For those who have had little contact with it, Table Tennis — known as ping pong to many — might seem like a little cousin to hocking brightly coloured balls in a tennis court. Yet, lovers of the sport know that it is both literally and metaphorically a whole different ballgame.
Enjoyed by all ages either outside, under the sun or inside, table tennis provides a high-tension, cardio-driven experience for all the family, which is easy to learn but tough to master.
With many, many tables on the market it can be hard to choose the right one for you and your use case. At a glance, there are two leading manufacturers across the western world — which are Cornilleau and Butterfly. But we’ve done all the legwork to provide you with the best tables to buy in 2022.
In this review, we discuss;
How do I choose a ping pong table?
There are two key factors to consider when choosing a table tennis table — materials and table placement. You should carefully consider the material of the table (these are usually MDF or HDF) and its thickness, as that will dictate playing quality. After that, you’ll need to decide where you’re going to put it. Both because tables have quite a footprint and because you will need a specialist table if you want to store it outside.
Top 7 Table Tennis Tables
1. Cornilleau Sport 250 19mm Indoor Rollaway Table Tennis Table
Cornilleau’s entry-level table is one of the most budget friendly on the market, while still offering a full-sized table suitable for all the family. Its easy, foldable design with wheeled feet will allow it to be easily stored away after use. It is worth noting that this indoor board will not fare well against the elements, and due to its thin chipboard playing surface more experienced players may not find the best table tennis experience. That said, it’s a great budget option.
Key features:
- Size: 275cm x 153cm x 77cm
- Material: 19mm chipboard play surface, steel frame
- Weight: 74kg
- Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor
- Accessories: Not included
- Price Range: ££
- Retailer: Liberty Games
2. Cornilleau Performance 500 Indoor Table Tennis Table
The Cornilleau Performance 500 Indoor table is a great option for hobbyists and beginner players. Its 22mm chipboard surface will provide ample play for fun with family and friends in a casual or semi-pro environment. However, the cheaper material may be noticeable for very experienced players familiar with higher-end tables. Nevertheless, this easily foldable full-sized table provides a lot of bang for its buck, especially for hobbyists and casual players.
Key features:
- Size: 275cm x 153cm x 77cm
- Material: 22mm Chipboard play surface, steel frame and polymer undercarriage
- Weight: 94kg
- Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor
- Accessories: Not included
- Price Range: ££
- Retailer: Liberty Games
3. Cornilleau 640 Competition Rollaway Indoor Table Tennis Table
This ITTF approved ping pong table is built for professional-level play making it a great option for enthusiasts — but that does not mean it can’t be enjoyed by all. Its thick high-quality playing surface ensures sufficient bounce and speed, while its sleek, easily foldable form factor make it just as easy to store away as the others on this list. So, weighing in the mid-range of prices, this is a great option for those tending towards higher level table tennis — or simply those who want a professional level experience without breaking the bank.
Key features:
- Size: 274cm x 152.5cm x 76cm
- Material: 22cm high density chipboard play surface, steel frame
- Weight: 103kg
- Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor
- Accessories: Not included
- Price Range: £££
- Retailer: Liberty Games
4. Butterfly Easilfold 19 Rollaway Indoor Table Tennis Table
As the most affordable table on this list, Butterfly’s Easifold 19 is a quality budget choice which will be right at home in any indoor environment. As a full-sized table with a 19mm top, it will provide a fantastic playing surface for casual players and enthusiasts. However, that experience will be easily surpassed by more professional-grade tables that come with thicker tops. That said, the Easifold provides a good budget option for those looking to get into the sport. And as it is available in either a blue or green top finish, you can choose the right look to suit your man cave or games room!
Key features:
- Size: 275cm x 153cm x 77cm
- Material: 19mm top with steel frame
- Weight: 75kg
- Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor
- Accessories: Two reverse sponge bats and three practice balls
- Price Range: ££
- Retailer: Amazon
5. Butterfly National League Table Tennis Table
This indoor league-standard table from Butterfly provides a professional-level table tennis experience in the medium price bracket. Being industry standard full-size, with the option of two different top thicknesses (which affects the price), and the choice of a green or blue playing surface, it provides a professional level experience for families, friends or sports clubs to enjoy. Its robust steel frame and magenta corners also help to ensure the overall longevity of the table.
Key features:
- Size: 275cm x 153cm x 77cm
- Material: 25mm or 22mm top with steel frame
- Weight: 128kg
- Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor
- Accessories: Not included
- Price Range: £££
- Retailer: Liberty Games
6. Stiga Privat Roller Indoor Table Tennis Table
Don’t be put off by Stiga’s name not being mentioned elsewhere on this list, this is a quality table! And with an attractive blue on black build, the Stiga offers one of the most minimalist aesthetics on offer. This full-sized table may feature a 19mm board, but it is made from sturdy MDF, which ensures strong bounces for quick and enjoyable play. Also, as with most boards on this list, the Stiga Privat Roller folds away nicely and is easy to store. It’s worth noting too that due to Stiga not being such a flaunted brand, you may be getting better value from this table as it doesn’t come at a premium for the brand name alone.
