Other Lubes 

Cube lubes from GAN, MoYu, Zcube and other brands

This part of the lube section covers cube lubes from GAN, MoYu, Zcube, MoFangGe, Maru, MoreTry, DaYan and X-Man Design (XMD). You'll find lubes that cubers have been using for years, as well as newer series where the manufacturer sorts the lubes by effect right away: for speed, smoothness or control.

Water-based or silicone lube?

Water-based lube works instantly. After a few turns the cube feels noticeably lighter, but the effect wears off quickly because the lube evaporates. Examples include MoYu V2, GAN Lube v2 and MoFangGe M-1. Silicone lubes last longer and give a smoother, more predictable turning feel. This group includes MoYu V1, GAN Lube v1 and MoFangGe M-2, among others. Thick silicone slows the cube down and dampens the turns. It comes in handy when a model is too fast and hard to control.

Lube series sorted by effect

Several manufacturers sell lubes with different effects within a single series. This makes it easier to pick a lube and to combine different types in one cube:

• GAN Lube v1, v2 and v3: v1 is a medium-viscosity silicone for regular maintenance, v2 is a water-based lube that speeds the cube up, and v3 is a thicker silicone that gives more control. GAN Lube v1 is available in 2 ml and 10 ml bottles. This series replaced the earlier GAN Magic.
• MoYu V1, V2 and V3: V1 is a silicone lube that gives smooth and fairly fast turning. V2 is a milky water-based lube that speeds the cube up strongly but briefly. V3 helps calm down a cube that is too fast.
• MoreTry Cube Lube No.1 Faster, No.2 Smoother and No.3 Slower: the names say exactly what they do. No.1 speeds the cube up, No.2 gives a soft, smooth turning feel without much added speed, and No.3 slows it down.
• Z-LUBE Alpha (Speed), Beta (Smooth) and Gamma (Maintenance): a newer Zcube series with a separate lube for speed, for smoothness and for maintenance.

Z-Lube, Maru and other lubes

Classic Z-Lube and Maru lube noticeably speed up the cube right after application, and this boost fades over time. Maru lube is often used in bigger cubes. It's easy to overdo it, though, because too much makes the turning heavy and "gummy". If you prefer a cube with more resistance, you can choose Maru Lube Thick. This category also includes Dayan Lube, XMD Lube, X-lube and MoFangGe M-Lube.

How to choose a lube for your cube?

To start with, a single medium-viscosity silicone lube is enough. It suits most cubes and doesn't need to be applied too often. Water-based lube is useful when you want to quickly break in a new or overly heavy cube. Thick silicone helps when the cube is too fast or you get overshooting. With any lube, start with 1–2 drops, because it's easier to add more lube than to get rid of the excess. You'll find lubes from other brands in the Lubes category.