You Are Here: Home » Choosing Table Tennis Equipment » Table Tennis Tables
Which Table Tennis Table
Is Best For You?
Top tips to help you choose YOUR best table tennis table.
Part one - the basics
By Martin Hughes
Owner and Editor
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six
With so many table tennis tables to choose from, how do you ensure that you pick the best table?
Not just the best available table, but the one that's best for YOU.
After all, it's easy to think that they're all the same ... they aren't .... and you don't want to make an expensive mistake!
Tables are available at lots of different prices, from cheap to expensive, but the price alone will not indicate whether that particular table is best for YOU.
You'll need to know what to look for and what questions to ask so that you can eliminate the unsuitable tables and pick the ideal one for you.
Want to buy a table? See my recommendations here.
I've been playing and writing about table tennis since 1971, and during that time I've built up a wealth of knowledge about choosing table tennis equipment so, in this six-part series of pages about table tennis tables, I'd like to share that knowledge with you.
So let me guide you through the multitude of things you'll need to consider before you buy your ideal table.
We'll begin with the basics...
But just before we start - if you call them ping pong tables, you may be interested in my article about the difference between table tennis and ping pong.
TABLE TENNIS EXPERT
REVEALS HIS SECRETS
Click Here For Details
Click here for a large selection of
table tennis equipment at Megaspin *
Click here for a large selection of
table tennis equipment at Bribar *
^ Top of page ^
OK, let's begin with one of the most frequently asked questions...
What are the size dimensions of a table tennis table?
Let me tell you an amusing little story...
I was at a quiz evening a while ago with two friends of mine who both used to play table tennis for England.
We were struggling to answer most of the questions that night when suddenly the quizmaster asked "What's the size of a table tennis table?"
For once I thought ... great, here's one we all know the answer to.
Well my friend ... an ex-England International suddenly hesitated.
Why aren't you writing down the answer? I asked.
"Because I don't know the answer" he replied. "Is it 10 feet by 5 feet?"
TABLE TENNIS EXPERT
REVEALS HIS SECRETS
Click Here For Details
Click here for a large selection of
table tennis equipment at Megaspin *
Click here for a large selection of
table tennis equipment at Bribar *
Well, when we'd eventually finished laughing, we reminded him that it's...
9 feet (2.74m) long,
5 feet (1.525m) wide and
2 feet 6 inches (76cm) high
... and the net is
6 feet (1.83m) long and
6 inches (15.25 cm) high.
What room size is required to play table tennis?
Another frequently asked question is "How much room do I need to play table tennis?" Well, I've covered that on another page of my web site, so you can read all about the room sizes you'll need here.
So now that you know the size dimensions of a table tennis table, let's take a look at the questions you'll need to ask before you buy any table.
We'll look at ... the different types of table that are available, the different types of undercarriage and top surfaces that are available - and finally - a list of authorised tables and the table tennis manufacturers.
^ Top of page ^
But, before you buy any table, the most important question is...
How will your table be used?
The type of table that's best for YOU will depend upon how you intend to use it.
You see, different tables are designed for different purposes, so it's important that you know what your table will be used for.
For example, how robust does it need to be?
A table used in a club or a school will need to be more robust than one which is just being used occasionally at home.
Also, how often will the table need to be taken down and stored away?
It's important that you consider all of these questions because a cheap table will generally not be as robust as a more expensive table, so you need to make sure that you're clear on it's usage before you decide which one to buy.
Therefore you'll need to consider all of the following...
How ... often will your table be used?
- Daily
- Weekly
- Monthly
- Occasionally
Who ... will be using your table?
- Professional players
- League players
- Club players
- Recreational players
- Family and friends
What ... space is available for your table?
- Will it always be erected, ready for use?
- Will it need to be stored away?
Where ... will your table be used?
- Table tennis events
- Table tennis club
- Sports centre
- School
- YMCA
- at home
- or elsewhere?
And ... will your table be used indoors or outdoors?
Does it matter?
The answer's in part two...
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five | Part Six
^ Top of page ^
Click here for a large selection of
table tennis equipment at Megaspin *
Click here for a large selection of
table tennis equipment at Bribar *
^ Top of page ^
Click here for a large selection of
table tennis equipment at Megaspin *
Click here for a large selection of
table tennis equipment at Bribar *
^ Top of page ^
You Are Here: Home » Choosing Table Tennis Equipment » Table Tennis Tables
