 8.7cm; Min phone width: 5.5cm; Rotating mount: Yes; Camera control: Bluetooth detachable remote
2. Gritin 3-in-1 Selfie Stick: Best budget selfie stick
Price when reviewed: £16 | Check price at Amazon
If you’re looking for a well-equipped budget option, the Gritin selfie stick is a great shout. While it’s decidedly more plasticky than some of the more premium entries on our list it still manages to pack a rich set of features.
You get up to 70cm of extension, a detachable Bluetooth remote and fold-out tripod legs. While you don’t get the solid feel of pricier sticks, the Gritin selfie stick’s plastic construction does have the benefit of keeping the weight down to a very comfortable 150g.
Key specs – Folded Length: 19cm; Maximum extension: 70cm; Weight: 150g; Max phone width: 8cm; Min phone width: 4.3cm; Rotating mount: No; Camera control: Bluetooth detachable remote
3. Joby GripTight Pro Telepod: Best premium selfie stick
Price when reviewed: £59 | Check price at Amazon
While cheaper selfie sticks rely on simple spring-loaded tension mounts, the GripTight Pro utilises a screw-lock to hold your phone in place. This ensures a secure fit, regardless of your phone size. The mount also offers rotation adjustment, allowing you to quickly switch between horizontal and vertical shooting modes. For added versatility, the smartphone mount can be unscrewed, revealing a standard 1/4in thread for attaching a compact camera, and an action camera mount is also included for attaching a GoPro.
The rubberised handgrip doubles up as a tripod base and an iOS and Android compatible Bluetooth remote is included for hands-free shooting.
It’s certainly a little pricey but if you’re looking for a selfie stick that offers a quality and versatility edge over the competition, the GripTight Pro Telepod is well worth considering.
Key specs – Folded Length: 21cm; Maximum extension: 64cm; Weight: 359g; Max phone width: 9.1cm; Min phone width: 5.6cm; Rotating mount: Yes; Camera control: Bluetooth detachable remote
4. GoPro Shorty: Best selfie stick for action cameras
Price when reviewed: £40 | Check price at GoPro
A selfie stick style grip is practically an action camera essential. While you’ll find plenty of third-party action camera selfie sticks on the market, our all-around pick goes to GoPro’s own Shorty. While the Shorty is an official GoPro product, with its universal action camera mount you can use it with just about any action camera on the market.
While its overall 23cm reach is rather modest, paired with a wide-angle action camera lens it still offers plenty of scope for vlogging, selfies and group shots. The Shorty’s folded length of less than 12cm also makes it very easy to pack. For added versatility, the Shorty’s handle can be folded out to create a tripod that’s ideal for capturing hands-free static shots and time lapse videos.
If you need something with a little more reach, the 56cm GoPro MAX Grip is like the Shorty on steroids.
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Key specs – Folded Length: 11.7cm; Maximum extension: 22.7cm; Weight: 64g; Rotating mount: No
5. ATUMTEK 1.3m Selfie Stick: Best ultra-reach selfie stick
Price when reviewed: £34 | Check price at Amazon
Standard selfie sticks not quite cutting it for you? ALUMTEK’s ultra-long 1.3m selfie stick lets you to capture the whole scene, rising high above the crowds and far enough back to fit in your whole group. Its impressive maximum height, when used in combination with its tripod support legs, also allows you to capture selfies and group shots without needing to prop your phone on a wall or table – simply set it on the ground, stand back and trigger the shutter with the Bluetooth remote.
As you may expect, it’s heavier and doesn’t pack down as small as other selfie sticks but if reach is what you’re after it’s well worth the compromise.
Key specs – Folded Length: 30cm; Maximum extension: 130cm; Weight: 330g; Max phone width: 9.8cm; Min phone width: 5.6cm; Rotating mount: No; Camera control: Bluetooth detachable remote
6. Zhiyun Smooth X: Best smart stabilised selfie stick
Price when reviewed: £59 | Check price at Wex
Zhiyun’s Smooth X is a stabiliser-equipped smart selfie stick. While it can’t compete for reach, the Smooth X packs a wealth of features designed to take your photos and videos to the next level.
There’s a two-axis stabiliser built right into the smartphone mount that helps counter any jerky movements for noticeably smoother videos. A joystick built into the handle also allows you to take manual control to create smooth panning video clips and instantly switch between horizontal and vertical shooting positions.
When paired with Zhiyun’s ZY Cami app the Smooth X unlocks a range of smart functions like automatic panoramas, moving time lapses and also features a simple in-built video editor. The app also allows the Smooth X to track moving objects so you can always remain centred in your videos.
Key specs – Folded Length: 14.5cm; Maximum extension: 26cm; Weight: 246g; Max phone width: 8.9cm; Min phone width: 5cm; Rotating mount: Yes; Camera control: Bluetooth detachable remote
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