Best Ping Pong Tables 2024 - Forbes Vetted

According to the International Table Tennis Federation, ping pong, also known as table tennis, was first played in England some time in the mid-1880s. Since then, it’s become an internationally recognized sport, with cameos in famous movies (looking at you, Forrest Gump) and a high-stakes Olympic tournament. If you’re looking for one of the best ping pong tables, be it for casual use, competition or a kid-friendly playroom, you’ve come to the right place. Our resident ping pong expert evaluated and elected seven tables worth investing in, including the best-in-class Joola Inside 15 Table, and the budget-friendly GoSport Midsize Table.

A great ping pong table means exercise and enjoyment any time.

While table tennis is first and foremost about having fun, it can be a great way to get some exercise and challenge yourself physically. So, don’t think of buying a ping pong table as buying a toy, but rather, as an investment in both an enjoyable hobby as well as an activity that may become an important part of your life.

Wayfair

Size: 108 x 60 x 30 inches | Weight: 149 pounds | Portability features: Folding halves, wheels | Indoor/outdoor: Indoor

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The Joola Inside 15 Table Tennis Table is a regulation sized ping pong table, perfect for honing your skills. And you can easily practice without an opponent—just fold up one half of the table to serve as a backboard that bounces your own hits back your way. The table is heavy at just under 150 pounds, so moving it up or down stairs will be cumbersome, but on flat ground its eight wheels make it easy to roll around, and with both sides up, it can roll into the garage or into a large closet for storage.

The surface of this table looks great new but does scuff rather easily with repeated hits of the paddles, so be ready for the good looks to fade with heavy use. The surface should stay even and not distort bounces even with cosmetic damage, though, and considering this table costs under $450 but is quite well made, the visual imperfections are easy enough to forgive. Each leg can be adjusted to level out the table, and when the table is in place, lock the casters on the wheels to further ensure a stable, fair playing surface.

Amazon

Size: 72.2 x 36 x 30 inches | Weight: 22.1 pounds | Portability features: Folds flat, lightweight | Indoor/outdoor: Indoor

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The GoSports Mid-Size Table Tennis Table is more of a toy than a true piece of sporting equipment, but you can still have years of fun with this compact ping pong table. The table measures just a hair longer than 6 feet in length and it’s 3 feet wide, so it’s a lot shorter and narrower than a regulation-sized table, but it’s plenty big enough for two people to use in a friendly face-off. The table’s height can be adjusted from 24 to 30 inches above the ground making it a good table for players of varied heights and/or ages, and when not in use, it folds down into a package measuring 36 x 36 inches and just a few inches deep. It weighs all of 22.1 pounds for easy carrying or stashing in a closet.

This is a decently well-made table for the price, but be careful not to drop it or knock it around too much, and be ready to tighten bolts and screws various times over the years as the table begins to wobble and creak. It’s a fine option for smaller spaces or playing just for fun.

Amazon

Size: 108 x 60 x 30 inches | Weight: 173 pounds | Portability features: Folding halves, heavy-duty wheels | Indoor/outdoor: Outdoor

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If you want to get your ping pong play action going outdoors, then the Joola Nova Pro Plus Outdoor Table is the table for you. Made with a tough, corrosion-resistant aluminum/plastic composite top that resists warping and chipping, plus a rust-resistant powder-coated steel frame, this table is tough enough to live outdoors and still be in good playing shape when you’re ready for some ping pong fun.

You’ll pay handsomely enough for a ping pong table that’s ready to rough it yet still offer smooth play—this is the second most expensive table we’re covering here. It’s large and heavy, too, so it’s a good thing most people don’t plan to move this hulk around inside with them. Still, there’s much to be said for a ping pong table you don’t have to protect from the elements. The ping pong table also has features like a safety latch that prevents it from falling open accidentally and large but smooth wheels that handle varied terrain with ease and lock in place once it’s time to play.

Amazon

Size: 54 x 27 inches | Weight: 10 pounds | Portability features: Lightweight, compact | Indoor/outdoor: Outdoor

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To be clear, this ping pong table is just for fun, not for playing serious games of table tennis as you prepare for the World Table Tennis Championships. With this floating ping pong table from PoolCandy, you can knock balls back and forth in the water, and of course you can also set it up out of the water. It’s a small table tennis table, measuring scarcely over two feet wide by four-and-a-half feet long, but for some casual fun, it’s a good, affordable choice.

The fun gets slightly thrown off when the top of the table is covered with water, as the balls bounce in awkward and unexpected patterns that belie a player’s skill. That’s an issue considering this ping pong table was designed for use in the pool, but as long as you keep a towel handy and try not to splash the tabletop too often, you can enjoy some aquatic ping pong.

Amazon

Size: 108 x 60 x 0.47 inches | Weight: 83.1 pounds | Portability features: Folding halves | Indoor/outdoor: Indoor

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The EastPoint Sports Ping Pong Conversion Top can be used with dining room tables, a basic DIY frame and more, but it’s at its best when used with a pool table. It comes with multiple pads to protect the surface on which it’s set against, and it also comes with a regulation-sized net that spans the width of this regulation-sized ping pong table.

