10 Best Ping Pong Tables Reviewed in 2021

How To Choose The Best Ping Pong Table

Ping pong table selection can be a very intimidating prospect for first-time buyers. At a glance, there are lots of different types of table tennis tables meant for both indoor and outdoor play along with recreational tables and ones made for tournament-level play. Then there is also the multitude of brands all trying to catch your eye, flaunting that they make the best-quality tables. 

All of this can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what features you need to keep an eye out for. Ultimately, what you should buy will depend upon your personal preferences. Therefore, we’ve compiled this buying guide so that you can be more educated when it comes to table tennis tables and will be able to buy what suits your needs. 

Indoor vs Outdoor Ping Pong Tables

The very first question you should be asking yourself when considering what kind of ping pong table you want to buy is where you intend to keep the table and play with it. Below we’ll go over the major differences between tables made for indoor and outdoor play. 

Indoor Tables

All indoor ping pong tables are usually made from some sort of wood, such as medium-density fiberboard (mdf), and cannot be stored outside. If an indoor table is stored outside it will easily be damaged by the elements. The last thing you want for your ping pong table is for it to warp or develop mildew. 

The Butterfly Centrefold is our top pick for indoor ping pong players.

While on the topic of indoor table tennis tables, it should be noted that most of them are quite large. If you’re buying a full-size, regulation table tennis table, it will be about 9 feet long and 5 feet wide. Therefore, if that’s what you’re looking for you need to remember to have enough space for the table. Some space-saving options are listed above.

In terms of gameplay, indoor tables will feel the most natural to play on, especially if you’re playing on one that is 1-inch thick. Ball bounces will be more consistent and won’t vary very much depending on where they land. So, an indoor table at 1-inch thickness would be best for those looking to simulate a competitive environment. 

Outdoor Tables

Outdoor ping pong tables are an excellent choice for those looking to add a little extra entertainment to their backyard or porch spaces. Their table tops are heavy-duty and made to hold up against a lot of different weather conditions and are comprised of some sort of metal and plastic composite so warping won’t occur due to moisture. Additionally, the frame and legs of outdoor table tennis tables are usually built with some sort of anti-rust metal. However, it is still a good idea to invest in a ping pong table cover, just in case.

The JOOLA Nova is our top pick for outdoor ping ping players.

When it comes to gameplay, outdoor tables will not have as consistent of a bounce as indoor tables. Generally speaking, outdoor tables should not be used if you’re trying to play on a surface as you’d see at a tournament. 

A downside when it comes to outdoor tables is that they can sometimes be more expensive than even the tournament-quality indoor tables. This is due to them being made from the more expensive metal and plastic materials. 

That being said, if you don’t have a lot of room for an indoor table or only have space in your garage or somewhere outside, then an outdoor table is your best bet. Plus, it’s more fun to play table tennis out in the sun rather than in a muggy garage. 

Space Needed For A Ping Pong Table

As we mentioned earlier when talking about indoor tables, you will need adequate space for your ping pong table. Keep in mind that full-size tables are 9 feet by 5 feet long. However, this is not the only thing you should consider when it comes to the size of your table 

Additionally, you must keep in mind that you will need ample space to play around the table. It would be irresponsible to put the table somewhere the players can’t move that much. Playing in a cramped area can result in injury, especially if you’re trying to go for that game-winning save. 

For these reasons, make sure you measure the space you intend to store your ping pong table and allow between 3 to 5 feet of extra space so players can move around unrestricted. If you find that you don’t have the needed space for an indoor table, you should look at outdoor tables or perhaps a table smaller than regulation size. 

You may find this ping pong table space chart helpful:

Storage Capabilities

Another factor you should keep an eye out for is the storage capabilities of the ping pong table you’re looking at. Many modern ping pong tables are foldable and can be stored in an upright position for easy transportation and storage. 

If you plan to move the table around a lot or swap it out for something else similar in size like a dining table of some sort, you should absolutely keep an eye out for a table that can fold in half easily. 

