The 10 Very Best Table-Tennis Tables

Whatwe’relookingfor

Thickness:25-mm. top |Storage:Foldaway with 4 wheels |Assembly:No assembly required

If you’re looking to invest in a premium table that’s used by professionals (and likely by your local table-tennis club), consider the Centrefold. Four experts we spoke to recommended the Centrefold for its sturdiness and high-quality top, includingCalifornia Table Tennis Clubfounder and head coach Gao Jun. “As a former professional player, I have used many different brands in different tournaments. The Butterfly table is the best I have ever used,” Jun says.Wang Chen, a former Olympian and the founder ofWang Chen Table Tennis Club, concurs, calling Butterfly a professional quality brand that’s used by world champions. Nison Aronov, the founder ofBrooklyn Table Tennis Club, also recommends the Centrefold — he has three of these Butterfly tables in his club facility. Ben Rosenberg of Princeton Pong likes the Centrefold’s quality and portability and that it comes preassembled. “Some tables take hours and hours to put together, which is a pain.” These tables have rubber wheels that lock in place, so they can be easily rolled around and stored when folded up. (Princeton Pong has six Centrefold tables at its facility.) “They also have adjustable feet, which makes them easy to level,” Rosenberg adds.

Thickness:6 mm. |Storage:Two-piece foldaway design with playback mode |Assembly:10-minute assembly with tools provided

John Hsu, a coach atMaryland Table Tennis Center, one of the premier tennis-table clubs in the United States, recommends the Joola Nova Pro Plus for long-term, multi-use durability — both indoors and outdoors — at a more affordable price.The Nova Pro Plus has “an aluminum coating that makes it more durable to withstand weather,” he says.You can also fold one half of the table up into playback position, so you can practice solo by hitting it against the raised side.Some of his students own this table and are happy with it — and it’s $1,700 cheaper than our best-overall pick(and the second-cheapest on our list). But with that affordability comes a tradeoff with quality. “Tables with a lower price point generally don’t have as thick of a tabletop,” Rosenberg explains. “You sacrifice thickness, which means you won’t get as good or high of a bounce.” If you won’t be playing often enough to notice those details, then the Nova Pro Plus will be a solid option for at-home use.

Thickness:25 mm. |Storage:Foldaway with 4 heavy-duty wheels |Assembly:Preassembled

Maryland Table Tennis Centeruses the ITTF-approved official-competitionJoola 3000 SCtables at their facility. “They’re as good as any other tables in the world,” Hsu says, calling out “their very high quality.” Along with providing consistent ball bounce, the thicker wood is “more even and straighter,” Hsu says. “With thinner tables, you can have a bend in the table that will create an inconsistent bounce.” This model folds up easily and has heavy-duty, durable wheels with brakes on two of the four wheels. Yanjun Gao of NYU likes the 3000 SC, too, and of the ten tables the NYU team uses, eight are 3000 SCs. If you need a further endorsement: It’s the table Gao uses at home.

Thickness:19 mm. |Storage:One-hand folding mechanism |Assembly:30-minute assembly with included tools

For novices who want something lightweight for recreational use — or for kids to play on —Westchester Table Tennis Centerowner andThe New York Timescrossword editorWill ShortzsaysKettler Tablesare budget friendly and reliable. Although “they aren’t as sturdy and don’t last as long as higher-quality tables,” a Kettler table such as the Stealth is ready to play out of the box and makes for a good option if you just “want something to hit on in your basement.” The Stealth has a spring-loaded-cable design with a latch that makes folding and unfolding it easy when it’s time to store it.

Thickness:25 mm. |Storage:Foldaway with 4 wheels, playback mode |Assembly:Required

Mid-range tables like this one are hassle free and much more durable than budget tables. “When you put a table like the Waldner Classic 25 up and down, it folds smoothly,” says Judy Hoarfrost, a USA Table Tennis Hall of Famer and the owner ofPaddle Palace. “It’s easy to put away.”A“really solid table can withstand running into it as a player,” O’Neill adds. “Or if you are playing doubles and someone gets bumped into the table, it is not moving six inches.” Awadallah, a former United States National coach, usesDonic Delhitables at histhree SATTA locationsin New York and likes them for their good quality and the fact that they’re made in Germany — a place where, he (and Aronov) notes, one can expect reliable table-tennis tables to be constructed.

Thickness:19-mm. top with weather-resistant coating|Storage:Foldaway with 4 wheels |Assembly:Assembly required

The Butterfly Playback is good for folks who want to play recreationally — and at a very amateur level — and who want to stick to play outdoors most the time.O’Neill likes this one for “outdoor, beach, pool, backyard, and garage play.” There is a challenge, however: To protect the wood from warping, these tables have a protective coat made to withstand rain, heat, and humidity. If you’re a pro, you might notice the difference with the bounce consistency, but the rest of us won’t be able to tell.

Thickness:25 mm.|Storage:Static design, not foldable |Assembly:Difficult assembly, 3D instructions included

At his facility outside of New York City, Shortz uses Rainbow Tables from the Chinese brand DHS for its unique, colorful, “gorgeous” designs. And he’s not alone. O’Neill calls these tables “pieces of art.” While the DHS Rainbow tables are currently out of stock most places online (and likely discontinued), the Revolution SVR series from Killerspin is a similarly designed, colorful table with an arched, steel base. A huge benefit to curved-leg design is the fluidity of movement it allows players. There are no corner posts to block movement under and around the table, allowing for a more physical game. One thing to note before you buy models like these, however: “You can’t fold this up,” Shortz says. “It’s pretty permanent. It’s not easy to take apart and put together again.” O’Neill compares it to a jigsaw puzzle and says “it takes four people to put together.”

Thickness:Whatever surface you choose |Storage:Retractable net with stuff sack |Assembly:Portable and easy to install

If you’re looking for a less permanent table-tennis setup (and if things like thickness and ITTF-approved measurements aren’t a concern of yours), consider this set from Franklin Sports, which comes highly rated on Amazon. This combo allows you to convert any surface into a proper tabletop, thanks to two adjustable clamps and a retractable net.

Thickness:15mm |Storage:Two halves collapse and store flat |Assembly:Top rests on any flat table

If you want the bounce and feel of a regulation-size table-tennis table but don’t have the space for a stand-alone model, consider getting this table-tennis top from Joola, which is just the playing surface without the frame or legs. It has soft foam pads underneath, so it can rest on a flat surface — like a dining-room table — without damaging it. It’s 15 millimeters thick — not as thick as the other professional-grade models (25 mm.) on this list, so experienced players might notice the difference in bounce. But if space is an issue and you want the experience of playing on a quality surface (from a trusted brand, nonetheless), this conversion top is your best bet.

Thickness:Whatever surface you choose |Storage:Retractable net with stuff sack |Assembly:Portable and easy to install

If you have paddles already and plan to use them with a portable table-tennis net, this simple retractable net from Pro-Spin is your best bet. Like the Franklin Sports set, it features two posts that prop up the net, which retract inside the handles and can stretch to 72 inches. The posts clamp onto any table, desk, or flat surface less than two inches thick. (If you need paddles, Pro-Spin sells atwo-person setand afour-person set.)