Each half of this conversion table tennis kit folds in half, so it’s not hard to store the table away when it’s not in place, but do note that each half weighs more than 41 pounds, so this is a pretty heavy piece of hardware. And of course it’s next to useless without a sturdy surface on which to set it, but you know that going in, at least. Set up doesn't take too long, so if you play pool but also want to enjoy some ping pong in the same space, this EastPoint Sports Ping Pong Conversion Top is a smart buy.

Amazon

Size: 72 x 36 x 3o inches | Weight: 38.2 pounds | Portability features: Folding halves, carry handle | Indoor/outdoor: Indoor/outdoor

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If you want to be able to challenge people to a game of ping pong any time, anywhere, then the GoSports Mid-Size Table Tennis Set is a smart buy. This table folds up nearly flat into a 36-inch by 36-inch package with a built-in carrying handle, so any adult of average strength and fitness will be able to carry the 38-pound table around. The folded dimensions, weight and handle also make this a great ping pong table for use in the residence (or office) where free space is limited, as you can move it to any spot for use then pack it down and put it away when the competition is over.

This portable ping pong table is a good deal smaller than a regulation table tennis table, and it’s not the most durable piece of hardware ever made, but the price is right and the convenience factor is real. And while some of its joints and hinges aren’t robust, the tabletop itself is tough enough for use outdoors, even in direct sunlight or light rain; just don’t leave it outside in rugged weather conditions at all times.

Wayfair

Size: 108 x 60 x 30 inches| Weight: 210.7 pounds | Portability features: N/A | Indoor/outdoor: Indoor

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If you're serious about ping pong, then the $800 Hall of Games Regulation Size Indoor Table Tennis Table is a fine choice. This is a large, sturdy and undeniably handsome ping pong table that will last for years and will be a pleasure to use each and every time you serve and volley. Its tabletop is three-quarters of an inch thick and has a reinforced frame and deep apron that prevent it from warping, even with constant use and with changes in the temperature. It's every bit as stylish as it is durable, with rich grain on the laminated, engineered wood legs and apron and a pale gray top with white markings and logos.

Yes, this is the most expensive table tennis table we’re featuring, but it’s also the most durable and stylish. And the least portable; once assembled and in place, this 210-plus pound ping pong table isn’t going anywhere unless you have a team of helpers at the ready. But if you know just where you want it and you’re OK with the price tag, it’s one of the best indoor ping pong tables you’re going to find.

The Forbes Vetted gear team has scores of sport and recreation guides under its collective belt, including a volley’s worth of camping and hiking stories, travel stories, and so many more.

The good thing about shopping for the best ping pong tables is that you’re hardly the first person who has done so; we took the same approach a savvy, research-ready consumer would have when planning this review, taking into consideration price, dimensions, portability, construction quality and other basic factors.

John also used his own years of experience as an amateur but avid ping pong player, noting the way tabletop size and construction affect game play. We considered things like table composition, looking at frame and tabletop materials as well as the way the frame was assembled, and the top supported and reinforced.

Finally, we spoke to several table tennis experts, most notably Tahl Leibovitz, a pro player who is a member of the 2024 USA Table Tennis Paralympic Team for Paris.

Some ping pong tables cost well into the several thousands of dollars. Are they worth it, though? Our research, cross-referencing and close attention to reviews from verified buyers strongly indicated that no, they were not—at a certain point, there was just a diminishing return as the price tag climbed, with the quality enhancement not keeping up.

“First, [determine] how much room you have for your table,” says Leibovitz. “Make sure you have at least four feet clearance beyond the edges so your feet can move around. You can buy a compact mini table that’s about 50 inches long and 28 inches wide. Larger tables run 60 inches wide, and some are a bit larger.” Sure, ping pong is all about fun and games for most people, but that’s no reason that you can’t be having fun on a regulation-sized table. These tables allow for the most exciting solo play and are big enough for doubles.

Some ping pong tables are big and heavy and just aren’t going anywhere once they are in place. Others are quite portable and, while they might be a bit more flimsy, are also easy to move around and enjoy anywhere; both have their merits—and their drawbacks.

“Look at the surface materials,” says Leibovitz. “Low end tables are usually made of fiberboard, mid-range are made of wood and higher end are made of synthetic laminates. Some can be moved around on wheels, and can also be used outdoors. They all fold up. You’ll probably want to buy a cover for an outdoors table.”

We put ourselves in your place, acting as would-be buyers while carefully considering the things other confirmed buyers had said of each ping pong table we considered. The 5-star ratings are always nice to see, but we also read through the reviews left with a lot of three-star ratings to get the real scoop.

The best ping pong table is the one that suits your budget and fits your space and use case. There’s no one answer that covers things here; rather there are considerations that help you narrow things down. “Whatever you choose, enjoy! It’s a great game,” Leibovitz says.

The spelling and pronunciation of the words are the only differences between a ping-pong table and a table tennis table—and that’s it. The terms “ping pong table” and “table tennis table” can be used 100% interchangeably, as can references to the sport/hobby ping pong vs. table tennis.