The STIGA Space Saver is a smaller ping pong table that takes easy storage to the next level.

A table with rollaway is also convenient for storage due to the high portability.  

Table Thickness

Another factor to keep in mind as you search for the right ping pong table is the thickness of it. For those that do not understand why this should be a deciding factor, the thickness of a ping pong table determines how well balls will bounce on it. A thick playing surface will allow the highest quality of play because it gives the most consistent bounces. 

Both indoor and outdoor tables come in different amounts of thicknesses, however outdoor tables generally will not be as thick as indoor tables due to the necessity of a waterproof coating of some sort. Some outdoor tables can still provide quite a good bounce, provided you have the budget available for it. 

Also, be wary that thicker tables will always be more expensive. That then begs the question of how pricey each thickness is and how good of a bounce you can get with them. 

For Indoor Tables there are four thickness types: 

• ½ inch (12-13mm) 
• ⅝ inch  (16mm)
• ¾ inch (19mm)
• 1 inch (25mm)

½ inch thick tables are the worst table you can buy. We heavily recommend against buying tables that are this thick because of how cheap they are along with the horrible quality of the bounces.

⅝ inch tables are a decent pick if you’re on a budget. They’re not as low quality as the ½ inch tables and won’t have the best bounce in the world but it’s certainly a good pick if you’re not planning on playing competitively 

¾ inch tables are a step up from ⅝ inch tables and will make an excellent pick for anyone, even competitive players. Though the bounce isn’t as great as thicker tables, it’s good if you can’t afford a 1-inch thick table but still want something that will give you a consistent and decent quality bounce. 

1-inch thick playing surfaces are the best table tennis tables. They are the standard used by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and provide the best, most consistent bounce out of all the different table thicknesses. We highly recommend this type of table thickness for those who are looking to practice or play in a competition setting. 

Looking at Outdoor Tables, there are three thickness sizes: 

• 5mm 
• 6mm
• 7mm

As you can see, none of the outdoor table surfaces have the same thickness as the indoor tables. This is due to the necessity of a weatherproof coat of some sort that is applied over the top of the table. No table meant for outdoor use will give the best bounce, but what you’re paying for is a table that will last a long time outside. Essentially, you’re sacrificing a tournament-quality setting for the convenience of an outdoor table. 

Setup Time

Perhaps one of the most important factors to some people is how long it takes to set up a ping pong table. Lots of people just want a table that comes pre-assembled or mostly assembled so they can quickly set up their table and get to play. Thankfully, many table tennis tables come preassembled or almost completely assembled. 

Tables that come preassembled or mostly assembled will be very easy to set up and can take about 20 minutes to be put together and ready to go. There is a catch, however, as most high-end tables tend to not come preassembled. There are exceptions to this rule, but just be wary about the expensive professional tables as they can sometimes take hours to put together if you're by yourself. 

The JOOLA Rally TL is our top pick for quality + affordability. It takes just 15 minutes to assemble and start playing.

Frame and Chassis

Something that might not be immediately obvious when looking at ping pong tables is the durability of the chassis, frame, and undercarriage of the table. Thankfully, this is a fairly straightforward topic. 

When looking at indoor tables, it is very important that the table frame, chassis, and undercarriage be made with some sort of stainless steel, the thicker the better. Without a strong frame and chassis, your table will eventually fall apart, no matter how nice the tabletop is. 

For outdoor tables, it is a slightly different story. You’ll want a table that has galvanized steel legs and a frame of the same type. The reason being that galvanized steel can’t be damaged by wet conditions. 

Also, it is important to find a table with a large chassis. The larger the chassis the more stable the table will be and it will be less susceptible to breaking due to stress or other factors such as people leaning too much on the table. 

Safety Measures

This section is more for parents who are looking to get a ping pong table for their kids. Ping pong is an excellent way to entertain kids because of how simple the game is to pick up and play. Therefore, it makes sense that you would pay attention to any features of the tables that would help to keep your kids safe from something like injuring themselves on corners or breaking the table. 