Key features:
- Size: 274cm x 152cm x 76cm
- Material: 19mm MDF board, black steel frame
- Weight: 88kg
- Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor
- Accessories: Not included
- Price Range: £££
- Retailer: Liberty Games
7. Cornilleau 850 Competition Wood Indoor Table Tennis Table
This may be the most expensive ping pong table on our list, but because of its premium build quality, professional-level attention to detail and ITTF approval its one which certainly shouldn’t slip under your radar. Available in attractive blue and grey options, what immediately sets this table apart is its wooden undercarriage and legs. Not only does this provide an appealing aesthetic, but measuring at 70cm, it ensures that the board will not warp even under intense, constant heavy use. Despite this, the board is still incredibly easy to fold away and store, with a footprint barely any bigger than the others on this list when stored away. In short, for a premium look and feel, for the high-level enthusiast or wannabe professional — this is the table for you.
Key features:
- Size: 274cm x 152.5cm x 76cm
- Material: 25mm ITTF approved surface, sturdy wood frame, steel supports
- Weight: 122kg
- Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor
- Accessories: Not included
- Price Range: ££££
- Retailer: Liberty Games
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Buying Guide
There are plenty of considerations when purchasing a ping pong table; but here are our key four.
1. Indoor or outdoor?
Tables are constructed differently depending on whether the playing surface and body are suitable to be played on and stored outside. Typically, outdoor tables will have their surfaces coated with resin or polyurethane paints to weatherproof them.
If you’re looking for only outdoor tables, check out our breakdown of the best Outdoor Table Tennis Tables.
2. Quality of gameplay
When we buy a games table, we want the gameplay we get from it to be good. In table tennis, this depends heavily on the thickness of the table. The International Table Tennis Federation has stated that for a table to be regulation it must achieve a 26cm uniform bounce when dropped from a height of 30cm.
That may sound technical, but it’s important that your table provides a suitable bounce so gameplay can be fast, intense and fun. There’s nothing worse than a weak bounce, and all of the tables in our list are built for great game play.
3. Storage
The vast majority of indoor table tennis tables are foldable, but this isn’t always the case for outdoor tables. Be sure to consider the amount of storage space you have available to you, be it inside or outside, to suit a table in both playing and stored away positions.
For those extra short on storage, you could consider Table Tennis Conversion Tops, which are flat tops to be placed over uniform surfaces that convert them into table tennis play areas. Given their small form factor, they are far easier to store away.
4. Your budget
Our list of favoured tables come in at all sorts of price brackets—but do note that quality table tennis tables don’t come cheap. Remember that how much you spend may likely reflect your satisfaction with that table, and its longevity. As such, you should expect to pay at least £200 ($270) to get a high-quality table that will last, but we’d suggest going a little higher if you can spare it.
Table Tennis Table Size Guide
When looking into ping pong tables, you may be surprised to find a bunch of different size options; let’s break them down to exactly what they mean.
Full size table tennis table
These are the standard, official, regulation sized tables which weigh in with fixed dimensions. Those are 274cm x 152.5cm x 76cm. Because this is the standard, one of the best ways of telling full sized tables apart in quality is considering their thickness — typically, the thicker the better.
3/4 size table tennis table
These are sometimes called junior ping pong tables and, as you can expect, are about ¾ the size of the full sized tables coming in at 206cm x 115cm x 76cm.
Midsize table tennis table
Slightly smaller than the ¾ tables, midsize ping pong tables are more common in the States. These most commonly come in at 180cm x 91cm x 76cm.
Mini/Table top table tennis table
When it comes to mini alternatives, the options are far too plenty to cover in detail here. These smaller options can often be foldable, or parts of multi games tables. Generally, anything smaller than a midsized table may be best suited to younger players.
For more information on the dimensions, markings and specifications of different table types feel free to check out our Table Tennis Size Guide and Dimensions blog and our detailed diagram below.
Conclusion
After scouring and scrutinising all the major table tennis tables on the market, these have been our top picks to choose from in based on customer reviews, trusted sellers and the overall quality of the products. For our final two cents, if you’re looking for something on the cheaper end our key pick would be the Cornilleau Performance 500 for its superior playing quality at a low price. But if you’re looking for a professional-standard board the Butterfly National League table has to be our pick given its optional thicknesses and stellar reputation.
Affiliate disclaimer: on some or all of the products above, we receive a small commission if you make a purchase via our site. This does not impact the price you pay, but it allows us to keep helping people by writing these reviews, so thank you!
Co-founder at Mancaves HQ
A true man cave enthusiast. When he isn't trawling through Instagram looking for new ideas, you can find him navigating through the streets of London.
