Ultimate Ping Pong Table Buyers Guide | Game Dribble

Best Buying Guide For Ping Pong Table

Table of Contents:

• Table Top Thickness
  

• Indoor and Outdoor
  

• Legs
  

• Solo Play
  

• Extra Accessories
  

Since 1988 Ping Pong has become an Olympic sport. Today it is still adorned by many. Ping Pong is a sport which can be played by one up to four players. Even a beginner can enjoy the game.As the higher skilled players have a go at it the faster the pace becomes.

Ping Pong has one distinctive feature - the way its ball skips and bounces from the tabletop. Which brings us to our first point when considering buying a Ping Pong table.

Table Top Thickness

The thicker the top of the table the better bounce ball will have. Anything close to 1" thickness is good enough for the tournament and fast-paced gameplay. However, keep in mind that higher the thickness higher the price, since more expensive materials are used to increase the bounce capability of the table surface. If you are not looking for professional or near-professional thickness then consider not buying any table which tabletop thickness is lower than ⅝". The quality of the table below that threshold means that it will be prone to easy damage and faster wear. 

The Premium Compact features the most compact storage available at only 22 inches deep. The indoor table is delivered 100% pre-assembled. All you have to do is open the table to enjoy tournament-level performance. Commercial-grade pistons assist with opening and closing the table, which can be done by only one person, in one motion. This industry-leading innovation is only available from STIGA.

There is a considerable difference in tabletop thickness between indoor and outdoor ping pong tables. Next section illustrates the point clearly.

Indoor and Outdoor

Ping Pong is awesome both indoors and outdoors. However, when observing the details closer you become more knowledgeable as to what exactly you are sacrificing when choosing one over the other. 

The indoor types generally have thicker tabletops. Mainly due to weatherproofing not being necessary. Materials used when constructing indoor ping pong tables are usually Plywood or MDF. These provide excellent bounce surface, but there is one minor detail to pay attention to. If you are considering purchasing an indoor ping pong table and plan to place it in a garage or humid room, then your table will not be able to handle it. Especially MDF. This material is not suitable for a humid enclosure. 

Garlando Pro Indoor Table Tennis Table

Garlando Pro Indoor Table Tennis Table is an excellent game table for indoors. It features paddle and ball storage so your equipment doesn't get damaged or lost.

An outdoor ping pong table guarantees hours of fun with family and friends. Its major construction materials are Melamine or Aluminum to battle the elements. As mentioned above, humid space was not recommended for an indoor ping pong table. In that case, it would be a better idea to purchase an outdoor model. Which can be placed in a garage, humid space and of course right in the backyard directly exposed to the outside weather.   

Stiga Vapor Outdoor Table Tennis Table

Skip the stress of rearranging furniture to fit a table tennis table inside your home and enjoy table tennis outdoors. The STIGA Vapor Indoor/Outdoor table is designed and manufactured with durable, all-weather materials such as aluminum, exterior grade powder coating, and galvanized steel for a table that is waterproof, rust-free, and resistant to sun damage, making it perfect for year round outdoor storage in any climate.

The Stiga Vapor comes 95% preassembled with only one simple step to complete so you can begin playing in less than 10 minutes. The 0.24in aluminum/composite top is supported by a stout 1.5" tubular steel apron to deliver lively and even bounce across the entire surface and resists warping under any condition.

The table includes a 72" exterior grade net and post set with string tension adjustment for excellent playability. Below the table, sturdy 1.25" welded steel legs include a self-opening feature so they automatically deploy when opening or folding the table halves for added convenience and safety. The legs also include adjustable height leg levelers to ensure your table has a solid, level playing surface on any terrain. For added flexibility and mobility, the table features 3" ball-bearing wheels that smoothly roll and lock into place for safety.

Practise solo with the playback mode or use each table half as a free-standing multi-purpose table for dining, playing cards, and more. After playing, conveniently fold each table half into the upright position, lock into place with the red safety latch, and roll to the desired location for convenient storage. The separate table halves of the Vapor nest together for an ultra-compact folded profile so it can fit into any space.

Tabletop thickness wise an indoor ping pong table can range from 0.5" to 1" and above. Again, showing how concentrated the manufacturers are on making a near-perfect bounce environment for the ball, while not taking outside weather conditions into account. 

Here comes a major difference in tabletop thickness between outdoor and indoor types. An outdoor ping pong table top generally ranges between 0.14” to 0.28" thickness. The rest of the materials go to coating the top and rest of the construction to be weatherproof. However, if you are looking for weatherproof ones with decent tabletop thickness than the price goes significantly higher as well. 

Portability wise most indoor ping pong tables come with folding features. Of course, the main idea being to save space. You can store it while being folded and safety locks engaged to ensure maximum safety while being folded up. 

Stiga ST3100 Table Tennis Table

The bulk of outdoor ping pong tables are stationary. Meaning they can not be folded and have much higher weight as opposed to foldable ones. Something to keep in mind. 

The frame of an indoor ping pong table is generally between 1" to 2.5" thick. It is without a question that the thicker the frame gets the more total weight the whole table will have. 

An outdoor ping pong table sports a much sturdier frame for increased durability and higher weight in general than indoor tables. 

Legs

Key features when it comes to legs are levellers and wheel lockers. Leg levellers allow you to adjust the height of each leg in order to make sure the surface is perfectly levelled. This feature is highly recommended for outdoor ping pong tables, as the terrain will most likely be uneven.

As for the wheel lockers, they are absolutely necessary for keeping the table in place and steady. You can disengage them when you want to move the table elsewhere.

Solo Play

All foldable tables out there have one distinctive feature which makes ping pong so unique - the Solo Play option. If you fold up only one side, then you can play against yourself. This makes for a perfect opportunity to improve your skill. You will have virtually no excuse for not playing for a few minutes at least. 

Extra Accessories 

Ping Pong tables come with a bunch of accessory options. But first and foremost we would recommend the corner safety pads. These cover the sharp edges all ping pong tables have. Ensuring that no children are hurt while playing around it and of course the players themselves. All too often somebody scratches a thigh while accidentally running too close to it mid-game! 

Now more on a fun note you can find net adjusters and ball & pad holders right in the table itself.

Net adjusters are especially helpful when you want to play with a different height of the net. This makes for more of a competitive play if placed higher than the surface.

Ball holders are very handy. While playing the game most likely either of the players will miss the ball, resulting it bouncing off in the distance. You can simply pick it up later while continuing to play with another ball already at hand from the ball holder!

The pad holders can be stored in the table’s pockets, usually found by the legs or underneath it. By having this feature you no longer have to worry about them getting lost.