One of the most important safety measures that a lot of ping pong tables have is corner protectors. These corner protectors will prevent kids and others from hurting themselves on the corners of the table. They can also be replaced if they break.

You can buy protectors like this separately if your table doesn't come with them.

Next on the list of safety measures are wheel-locking mechanisms or casters. This might not seem like the most obvious thing to worry about, but it can prove to be problematic if left unchecked. For instance, if your kids are playing a game of ping pong and it gets a little too competitive and maybe one of them leans on the table. Before you know it, they’ve pushed the table across the room and broken it, and hurt themselves. 

That’s why you should make sure that if you get a ping pong table with wheels, it should have wheel locks. It also helps with storage as well because if the table is stored away you won’t have to worry about it moving around or getting damaged because of that. Most high-quality tables come with this feature, so it is not that big of a worry. 

Another sort of locking mechanism that is very important for a good ping pong table is being able to stay locked while it’s folded in half. Again, this is a feature that is on most good-quality ping pong tables and prevents the table from unfolding randomly, if it comes with that feature.

Other Extra Features

Besides safety features and big things such as being able to fold up, what are other important features to look out for when purchasing a ping pong table? 

Well, with ping pong tables, there’s only so much that can be done in terms of innovation. But there are a few things to add a little bit of convenience. For instance, some tables will come with a built-in magnetic abacus that lets you keep score. Another extra feature is a built-in ball holder. These are generally placed on each corner of the table and can hold a couple of balls so there’s no need to go running after one if you get a little over-zealous during gameplay. A warranty is also another thing to look out for if you're concerned about quality control. 

Finally, one feature you should definitely look out for is if the table can be put in the playback position. What this means is that one-half of the table is able to be folded up so that any balls you hit at it will bounce back at you, effectively letting you play by yourself. This is a feature that’s perfect for those that like to practice or play ping pong by themselves. Luckily, this feature tends to be standard for tables that fold in half. There are exceptions sometimes, so make sure to do your research. 

The Cost of Ping Pong Tables

This is probably the section some of you readers have been both simultaneously looking forward to and dreading, the actual cost of ping pong tables. 

The good news is that there are plenty of affordable options when it comes to ping pong tables, especially if you’re only looking for something to play on recreationally. That being said, table tennis tables can get quite pricey, especially if they’re the type that is used in tournaments, by Olympians, or professionals. 

There is a fairly large price discrepancy between tables used for recreational play and those used for professional play. For instance, one of the cheaper but good-quality tables on Amazon meant for recreational use, the JOOLA Indoor, is only about 200 dollars. Meanwhile, an expensive table like the Butterfly Centrefold, a table meant for professional play, will cost around 2,000 dollars. Granted, the Centrefold is a top-of-the-line table and should only be considered by professionals and serious players. 

This is why it is important to figure out in what capacity you plan on using your ping pong table so you don’t overpay on an expensive piece of equipment you’ll hardly use or treat poorly. 

Ping Pong Table Brands To Look For

When it comes to ping pong tables, there are some very reputable brands you should keep an eye out for. They are well known for their high-quality products and reliable services and some of them even have their tables and other ping pong equipment used in major events like the Olympics or big tournaments. 

You cannot talk about ping pong tables without talking about the two very reputable brands: STIGA and JOOLA. These two brands make tables of excellent quality for anything from professional to recreational purposes. In fact, their products are featured in big tournaments and events all around the world! These brands are very safe bets when it comes to tables and they are highly recommended. 

The next two brands, Butterfly and Killerspin, are also very reputable. Butterfly has an excellent reputation for making only the highest quality ping pong tables and accessories that professionals constantly use. Killerspin is another excellent brand that prides itself on making top-quality ping pong products. Both of these brands should really only be considered by those looking for professional-grade tables and gear, though they do have some more affordable options if that’s what you need.

We hope this guide has helped your find the ping pong table you're looking for. Or at least helped you learn what to look for when seeking out a ping pong table in the future.

Thanks for reading!