Butterfly Table Tennis Table Top

How to Choose the Best Table

Choosing a Ping Pong table you will like is important when tables can be so expensive. However most people don’t know what to look for and ultimately purchase a table they aren’t happy with. In this article we’ll introduce what we think are the best Table Tennis tables under $500, $750, $1000, $1500, and $2000 dollars, along with a short summary of why we chose that table and what you can expect when purchasing a table in that general price bracket.

Cheap Table Tennis Table

Let’s cut to the chase, If you are simply looking for the best all-around cheap table for your kids, then look no further than the JOOLA Inside Table Tennis table. It’s high enough quality that unless you are an experienced Table Tennis player and know what to look for, you won’t notice the difference between it and a more expensive professional table. Otherwise, continue reading as we dial in on the best value table tennis table for each price bracket.

Outdoor VS Indoor Table Tennis Table

Overall, you can expect indoor tables to have a more consistent and uniform bounce when compared to outdoor tables in the same price range because outdoor tables are built with a weather resistant material in the surface that directly affects the quality of the table tennis ball’s bounce. Therefore, expect indoor tables to be equal-to or better-than outdoor tables in the same price range in respect to playing quality.

Outdoor tables are sturdier and generally built with larger wheels and a simplistic set-up system along with a playing surface designed to withstand the weather conditions while indoor tables are built to maximize playing quality and table design. Indoor Tables are obviously designed to be played indoors and should be purchased with the intent of doing so. Playing with an Indoor table outdoors while it’s raining or leaving a table uncovered in an area with high humidity for extended periods of time can warp and eventually ruin the table. Consider a table tennis table cover or even an outdoor ping pong table if you live in such an area.

Don't be Fooled by Flashy Gimmicks

Choosing the right Table Tennis table lies in finding a balance between what you wish to purchase in terms of quality, and what you are realistically willing to spend. There are many different table tennis table designs, each built for a different price bracket or an individual looking for something just a little bit different, but the important characteristics that significantly affect playing quality are rarely effected to the extent that the price changes. Don’t pay more than you have to, continue reading as we discuss what we think are the best Indoor Table Tennis tables for 2016.

For under $500, you are not going to find a Ping Pong table with a ¾” playing surface that will consistently provide a high quality uniform bounce. The best you can expect is a 5/8” playing surface, however that will hardly be noticeable unless you are a serious player or intend to be a serious Table Tennis player.

JOOLA Inside Table Tennis Table

Even though the table does not have the ¾” top that we would ultimately like to see, the JOOLA Inside Table Tennis table really is the best cheap Table Tennis table for sale for under 0. We felt comfortable choosing the JOOLA Inside Table Tennis table as the best table for under 0 because it arrives assembled, it’s easy to store, it’s light weight compared to other tables, it can be separated into two separate halves, and it still provides a high quality playing experience that people seem to love.

• It has a 5/8” 5/8-inch (16mm) table top for consistent playability
• Dual safety locking devices; 2 separate halves with 4 wheels per half for easy mobility and compact storage
• Table halves can be used as two freestanding tables for entertaining
• Includes net and post set

For under $750, you’re not going to have a lot more variety to choose from than before, but there should be one noticeable difference, and that’s the thickness of the table top or playing surface. The most important aspect to pay attention to when purchasing an indoor Table Tennis table is the size of the table top and a good quality table will have at least a ¾” table and may come with a 1-3 year warranty.

Aside from the table top, the only modifications that I see in quality between the $750 price bracket and the $500 are the size of wheels, the locking mechanism, and the chassis. These things don’t have a large impact on the playing quality of the table, so I would pretty much remove them from influencing my decision. However if you believe that a specific adjustment ( bigger wheels, thicker chassis, etc. ) might be necessary incase from over-use or rough use, I would focus my attention on a larger chassis as this will help prevent long term damage from players jumping or falling on the table. Children also enjoy leaning or sitting on the tables which can bend the table, but a stronger chassis would help with this.

The next characteristic that I find important in discerning the best Table tennis table is ease of assembly. Fortunately the majority of Table Tennis manufacturers have figured out ways to essentially ship the table pre-assembled or with a 20 minute max assembly time, however you can still come across tables with poor instructions that can take 4 hours or longer to assemble. Therefore I chose a table that arrives preassembled or with a quick-play feature to make assembly quick and not a hassle.

Stiga Insta Play Table Tennis Table

• No Assembly Required with InstaPlay Technology
• 3/4" Thick Black Table Top with Silk Screen Striping
• 2" Legs and 3" Mag Ball Bearing Wheels with Locks
• 2" Steel Aprons with Corner Protectors
• 66" Net and Post Set Included

For $1000, you should expect a tournament level table with a 1” thick table top. At $1000, you are at the point where you can really start looking at higher quality tables that will provide a better, more professional level playing experience. Again, I concentrated on a table that would be easy to set up. Perhaps you do, but I hate spending 5 or more hours putting together a table with poor descriptions and missing tools, especially if this is Christmas morning. A lot of the tables I researched had assembly times of 5 hours or longer, so this really helped narrow my view for the best Table tennis table under $1000.