When you’ve made the decision to purchase a ping pong table, whether it’s a replacement table or your first table, it’s important to understand how to choose the best indoor ping pong tables for your needs. Not all tables are created equal and you’ll notice a significant difference in the play of a ball on a high-end table compared to a cheaper recreational model. Of course, sometimes all you want is a good ping pong table that will keep the kids entertained.
One of the biggest factors that will determine the quality of the table you buy is how much you’re willing to spend. While there are definitely good tables across a wide range of price brackets, you’ll notice that the more you spend, the better quality table you will likely get. Another important factor in getting the best table for your money is choosing an indoor table over an outdoor table. Choosing an indoor table will certainly allow you to get better quality, especially given the fact that outdoor tables in the same price range will typically be much less responsive. The waterproof coating tends to significantly impact the consistency of how your ball will bounce.
There are some features, such as table thickness that can definitely affect the quality of play; however, most people must choose between table quality and how much they are willing to spend on a new table. Obviously, if you’re just a casual player, you won’t need to go with the most expensive table on the market. Some features, such as choosing a 3/4″ table over a 1″ table, are not going to realistically impact play enough to concern the casual player. If you are a serious player, then table thickness will likely be one of the deciding factors when choosing your new table.
Other factors that can bring up the price of a ping pong table are the size of the chassis as well as the size of the wheels or the locking mechanism that is used. While these items might not affect overall play and performance, they are significant in terms of how well the table will hold up over the years. A larger chassis can help protect the table from warping and damage caused by people leaning on the table. If you’re looking for a tournament quality table, you should expect to get a table with 1″ thickness as well as a thicker chassis for better performance and longevity.
